United States · Common Core State Standards
9th Grade Biology
This course investigates the fundamental mechanisms of life through the lens of systems thinking. Students explore biological phenomena from the molecular scale of DNA to the global scale of ecosystems and human impact.
01The Chemistry and Architecture of Life
Exploration of cellular structures and the biochemical processes that maintain homeostasis within living organisms.
Understanding the unique properties of water that allow life to exist on Earth, focusing on polarity and hydrogen bonding.
Investigating the versatility of carbon and the formation of basic organic molecules essential for life.
Analysis of how carbon-based molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids) provide the structural and functional basis for all living things.
Investigating how biological catalysts lower activation energy to sustain life processes and the factors affecting their activity.
Differentiating between the fundamental structures and evolutionary origins of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Exploring the specific roles and interdependencies of various organelles within eukaryotic cells.
Examining how the fluid mosaic model explains the regulation of internal environments and cell interactions.
Investigating the mechanisms by which molecules move across the cell membrane, including diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.
Exploring the initial conversion of light energy into chemical energy within chloroplasts, focusing on electron transport.
Understanding how the chemical energy from light reactions is used to synthesize glucose in the Calvin Cycle.
Analyzing the initial stages of glucose breakdown to produce ATP for cellular work.
Investigating the final and most efficient stage of ATP production in cellular respiration.
Introduction to signal transduction pathways and how cells respond to external cues, from reception to response.
02The Continuity of Life: Genetics
Studying the mechanisms of inheritance and the molecular instructions that guide growth.
Tracing the historical discovery of DNA's structure and its implications for heredity.
Understanding the high-fidelity copying of genetic data and the enzymes involved.
Understanding how the genetic code in DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA.
Analyzing the assembly of amino acids into polypeptides at the ribosome, guided by the genetic code.
Exploring how gene expression is controlled in different cells and in response to environmental factors.
Examining the regulated stages of cell growth and preparation for division.
Understanding the process of nuclear division that ensures genetically identical daughter cells.
Investigating the reduction division process that creates genetic variation for sexual reproduction.
Applying the laws of segregation and independent assortment to predict inheritance patterns.
Exploring non-Mendelian traits like codominance, incomplete dominance, multiple alleles, and polygenic traits.
Investigating the causes, symptoms, and inheritance patterns of common human genetic diseases.
Evaluating modern tools for genome editing, such as CRISPR, and their applications in medicine and agriculture.
Discussing the ethical, legal, and social implications of advanced genetic technologies.
03Evolution: The Unifying Theory
Analyzing the evidence for change over time and the mechanisms of diversification.
Tracing the shift from static views of life to early concepts of change over time, pre-Darwin.
Exploring Darwin's voyage, observations, and the development of the theory of natural selection.
Using the physical record of the past to map the history of life and demonstrate evolutionary change.
Examining the geographical distribution of species as evidence for evolution and continental drift.
Comparing homologous, analogous, and vestigial structures across species to identify common ancestry and evolutionary pathways.
Exploring how embryonic development reveals shared evolutionary pathways among diverse species.
Using DNA and protein sequences to construct phylogenetic trees and determine evolutionary relationships.
Modeling how fitness, selective pressures, and environmental interactions drive population changes.
Exploring non-selective mechanisms that change allele frequencies in populations, such as bottleneck and founder effects.
Analyzing the processes that lead to the formation of new biological species, including reproductive isolation.
Investigating different patterns of evolution such as convergent evolution, divergent evolution, and coevolution.
Investigating how different species influence each other's evolutionary paths through various symbiotic interactions.
Tracing the evolutionary history of humans, including key adaptations and hominid species.
04Ecology and Global Systems
Exploring the complex relationships between organisms and their physical environment.
Defining the hierarchy of ecological organization from individual organisms to populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Investigating the characteristics of major terrestrial and aquatic biomes and their relationship to climate patterns.
Modeling the movement of energy through food chains and webs, identifying producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Understanding the concepts of pyramids of energy, biomass, and numbers in ecosystems.
Analyzing the cycling of carbon through Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land, and living organisms.
Investigating the cycling of nitrogen and phosphorus, highlighting the roles of bacteria and human impact.
Differentiating between exponential and logistic growth in biological populations and factors affecting them.
Studying the dynamics of competition, predation, and herbivory within ecological communities.
Exploring various forms of symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism) and the concept of ecological niches.
Tracing the predictable changes in a community following a disturbance, from pioneer to climax communities.
Evaluating the biological impacts of rising global temperatures, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events.
Developing strategies to protect endangered species, restore ecosystems, and preserve genetic diversity.
Analyzing the effects of pollution, deforestation, and invasive species on ecosystem health and stability.
05Human Biology and Homeostasis
Investigating the coordination between organ systems to maintain life.
From specialized cells and tissues to integrated organ systems, emphasizing emergent properties.
Understanding the concept of homeostasis and the role of feedback loops in regulating physiological processes.
Analyzing the organization of the nervous system and the basic structure and function of neurons.
Exploring how neurons communicate across synapses using chemical signals and the impact of drugs.
Studying hormone-based communication and long-term regulation of growth, metabolism, and reproduction.
Examining the transport of nutrients, gases, and wastes, and the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels.
Investigating the mechanics of breathing and gas exchange at the alveoli, and adaptations to different environments.
Analyzing the processes of mechanical and chemical digestion and nutrient absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
Understanding how the kidneys and other organs maintain water, electrolyte, and waste balance.
Exploring the structure and function of bones, cartilage, and joints in providing support and protection.
Investigating the mechanics of muscle contraction, from the molecular level to whole-body movement.