Visual Biology: Draw Your Way Through the Study of Life

Dive into the fascinating world of biology with our ongoing weekly class designed for middle and high school learners! This unique course combines creativity, collaboration, and cutting-edge research to explore the intricacies of living systems. Using sketchnoting, a visual notetaking technique, students will create engaging infographics to summarize and present the latest scientific discoveries—no prior artistic skills required!

Each week, we tackle a new biology objective aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students will explore current research, discuss experimental designs, and connect biology concepts to real-world applications. Our sketchnoting method enhances focus, deepens understanding, and makes learning both fun and impactful.

The class is flexible—join anytime and stay enrolled for up to six months to cover all the standards. Even if objectives repeat, each session offers fresh content and unique approaches, ensuring an exciting and dynamic learning experience every week.

In this class, students not only expand their biology knowledge but also develop essential skills in creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Sketchnoting empowers learners to break down complex scientific ideas into visually engaging formats, making biology more accessible and memorable.

Whether you're just beginning or already passionate about life science, this class invites you to explore how biology shapes our understanding of the world. Join us to discover, create, and grow in a supportive and inspiring environment!


Here is the schedule of topics. IMPORTANT NOTE: Different days of the week are on different parts of the learning cycle. Please check before requesting a transfer or enrolling in a new section on a different day. Tuesday leads the pack, followed by Wednesday, Thursday, then Monday. Refunds will not be  given for double-booking the same lesson. If in doubt, reach out. 

The standards are listed in their entirety underneath the schedule.
 
LS1 - Molecules to Organisms (Cell Biology)
LS2 - Ecosystems
LS3 - Heredity Inheritance and Variation of Traits
LS4 - Biological Evolution
LS = Life Science
HS = High School

Week of…		Monday 		Tuesday 		Wednesday 	Thursday 

Jan 6- Jan 10. 	HS.LS2.7	        HS.LS4.4	HS.LS4.3  	HS.LS3.1
Jan 13-Jan17	        HS.LS2.8	        HS.LS4.5	        HS.LS4.4	HS.LS3.2
Jan 20-Jan 24	No CLass	HS.LS4.6	        HS.LS4.5. 	HS.LS3.3
Jan 27-Jan 31	        HS.LS3.1  	HS.LS1.1	        HS.LS4.6	        HS.LS4.1
Feb 3-7	                HS.LS3.2	        HS.LS1.2	        HS.LS1.1	        HS.LS4.2
Feb 10-14	        HS.LS3.3 	HS.LS1.3	        HS.LS1.2	        HS.LS4.3
Feb 17-24	        No Class	        HS.LS1.4	        HS.LS1.3	        HS.LS4.4
Feb 24-28 	        HS.LS4.1	        HS.LS1.5	        HS.LS1.4	        HS.LS4.5
Mar 3-7             	HS.LS4.2	        HS.LS1.6	        HS.LS1.5	        HS.LS4.6
Mar 10-14	        HS.LS4.3	        HS.LS1.7	        HS.LS1.6	        HS.LS1.1
Mar 17-21	        HS.LS4.4	HS.LS2.1	        HS.LS1.7	        HS.LS1.2
Mar 24-28	        No Class	        No Class	        No Class	        No Class
Mar 31-April 4	HS.LS4.5	        HS.LS2.2	        HS.LS2.1	        HS.LS1.3
April 7-11	        HS.LS4.6	        HS.LS2.3	        HS.LS2.2	        HS.LS1.4
April 14-18.      	HS.LS1.1	        HS.LS2.4	        HS.LS2.3	        HS.LS1.5
April 21-25	        HS.LS1.2	        HS.LS2.5	        HS.LS2.4	        HS.LS1.6
April 28-May 2	HS.LS1.3	        HS.LS2.6	        HS.LS2.5	        HS.LS1.7
May 5-9	                HS.LS1.4	        HS.LS2.7	        HS.LS2.6	        HS.LS2.1
May 12-16	        HS.LS1.5	        HS.LS2.8	        HS.LS2.7  	HS.LS2.2
May 19-23	        HS.LS1.6	        HS.LS3.1	        HS.LS2.8	        HS.LS2.3
May 26-30	        Holiday	        HS.LS3.2	        HS.LS3.1   	HS.LS2.4
Jun 2-6	                HS.LS1.7	        HS.LS3.3	        HS.LS3.2 	HS.LS2.5
Jun 9-13	                HS.LS2.1	        HS.LS4.1	        HS.LS3.3 	HS.LS2.6
Jun 16-20	        HS.LS2.2	        HS.LS4.2	        HS.LS4.1 	HS.LS2.7
Jun 23-27	        HS.LS2.3	        HS.LS4.3	        HS.LS4.2 	HS.LS2.8
Jun 30-Jul 4	        HS.LS2.4	        HS.LS4.4	HS.LS4.3         HS.LS3.1
Jul 7-11	                HS.LS2.5	        HS.LS4.5	        HS.LS4.4	HS.LS3.2
Jul 14-18.         	HS.LS2.6	        HS.LS4.6	        HS.LS4.5 	HS.LS3.3
Jul 21-25.         	HS.LS2.7	        HS.LS1.1	        HS.LS4.6 	HS.LS4.1
Jul 28-Aug 1	        HS.LS2.8	        HS.LS1.2	        HS.LS1.1  	HS.LS4.2
Aug 4-8.          	HS.LS1.1	        HS.LS1.3	        HS.LS1.2 	HS.LS4.3
Aug 11-15	        HS.LS1.2	        HS.LS1.4	        HS.LS1.3 	HS.LS4.4
Aug 18-22	        HS.LS1.3	        HS.LS1.5	        HS.LS1.4 	HS.LS4.5
Aug 25-29	        No Class	        No Class	        No Class 	No Class
Sep 1-5	                No Class	        HS.LS1.6	        HS.LS1.5 	HS.LS4.6
Sep 8-12	                HS.LS1.4	        HS.LS1.7	        HS.LS1.6 	HS.LS1.1
Sep 15-19	        HS.LS1.5	        HS.LS2.1	        HS.LS1.7  	HS.LS1.2
Sep 22-26	        HS.LS1.6	        HS.LS2.2	        HS.LS2.1  	HS.LS1.3
Sep 29-Oct 3	        HS.LS1.7	        HS.LS2.3	        HS.LS2.2 	HS.LS1.4
Oct 6-10.         	HS.LS3.1	        HS.LS2.4	        HS.LS2.3 	HS.LS1.5
Oct 13-17	        No Class	        HS.LS2.5	        HS.LS2.4 	HS.LS1.6
Oct 20-31	       HS.LS3.2	        HS.LS2.6	        HS.LS2.5 	HS.LS1.7
Nov 3-7	               HS.LS3.3	        HS.LS2.7	        HS.LS2.6 	HS.LS2.1
Nov 10-14	       HS.LS4.1	        HS.LS2.8	        HS.LS2.7 	HS.LS2.2
Nov 17-21	       HS.LS4.2	        HS.LS3.1	        HS.LS2.8 	HS.LS2.3
Nov 24-28	       No Class	        No Class	        No Class 	No Class
Dec 1-5	               HS.LS4.3	        HS.LS3.2	        HS.LS3.1  	HS.LS2.4
Dec 8-12	               HS.LS4.4	        HS.LS3.3	        HS.LS3.2 	HS.LS2.5
Dec 15-19	       HS.LS4.5	        HS.LS4.1	        HS.LS3.3 	HS.LS2.6
Dec 22-26	       No Class	        No Class	        No Class 	No Class
Dec 29-Jan 2.        No Class	        No Class	        No Class 	No Class




