Supplementary study unit in bacteriology for high school biology students

Abstract

Nature and Scope of Study: This study and report grows out of a conviction that the study of life sciences is being neglected in the present program of high school science curriculum. It presents certain findings in a few typical high schools visited, and pertaining to materials presented in state adopted biology text books for the states of Oklahoma and Texas. Suggestions are presented for a degree of specialization in the study of life sciences in high school. Coverage of the problem is limited to one phase and one field: that of enriching the regular biology course with a unit of bacteriology.

Findings and Conclusions: Average high schools under the present program offer students only one course of life science, which is biology in a general course offered at tenth grade level. Most teachers are willing to specialize, but texts contain very little material usable for special instruction. The author's experience concludes that teaching special units, especially bacteriology, is workable and profitable at tenth grade level.

Use of the Study: A study unit outline is presented that may be used to supplement textual materials in a regular course of general biology at the tenth grade level. A list of useful reference books for the study of bacteriology, its history, progress, and important people, is also presented.