科學教研部

Courses

CLD

This course gives a brief introduction to the Origin of Life and provides an understanding of the physical conditions that enable planet Earth to create and sustain life. A practical approach will be adopted to arouse the curiosity and interest of the students in the subject in order to stimulate critical scientific thinking. The course addresses the basic chemistry and biochemistry of vital components for the living cell. The course explains the role and functions of the various organs and organelles in plants and animals. It engages students in open discussion on the socio-cultural-religious impact of the theories of evolution, reproduction and bio-engineering. This course selects certain important topics that have a great impact locally and with possible global consequences. The course instills literacy in bio-science by broadening the scope of the students’ knowledge in biology and will enable students to address issues on life competently and with confidence.
 

This course will explore the science of natural disasters (such as earthquakes, volcanos, and tsunamis) and natural disturbances (such as forest/grass fires, hurricanes, and floods) and the impacts that these events have on natural ecosystems and human societies

 

“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” (Dobzhansky, 1973) Biology is the study of living things, and includes a diverse range of topics such as genetics, physiology, and ecology—evolution is the theory that connects all subjects in biology. The goal of this course is to provide students with a working knowledge of evolutionary theory and use it to understand current issues (i.e. disease, climate change, and human behavior). The course will begin with lessons on the nature of science, followed by the history of evolutionary thought, key concepts of evolution, implications of evolution, and application to current issues.

 

Climate change, extinction, air pollution, deforestation, pollution, invasive species, energy, and water supply are all environmental issues facing us today and in the future. If citizens and leaders are going to make wise decisions about these and other issues related to the environment, sustainable development, and global citizenship then it will be necessary for them to have a strong understanding of the science behind the issues.

 

This course introduces students to the natural history of Hong Kong. Natural history is the scientific study of living organisms and their environment, focusing on observation to gather data. Geographically sitting in the transition zone between tropical and temperate habitats, Hong Kong has a diversity of habitats, rich biodiversity compared to its size (e.g. Hong Kong is home to ~⅓ of China’s bird species) and is also home to globally endangered (e.g. Black-faced spoonbill, Golden coin turtle, Chinese pangolin) and endemic species (not found anywhere else in the world; 3 reptiles, 1 amphibian, 5 fish, 19 invertebrates, and 20 vascular plants). The goal of this course is to combine theory learned in the classroom with hands-on experience in the field to learn about the ecosystems and living organisms of Hong Kong.

 

This course provides an overview of issues related to climate change and human health in the context of public health. It introduces fundamental concepts of climate change and climate change related human health impacts. The course comprises a series of 3- hour lecture and discussion sessions, as well as field trips. Lectures will cover topics such as causes and consequences of climate change and scientific methods relating to climate change assessments and the challenges of sustainable development. The policy implication about different adaptation and mitigation strategies related to climate change and human health impacts will also be examined. Guest speakers of related disciplines will be invited to talk about future impacts of climate change and smallgroup field trips will be arranged. Other learning activities include movie appreciation, case studies, media reviews, data analyses, field trips and group discussions.

 

Food is essential to life. The course aims to provide students a comprehensive overview of scientific principles and issues related to food production and consumption by combining knowledge from multiple disciplines, including food science, environmental sciences, public health and social science. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to critically discuss the concepts and apply the knowledge to make healthy and sustainable choices of food.

 

This course provides students a basic understanding of the Earth and its four main components: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. The course comprises a series of 3- hour lecture and discussion sessions. Field trips and/or museum visits will be arranged during week 5 to week 8. The lecture will begin with the introduction of the Earth System and the Earth. Topics include: Weather, Climate, EI Nino, Global Warming; Groundwater Contamination, Eutrophication, Coastal System; Earth’s Origin, Plate Tectonics, Volcanism, Earthquakes; Ecosystems, Evolution and Extinction. In addition, Human Interactions with the Earth will also be examined. Other learning activities include movie appreciation, case studies, media reviews, field trips, museum visits and group discussions.