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Skyline High School IB Biology Unit List

Click to view assessment statement responses by unit

IB Biology HL is taught over two years. At Skyline High School, we have a quarter system, so the
class units are broken up by units by quarter. The unit lengths are estimates only. Classes meet four
days per week, with three-50ish minute class periods and one-90 minute class period . Please note,
this document represents a GOAL; in general I am behind in my own timing and wishful thinking!
Additionally, we don’t necessarily proceed through the units in numerical order. At certain points,
students can vote to determine which path we follow through the curriculum.

Year 1 Quarter 1

1. Concepts of Biology
a. IB topic(s): 1.1, 1.5 and 4.1
b. Lesson Topics:
■ Welcome to IB Biology
■ Characteristics of Life
■ Characteristics of Life in Single Celled Organisms
■ Levels of Biological Organization
■ Emergent Properties
■ Themes of Biology
■ The Cell Theory
■ Trends and Discrepancies

2. Microscopy
a. IB topic(s): 1.1 and 1.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Microscopes are an important tool used in the study of cellular
biology.
c. Unit Length: 4 days

3. Prokaryotic Cells
a. IB topic(s): 1.2, 3.2 and 6.3
b. Essential Idea(s): Prokaryotes have a have a much simpler cell structure than
eukaryotes
c. Unit Length: 4 days

4. Eukaryotic Cells
a. IB topic(s): 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Eukaryotes have a much more complex cell structure than
prokaryotes
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c. Unit Length: 4 days

5. Stem Cells and Differentiation

a. IB topic(s): 1.1 and 3.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Stem cells are capable of dividing and differentiating along different
pathways.
c. Unit Length: 4 days

6. A: Cell Division
a. IB topic(s): 1.6, 3.2 and 7.1
b. Essential Idea(s): Cell division involves interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

B: Cell Cycle and Cancer

d. IB topic(s): 1.6, 6.4, D.1 and D.6
e. Essential Idea(s): Control of the cell cycle is essential and must be controlled
f. Unit Length: 5 days

Year 1 Quarter 2

7. Cell Membrane Structure

a. IB topic(s): 1.3
b. Essential Idea(s): The structure of biological membranes makes them fluid and
dynamic
c. Unit Length: 3 days

8. Cell Membrane Transport

a. IB topic(s): 1.1 and 1.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Membranes control the composition of cells by active and passive
transport
c. Unit Length: 7 days

9. Water
a. IB topic(s): 2.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Water is the medium of life.
c. Unit Length: 3 days

10. Introduction to Molecular Biology

a. IB topic(s): 2.1 and D.1
b. Essential Idea(s): Compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are used to supply and
store energy.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

11. Carbohydrates and Lipids

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a. IB topic(s): 2.1, 2.3 and D.1

b. Essential Idea(s): Compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are used to supply and
store energy.
c. Unit Length: 10 days

12. Nucleic Acids

a. IB topic(s): 2.6, 3.5 and 7.1
b. Essential Idea(s): The structure of DNA allows efficient storage of genetic information.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

Year 1 Quarter 3
13. DNA Replication
a. IB topic(s): 2.7, 3.5 and 7.1
b. Essential Idea(s): The structure of DNA is ideally suited to its replication.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

14. Genes and Genomes

a. IB topic(s): 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 7.1 and 7.3
b. Essential Idea(s): Every living organism inherits a blueprint for life from its parents /
Chromosomes carry genes in a linear sequence that is shared by members of a species.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

15. Chromosomes
a. IB topic(s): 3.2, 3.3 and 6.6
b. Essential Idea(s): Chromosomes carry genes in a linear sequence that is shared by
members of a species.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

16. Meiosis
a. IB topic(s): 3.3, 3.4, 10.1 and 10.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Alleles segregate during meiosis allowing new combinations to be
formed by the fusion of gametes / Meiosis leads to independent assortment of
chromosomes and unique composition of alleles in daughter cells.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

17. Genetic Inheritance

a. IB topic(s): 3.4 and D.1
b. Essential Idea(s): The inheritance of genes follows patterns.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