HS.LS1: From Molecules to Organisms:
Structures and Processes (Cells)

HS.LS1.1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the
structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry
out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized
cells.
HS.LS1.2: Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical
organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions
within multicellular organisms.
HS.LS1.3: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that
feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.
HS.LS1.4: Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division
(mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex
organisms.
HS.LS1.5: Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms
light energy into stored chemical energy.
HS.LS1.6: Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for
how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may
combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other
large carbon-based molecules.
HS.LS1.7: Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a
chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen
molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed
resulting in a net transfer of energy.
HS.LS2.1: Use mathematical and/or computational representations
to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of
ecosystems at different scales.

HS.LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy
and Dynamics (Ecology)

Visual Biology NGSS Checklist
HS.LS2.2: Use mathematical representations to support and revise
explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity
and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS.LS2.3: Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for
the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic
conditions.
HS.LS2.4: Use mathematical representations to support claims for
the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an
ecosystem.
HS.LS2.5: Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis
and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the
biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
HS.LS2.6: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the
complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent
numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing
conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS.LS2.7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the
impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.*
HS.LS2.8: Evaluate evidence for the role of group behavior on
individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce.

HS.LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation
of Traits (Genetics)

HS.LS3.1: Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of
DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic
traits passed from parents to offspring.
HS.LS3.2: Make and defend a claim based on evidence that
inheritable genetic variations may result from (1) new genetic
combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during
replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.
HS.LS3.3: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the
variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

HS.LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and
Diversity (Evolution)

HS.LS4.1: Communicate scientific information that common ancestry
and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical
evidence.
HS.LS4.2: Construct an explanation based on evidence that the
process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the
potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable
genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and
sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4)
the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive
and reproduce in the environment.
HS.LS4.3: Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support
explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait
tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.
HS.LS4.4: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how
natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.
HS.LS4.5: Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in
environmental conditions may result in (1) increases in the number
of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species
over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.
HS.LS4.6: Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate