The course is aimed at the acquisition of the fundamental principles of selected natural sciences based on their relevance and accessibility in the school context. The primary goal of the course is to convey to students the language of natural sciences and the knowledge of the different disciplines underlying the complexity of nature and ecosystems, highlighting the interrelationships between living and the physical and chemical environment. In addition, emphasis will be put on the approaches to natural science through the use of the scientific method and the ability to reflect on their behavior in terms of the use of natural resources according to the principles of sustainability also aimed at a didactic translation.

·Natural sciences: basic concepts

·  Educational and pedagogical theories relating to the importance of teaching science and didactic methodologies

·  Biophilia hypotesis and man-nature relationship

·The scientific method in natural sciences, critical thinking, the search for objectivity, the representation of data

·  IBSE method

·  Environmental education

·  The Foundations of Biology

·  Atoms and molecules. Carbon chemistry. Molecules of life: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids.

·  Cellular organization. Cellular metabolism: Protein synthesis; Cellular respiration; Photosynthesis. Cell division and mitosis.

·  The Five Kingdoms. Bacteria, Archaea, and the origin of life. Protists and the origin of sexuality.

·  Plants, Mushrooms and colonization of the land. Structure, function and evolution of plants and animals.

·  Water and hydrological cycle

·  Air and atmosphere

·  Soil and its characteristics

· The biodiversity

Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge of the foundations of the natural sciences and the basic languages of the discipline and the scientific method. Knowledge of phenomena and processes related to abiotic and biotic components and their interactions.
Knowledge and understanding of biological processes and mechanisms of interaction between organisms and the environment, with regard to human influences and the preservation of the quality of the natural environment. Use of the knowledge and skills acquired to identify and design educational paths to contribute to the primary education of the child's environmental culture in the primary and secondary schools.
Expected results are achieved through frontal teaching activities and supplementary seminars. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and ability to recognize and classify the biotic and abiotic components of the environment and their connection with human actions.
Ability to identify and realize educational paths based on the basic foundations of the discipline. Expected results are achieved through frontal teaching activities and supplementary seminars. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Making judgements

The student must be able to critically evaluate the role of the biotic and abiotic elements that make up an ecosystem and the actions that compromise it. The student must have acquired the basic knowledge for the development of the teaching methods presented. The results are evaluated through oral and written examinations.

Communication

The student should be able to describe the fundamentals of the natural sciences learned during the course by expressing it clearly, with the acquisition of an appropriate scientific language.

Lifelong learning skills

The student should be able to build his or her discipline knowledge pathway in a critical and autonomous way, being able to use the study material as indicated by the teacher or who will be able to obtain it. These skills will, as far as possible, be stimulated by the teacher by offering further insights.

In relation to the student discipline must show possession:
- Mastery of the knowledge of specialized disciplines;
- The understanding of the advanced concepts of the discipline;
- The ability to use knowledge and concepts to reason independently on issues of discipline

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

pdf/ppt of the lessons and eventually supplementary seminars

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lectures

Course books

Robert J. Brooker, 2011. Biologia. McGraw Hill, pp. 240

Giuseppe Barbiero, Rita Berto, 2016. Introduzione alla biofilia, La relazione con la Natura tra genetica e psicologia. Carrocci ed., pp 212

Assessment

The learning objectives are verified through two types of tests.

1. A formative evaluation (self-assessment) test, performed at the end of the course and optional, consisting of a written test with at least 8 multiple choice questions and 2 open questions.

2. An oral interview. This method of assessment is indispensable for evaluating the acquired knowledge, in particular concerning the willingness to verify both the student's synthesis capacity and communicative and expressive skills, as well as the acquisition of the appropriate bio-ecological scientific language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.