United States · Common Core State Standards
10th Grade Biology
This course explores the fundamental principles of life from microscopic molecular interactions to global ecosystem dynamics. Students investigate how organisms maintain homeostasis, transfer genetic information, and evolve over time through evidence based inquiry.
The Molecular Basis of Life
Students examine the chemical foundations of biology, focusing on how specialized structures within cells help organisms maintain stability and process energy.
An investigation into how the cell membrane regulates the movement of materials to maintain internal balance regardless of external conditions.
A study of how matter and energy flow through organisms via the complementary processes of capturing light and breaking down carbon compounds.
Exploring how DNA provides the instructions for building proteins and how enzymes catalyze the reactions necessary for life.
Information Transfer and Heredity
This unit focuses on the mechanisms of inheritance, the structure of DNA, and how genetic variation is produced through meiosis and mutations.
Students analyze how cells grow, replicate their genetic material, and divide to ensure continuity of life.
An exploration of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics to predict how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Students evaluate modern biotechnologies such as CRISPR and cloning and debate their societal implications.
Evolution and Common Ancestry
Students investigate the evidence for evolution and the mechanisms that drive the diversification of life on Earth.
Analyzing the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and molecular data to trace the history of life.
Examining how environmental pressures lead to differential survival and reproduction within populations.
Investigating how new species arise and the factors that lead to mass extinctions or rapid diversification.
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
This unit explores how organisms interact with each other and their environment to cycle matter and transfer energy.
Studying the factors that limit population growth and how carrying capacity is determined in an ecosystem.
Tracing the path of nitrogen, carbon, and water through biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere.
Evaluating the effect of human activity on biodiversity and designing solutions to mitigate environmental damage.
Human Systems and Integration
An exploration of how organ systems work together to maintain life and how the body responds to internal and external stimuli.
Investigating how the body sends electrical and chemical signals to coordinate complex behaviors and physiological responses.
Understanding how the body identifies and fights off pathogens and the role of vaccines in public health.
Analyzing how the body processes nutrients and removes waste to maintain a constant internal environment.
Bioethics and the Future of Biology
A capstone unit where students apply biological concepts to contemporary societal issues and emerging scientific frontiers.
Examining the biological evidence for climate change and its predicted effects on species distribution and survival.
Discussing the possibility and morality of bringing back extinct species or creating entirely new forms of life.
Analyzing how globalization and environmental change contribute to the spread of new infectious diseases.