Biology—Semester B (2014-2015)
Evolve your bio knowledge.
Hey, how'd you get in here? This is the old, busted, 2014–2015 version of our Biology course. If you want the shiny new hotness, go check out Semester A or Semester B of our new and improved Biology course.
Unit Breakdown
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Introduction to Biology
In this introductory unit, we'll answer the big questions of life. No really. We'll ask the question: what is life. You'll also get comfortable with other big issues of biology, including the scientific method and biological organization.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - The Chemistry of Life
What better way to get acquainted with biology than through...chemistry? That's right. In this unit, we'll go straight down to the bottom of the biological pyramid by learning some foundational concepts for our study of biology, including atomic bonding, the properties of water, and macromolecules.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Cells
Movin' on up the biological pyramid, we come to the smallest unit of life: the cell. This unit covers the properties and components of eukaryotes and prokaryotes, enzymes, osmosis and diffusion, and everyone's favorite cellular process: mitosis.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Biochemical Pathways
Ever wondered how that Snickers bar is broken down by your cells? Well, you're in luck, because this unit covers the basics of cellular respiration, the process by which your cells get energy from food. You'll get the deets on aerobic and anaerobic respiration and find out about plants' superpowers: photosynthesis.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Mendelian Genetics
Peas changed the world. True story. In this unit, we'll find out how Gregor Mendel discovered genes, and indirectly founded the field of genetics, through observing peas. You'll get cozy with DNA, meiosis, Punnett squares, genetic disorders (well, not too cozy), and other genetics issues.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Molecular Genetics
Our quest to gain total DNA mastery continues in this short unit on DNA and RNA. Replication, transcription, and translation will make their appearances here, culminating with a mini-unit on biotechnology.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Evolution
This unit starts by saluting the father of evolution, Mr. Charles Darwin. From there we'll move on to the golden topic of the unit: natural selection. After that, the mechanisms of evolution, and finally, how an entirely new species can arise. Once students recover from the speciation revelation, we'll geek out by looking at evidence of evolution like fossils.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Population Genetics
What do you get when you cross Mendel and Darwin? Population genetics. This unit takes the study of both fields further, looking at how populations evolve, the role of mutations in evolution, what the deal is with lethal alleles, and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principle.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Ecology
This unit moves beyond the individual organisms studied in the previous units and explores how organisms interact with their environments. Starting with biodiversity, we'll learn about species interactions, population ecology, energy cycles, and how energy gets from plants into us.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Microorganisms
In this unit, Shmoop's got the scoop on all (living) things microscopic. Students will learn about the structures and functions of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, and show off their newfound knowledge by creating a CDC brochure.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Plants
Shmoop thinks that plants are seriously underrated. They can make their own food from light and they reproduce without even moving. In this unit, we'll get intimately familiar with plants, focusing on plant evolution, physiology, and ecology.
Biology—Semester B (2014-2015) - Animals
To round out this course, we'll learn the ins and outs (literally!) of animals, including one we're all intimately familiar with: human beings. After a brief foray into different classifications of animals, we'll focus on physiology, including everyone's favorite systems, the circulatory, nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.