Inglemoor HS / Please keep in folder or binder for reference
International Baccalaureate
Biology,
Higher Level
Year 1 Syllabus
You may have been persuaded to study biology because
of current environmental problems, or because of a
desire to know more about the mechanisms of your own
body, or an interest in genetic engineering, or a career
in medicine -- in short, because it is relevant… [But]
above all other considerations, study biology because it
is irrelevant -- study it for its own sake, because, like
art and music and literature, it is an adventure for the
mind and nourishment for the spirit.
- H. Curtis
Welcome to Year 1 of IB
Biology!
IB Biology, a Group 4 Experimental Science, is the
scientific study of life. You will be able to acquire
“a limited body of facts and, at the same time,
develop a broad, general understanding of the
principles of biology.” (IBO 40) This year we explore:

Chemistry of life

Cells

Cell respiration & photosynthesis

DNA science (also called molecular biology)

Classical genetics

Defense against infectious disease

Ecology and evolution
PreRequisites
Before taking IB Biology, a student needs to have
successfully completed Pre-IB Chem/Bio or both
Biology and Chemistry. S/he also needs to have
the commitment, maturity, and teamwork
capabilities expected of an advanced learner.
(Please see the IB Learner Profile.)
Supplies Needed For Our
Class
Besides “the usual” (pens, pencils, paper, folders, etc.)
you need to bring to class DAILY:
 Composition book-style journal with bound
pages. Spiral or perforated-page notebooks may not
be substituted.
Colored pencils
Glue stick or tape
IHS Handbook (great planner, and it's free!)
Scientific calculator
Metric ruler (comes with IHS Handbook)
Recommended: Small pair of scissors 
Due date for supplies: _________________. Thanks!
No Two Days Will Be the
Same!
Working individually and collaboratively, IB
Biology students experiment, discuss, solve
problems, write, create visuals, build models,
evaluate research, analyze video clips, and more!
Learning Resources
Our textbook is Campbell BIOLOGY, 9th ed., 2011
by Jane B. Reece, et al. PLAN TO READ AND
PROCESS 5-10 PAGES BEFORE EVERY CLASS MEETING.
A previous IB Biology student described her initial
reaction to the Campbell BIOLOGY text:
I remember that, at the beginning of the first semester
[of Year 1], I struggled greatly with adjusting to the
way the class operated. I don’t think I’d anticipated
having to do that level of reading and comprehension
in such short intervals of time. In fact, it wasn’t even
reading; it was more like devouring, because
understanding the text meant dissecting it and then
putting it together piece by piece in my mind… [But]
my perseverance paid off in the end.
– M.B.
You are going to love BIOLOGY for its depth, clear
explanations and effective illustrations. Because
the text is an e-Book (online), many of our lessons
utilize the Web, and because you’ll want to link to
our IB Biology home page, DAILY
INTERNET ACCESS IS A COURSE
REQUIREMENT. Developing
students' information and
communication technology (ICT)
skills is one of the stated aims of
group 4 subjects.
(over)
Practical Work
(Internal
Assessment)
In two years of IB Biology HL, you will spend at
least 60 hours in the lab! After all, learning
science entails doing science! Practical (laboratory)
work consists of short-term investigations, longterm investigations, and the interdisciplinary
Group Four Project (senior year). All of the
experimental work we do constitutes our Practical
Scheme of Work (PSOW). A portion of this work
constitutes your Internal Assessment (IA), and is
sent to IBO at the end of your senior year.
Internal Assessment (IA), which is my
evaluation of select samples of your practical work,
makes up 24% of the mark (a number from 1 to 7)
sent to your chosen college the summer after next.
The assessment criteria I apply to your practical
work are the same worldwide! 76% of the final
mark comes from your IB Bio exam scores
(external assessment) in May of the second year.
Internal assessment is an important aspect of IB's
overall assessment strategy, because it gives
students a chance to show what they can do over
time, not just in the pressured context of an exam.
Grades
A student’s grade in IB Biology (what appears on
your transcript, as opposed to the IB mark sent to
colleges) is computed by dividing points
earned by total points possible. About 25% of
points come from lab, 25% from daily work, and
50% from quizzes and tests. Percentage scores
are converted to letter grades using the school
sanctioned conversion scheme. Grades will be
posted online.

Inglemoor science students have
received numerous internships and
research opportunities, among them
the Summer Training Program
research internship at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,
the BioQuest Academy internship at Seattle
Biomedical Research Institute, and the UW’s
GenOM ALVA summer internship program. If an
opportunity comes across my desk, you’ll hear about
it!
IB Biology HL is now aligned with the
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Standards for Biomedical Science. CTE
“allows students to achieve high
academic standards, gain leadership
skills, explore options for high-skill, high-wage
employment preparation, and encourages
advanced and continuing education.” (CTE 2005).
As of Fall 2010, IB Bio HL Year 2 students can
elect to receive occupational education credit or
science credit to best meet their graduation
requirements.
Get ready, Juniors, for your BEST year yet!
Mrs. Beth Stewart, IHS Science
http://schoolcenter.nsd.org/bstewart
Message phone 425.408-7302,
please allow 48 h
Works Cited
CTE Program Standards, OSPI, May 2005.
Curtis, H. & S. Barnes. Biology, 5th ed. NY: Worth, 1989.
International Baccalaureate Organization. Biology
Guide. Wales: IBO, 2007.
Coming Attractions
Biotechnology is a strong focus of Year 1.
We will engineer a laboratory strain of
bacteria with the genes for bioluminescence
“borrowed” from bacteria that live in
symbiosis with marine fish. We will also learn
how bioethical decision making models are used to
decide whether or not to seek genetic testing.
Reece, J. et al. Campbell Biology, 9th ed. AP* Edition
Pearson Benjamin Cummings: San Francisco, 2011.
Idea: if you bought a used copy, you could make your
own margin notes and you’d have the book as a
reference for years to come!

In late spring, we’ll take a field trip to
study the unique intertidal zone ecosystem
at Rosario Bay, Deception Pass State
Park. We have been able to visit these tide pools
for 18 years running, thanks in large part to the
stewardship of the rangers and volunteers who
work at the park.
"Biology, the study of life, is rooted in
the human spirit."
In memory of Neil A. Campbell (1946-2004)