18. More Complex Genetics

a. IB topic(s): 10.1 and 10.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Genes may be linked or unlinked and are inherited accordingly.
c. Unit Length: 6 days
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Year 1 Quarter 4
19. Natural Selection
a. IB topic(s): 5.1, 5.2, 10.2, 10.3
b. Lesson Topics:
■ Overproduction of offspring
■ Variation
■ Selective pressures
■ Differential survival and reproduction
■ Change in the population
■ Modes of selection

20. Evidence of Evolution

a. Examples of Evolution
■ IB topic(s): 5.1, 5.2 and 6.3
■ Lesson Topics:
● Examples of natural selection
● Examples of (un)natural selection
● Examples of artificial selection

b. Adaptations and Niches

■ IB topic(s): 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 10.3 and C.1
■ Lesson Topics:
● Niches
● Adaptations
● Homologous structures and divergent evolution
● Fossil evidence of divergent evolution
● Adaptive radiation
● Pace of evolution
● Analogous structures and convergent evolution

21. Speciation
a. IB topic(s): 4.1, 5.1 and 10.3
b. Lesson Topics:
■ What is a species?
■ Speciation
■ Reproductive Isolation
■ Gene pools
■ Polyploidy speciation

22. Classification of Biodiversity

a. IB topic(s): 5.3
b. Lesson Topics:
■ Hierarchy of taxa
■ Binomial nomenclature
■ Dichotomous keys
■ Domains
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■ Kingdoms
■ Plant phyla
■ Animal phyla
■ Chordata classes

23. Cladistics
a. IB topic(s): 3.1, 5.3, 5.4, 7.3 and D.1
b. Lesson Topics:
■ Natural classification
■ Reading cladograms
■ Determining Homologous and Analogous from Cladogram
■ Vitamin C and Scurvy
■ Creating cladograms from molecular data
■ Molecular clocks
■ Reclassification

Summer Assignment
24. Communities and Ecosystems
a. IB topic(s): 4.1 and 9.4
b. Essential Idea(s): The continued survival of living organisms including humans
depends on sustainable communities.
c. Unit Length: 3 days

25. Energy Flow through Ecosystems

a. IB topic(s): 4.1 and 4.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Ecosystems require a continuous supply of energy to fuel life
processes and to replace energy lost as heat.
c. Unit Length: 4 days

26. Nutrient Cycles

a. IB topic(s): 4.1 and 4.3
b. Essential Idea(s): Continued availability of carbon in ecosystems depends on carbon
cycling.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

27. Climate Change

a. IB topic(s): 4.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Concentrations of gases in the atmosphere affect climates
experienced at the Earth’s surface.
c. Unit Length: 4 days

Year 2 Quarter 1

28. a) Transcription
a. IB topic(s): 2.7, 7.1 and 7.2
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b. Essential Idea(s): Information stored as a code in DNA is copied onto mRNA.

c. Unit Length: 5 days
b) Control of Gene Expression
A. IB topic(s): 7.1 and 7.2
B. Essential Idea(s): Cells can control when and where specific genes are expressed
C. Unit Length: 3 days

29. Translation
a. IB topic(s): 2.7 and 7.3
b. Essential Idea(s): Information transferred from DNA to mRNA is translated into an
amino acid sequence
c. Unit Length: 7 days

30. Genetic Engineering

a. IB topic(s): 2.7 and 3.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Biologists have developed techniques for artificial manipulation of
DNA, cells and organisms
c. Unit Length: 5 days

31. Protein Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): 2.1, 2.4, 7.3 and D.1
b. Essential Idea(s): Proteins have a very wide range of functions in living organisms.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

32. Enzymes and Metabolism

a. IB topic(s): 2.1, 2.5 and 8.1
b. Essential Idea(s): Living Organisms control their composition by complex web of
chemical reactions. Metabolic reactions are regulated in response to the cell’s needs.
Enzymes control the metabolism of the cell.
c. Unit Length: 8 days

33. Respiration
a. Anaerobic Respiration
■ IB topic(s): 2.8 and 8.2
■ Essential Idea(s): Cell respiration supplies energy for the functions of life
■ Unit Length: 4 days

b. Aerobic Respiration
■ IB topic(s): 2.8 and 8.2
■ Essential Idea(s): Energy is converted to a usable form in cell respiration
■ Unit Length: 6 days

