Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics (Ecosystems): Students investigate how matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems (including photosynthesis and cellular respiration), how populations interact and change over time, and the impact of biodiversity and human disruptions on ecosystem stability.
Molecules to Organisms (Structures and Processes): Students examine the structural organization of matter in living things, ranging from cellular components and cell division (mitosis/meiosis) to how specialized cells, feedback mechanisms, and organ systems maintain homeostasis.
Heredity (Inheritance and Variation of Traits): Students analyze the role of DNA and chromosomes in encoding instructions for traits, how protein synthesis dictates phenotypes, and how genetic information is passed down through generations alongside the mechanisms of genetic variation.
Biological Evolution (Unity and Diversity): Students study evidence for common ancestry, natural selection, adaptation, and speciation, explaining how genetic shifts in populations lead to the biological diversity observed on Earth.
Instruction is structured around three-dimensional learning—where students routinely ask testable questions, design and use physical or conceptual models, analyze empirical data, construct scientific explanations, and engage in argumentation rooted in evidence.