In this course, students will learn various fundamental concepts covered in high school biology level 1 (US curriculum). A comprehensive overview of the topics will be provided in each class before addressing the finer details. Foundational topics may be introduced at a high level initially, with deeper dives into specific areas in subsequent lessons. We will start by exploring the intriguing question of what defines something as a living organism. From there, we will examine the steps of scientific method and engage in meaningful discussions as we apply these steps to hypothetical experiments. Afterwards, our lessons move progressively from studying the smallest unit of non-living things -an atom- to the smallest unit of living things -a cell.  Next, we will transition into topics from genetics and molecular biology. Upon successfully completing this course, students will have acquired a thorough understanding of diverse cellular and molecular processes that occur within living organisms.  

I will be using a combination of presentations, worksheets, videos and simulations to teach this course. I will utilize online assessments to check for student understanding. Worksheet packets that go along with the presentations will be provided. Students are expected to take some notes as they fill in the blanks on the handouts. This class is an interactive class; when in doubt, students are encouraged to ask questions. I will be assisting students while they work. Depending on the pace of the class, students may have some amount of homework. 

The recording of each session will be available to enrolled students after attending one live session (as long as there are students present in each session).  This is meant to help learners review or catch up if they miss anything during class as the class may have diverse learners.

Both regular and honors student are welcome to join. Students at both levels typically learn the same topics in high school; the main difference is in how they are tested and how much detail they are expected to know. Honors students are tested on more details and at a more difficult level than regular students. Therefore, some of my online quizzes will be optional for regular level students. This is a suitable course for home-schooled students and for students who are currently enrolled in high school biology.

If your child prefers a 1:1 learning environment, I would be happy to set up 1:1 sessions that cover the topics from this course. Please reach out if you prefer 1:1 tutoring sessions as opposed to group sessions.

⚠️Please check the meeting dates around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year times as we won't have meetings on and around the holidays. Meeting dates may vary around the following time periods:
***Winter Break: Christmas to New Year's day
***Spring Break: second week of April 

⚠️No class during the week of March 10, 2024

=>Students are welcome to join for just one week, a few weeks or the whole course as the class is an ongoing class. Please make sure that the learner is comfortable with earlier topics within a single unit either from school or from self learning.  You can reach out to me if you plan on signing up after a specific unit has started. I can set up a private tutoring session to help you catch up.

🌲 ➡️SECTION 1 Begins: 
🍇➡️SECTION 2 Begins: 
🍄➡️SECTION 3 Begins: 

Week of Oct. 22 - Characteristics of Life
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 1 
📚UNIT 1- Characteristics of Life? (1)
=>Online Quiz

Week of Oct. 29 - Scientific Method
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 2
📚UNIT 2- Scientific Method (2)
=>Online Quiz

Week of Nov. 5 - Periodic Table
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 3
📚UNIT 3- Chemistry of Life 1: Periodic Table and Atoms (3)
=>Online Quiz

Week of Nov. 12 - Chemical Bonds
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 4
📚UNIT 3- Chemistry of Life 2: Chemical Bonds (4)
=>Online Quiz

Week of Nov. 26 - Properties of water
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 5
📚UNIT 3- Chemistry of Life 3: Properties of water (5)
=>Online Quiz

Week of Dec. 3 - Macromolecules 1
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 6 
📚UNIT 3- Chemistry of Life 4: Structure and function of macromolecules 1 (6)
=>Carbohydrates & Lipids

Week of Dec. 10 - Macromolecules 2
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 7
📚UNIT 3- Chemistry of Life 5: Structure and function of macromolecules 2 (7)
=>Nucleic Acids & Protein
=>Online Quiz: Macromolecules

Week of Dec. 17 - Cell 1
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 8
📚UNIT 4: Cell Structures & Functions 1 (8)
=>Cell theory
=>Common parts of all cells
=>Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells
=>Online Quiz
=>assignment: at home lab [materials for lab: salt, water, carrot or gummy bears or both]

Week of Dec. 31 - Cell 2
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 9
📚UNIT 4: Cell Structures & Functions 2 (9)
=>discussion about the lab
=>Cell boundaries
=>Organelles 1

Week of Jan. 7 - Cell 3
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 10
📚UNIT 4- Cell Structures & Functions 3 (10)
=>Organelles 2
=>Online Quiz

Week of Jan. 14 - Cell Transport
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 11
📚UNIT 4- Cell Structures & Functions 3 (11)
=>Cell Transport: Passive vs. active transport
=>Pause & Review Cell
=>Online Quiz

Week of Jan. 21 - Cellular Energetics
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 12 
📚UNIT 5- Cellular Processes: making and using food (12)
=>Autotrophs vs. Heterotrophs
=>Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration (Introduction ONLY, no detailed biochemical steps)

Week of Jan. 28 - Mitosis
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 13
📚UNIT 6- Cell Cycle & Cell Division (13)
=>Genes and chromosomes
=>Mitosis 
=>Online Quiz

Week of Feb. 4 - Meiosis
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 14
📚UNIT 7- Reproduction (14)
=>Asexual vs. sexual reproduction 
=>Meiosis
=>Online Quiz

Week of Feb. 11 - Genetics 1
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 15
📚UNIT 8- Genetics 1 (15)
=>Mendelian inheritance
=>Punnett square

Week of Feb. 18 - Genetics 2
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 16
📚UNIT 8- Genetics 2 (16)
=>non-mendelian inheritance
=>Punnett square

Week of Feb. 25 - Genetics 3
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 17
📚UNIT 8- Genetics 3 (17)
=>Genetic disorders
=>Pedigree Analysis
=>Practice problems

Week of Mar. 3 - Review Genetics
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 18
📚UNIT 8- Pause and Review day (18)
=>Pause & Review Genetics
=>Q & A, quiz

Week of Mar. 10 - Molecular Biology 1
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 19
📚UNIT 9- Molecular Biology 1 (19)
=>Central Dogma of molecular biology
=>DNA Structure: major discoveries
=>DNA Replication
=>practice problems

Week of Mar. 17 - Molecular Biology 2
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 20
📚UNIT 9- Molecular Biology 2 (20)
=>RNA structure
=>Transcription  
=>mRNA processing
=>practice problems

Week of Mar. 24 - Molecular Biology 3
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 21
📚UNIT 9- Molecular Biology 3 (21)
=>Protein structure
=>Translation
=>Genetic code & mutations
=>practice problems

Week of Mar. 31 - Review Molecular Biology
🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉 Week 22
📚UNIT 9- Pause and Review day (22)
=>Pause & Review Molecular Biology
=>Q & A, Quiz
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NOTE:
=>class may run over the allotted time (by 5 to 10 minutes) at times depending on the class constitution and student needs
=>I will leave the zoom session if nobody shows up within the first 5 minutes of each session

Refund Policy:
All classes running week after week have a standard refund policy: "Cancel anytime. No refunds for past payments. Most recent payment can be refunded within 24 hours of purchase and prior to the first meeting of the payment period."