Year 2 Quarter 2
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34. Photosynthesis
a. Light and Pigments
■ IB topic(s): 2.9
■ Essential Idea(s): Specific wavelengths of light activate photosynthetic
pigments.
■ Unit Length: 3 days

b. Photosynthesis
■ IB topic(s): 2.9 and 8.3
■ Essential Idea(s): Photosynthesis uses the energy in sunlight to produce the
chemical energy needed for life / Light energy is converted into chemical energy
■ Unit Length: 8 days

35. Xylem Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): 9.1 and 9.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Structure and function are correlated in the xylem in plants.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

36. Phloem Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): 9.2
b. Essential Idea(s): Structure and function are correlated in the phloem in plants.
c. Unit Length: 3 days

37. Plant Response and Growth

a. IB topic(s): 9.3
b. Essential Idea(s): Plants adapt their growth to environmental conditions.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

38. Angiosperm Reproduction

a. IB topic(s): 9.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Reproduction in flowering plants is influenced by the biotic and
abiotic environments.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

Year 2 Quarter 3

39. The Digestive System

a. IB topic(s): 6.1 and D.2
b. Essential Idea(s): The structure of the digestive system allows it to move, digest,
absorb and egest food.
c. Unit Length: 10 days

40. Liver Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): D.3
b. Essential Idea(s): The chemical composition of the blood is regulated by the liver.
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c. Unit Length: 6 days

41. Kidney Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): 11.3
b. Essential Idea(s): All animals excrete nitrogenous waste products and some animals
also balance water and solute concentrations.
c. Unit Length: 7 days

42. Neural Structure and Function

a. IB topic(s): 1.4 and 6.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Neurons transmit the message, synapses modulate the message.
c. Unit Length: 4 days

43. Muscles and Movement

a. IB topic(s): 11.2
b. Essential Idea(s): The roles of musculoskeletal system are movement, support and
protection.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

44. The Heart

a. IB topic(s): 6.2, D.1 and D.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Internal and external factors influence heart function.
c. Unit Length: 8 days

45. The Circulatory System

a. IB topic(s): 6.2, 6.3, D.1 and D.4
b. Essential Idea(s): The blood system continuously transports substances to cells and
simultaneously collects waste products.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

46. Respiration
a. The Respiratory System
■ IB topic(s): 6.4 and D.6
■ Essential Idea(s): The lungs are actively ventilated to ensure that gas exchange
can occur passively.
■ Unit Length: 5 days

b. Transport of Respiratory Gases

■ IB topic(s): D.6
■ Essential Idea(s): Red blood cells are vital in the transport of respiratory gases.
■ Unit Length: 3 days

Year 2 Quarter 4
47. Immunity
a. Innate Immunity
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■ IB topic(s): 6.3 and 11.1

■ Lesson Topics:
● Disease and pathogens
● Disease transmission
● Innate vs Adaptive immunity
● Physical barriers
● Innate internal defenses
● Histamine and allergies
● Blood clotting

b. Adaptive Immunity
■ IB topic(s): 6.3 and 11.1
■ Lesson Topics:
● Antigens
● Humoral vs Cell Mediated Immunity
● Helper-T cells and HIV
● Plasma B cells and antibodies
● Memory B cells and immunity
● Vaccines
● Monoclonal antibodies

48. Hormones and Homeostasis

a. IB topic(s): 6.6. D.1 and D.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Hormones are used when signals need to be widely distributed to
maintain homeostasis.
c. Unit Length: 8 days

49. Reproductive Hormones

a. IB topic(s): 6.6. 11.4 and D.5
b. Essential Idea(s): Hormones influence human male and female reproduction.
c. Unit Length: 6 days

50. Gametogenesis
a. IB topic(s): 11.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Formation of haploid gametes is required for sexual reproduction.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

51. Pregnancy and Birth

a. IB topic(s): 11.4
b. Essential Idea(s): Pregnancy and birth are regulated by interactions between maternal
and fetal systems.
c. Unit Length: 5 days

52. Test Preparation

53. Post Test