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Biology CP Pacing Guide
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Two-week summary of major instructional content and skills • 36 instructional weeks
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Week(s)Unit / TextMajor ContentMajor Skills and Assessments
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Weeks 1–2Unit 1: Intro to Biology9 instructional days
Stem Challenge (1 day); Stem Challenge (1 day); The Scientific Method (5 days); Lab Safety (2 days)		Build a free-standing structure that supports a marshmallow and a launch system for a toy army man; list the steps of the scientific method; identify and describe materials and equipment found in the science lab.
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Weeks 3–4Unit 1: Intro to Biology
Unit 2: Chemistry in Biology		10 instructional days
Unit 1: Characteristics of Living Things (3 days); Microscopes (2 days); Review (2 days); Test (1 day)
Unit 2: Atoms, Ions and Molecules (2 days)		List the characteristics of life; identify microscope parts and describe microscope types; review and test Intro to Biology content; describe the structure of an atom.
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Weeks 5–6Unit 2: Chemistry in Biology11 instructional days
Covalent and Ionic Bonds (2 days); Properties of Water and pH (1 day); Chemical Reactions (2 days); Physical and Chemical Cahnges (1 day); Enzymes (2 days); Toothpick-ase (1 day); Test Review (1 day); Test (1 day)		Compare covalent and ionic bonds; describe cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension; identify properties of acids and bases; define chemical reactions and their parts; make predictions, record observations, and form conclusions using physical evidence; define and demonstrate enzyme function; review and test Chemistry in Biology.
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Weeks 7–8Unit 3: Cells10 instructional days
The Cell Theory (1 day); Cell Organelles (1 day); The Basic Unit of Life (1 day); Plant and Animal Cells (2 days); Osmosis & Diffusion (3 days); Cell Transport Lab (2 days)		Describe scientists who contributed to cell theory; identify plant and animal cell organelles; observe living and once-living materials microscopically and locate cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, nucleolus, and chloroplasts; compare plant and animal cells; understand and demonstrate osmosis and diffusion as processes supporting cellular homeostasis.
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Weeks 9–10Unit 3: Cells
Unit 4: Photosynthesis & Cell Respiration		10 instructional days
Unit 3: Test review (2 days); Test (1 day)
Unit 4: Energy and photosynthesis (1 day); Photosynthesis (2 days); Floating Leaf Disk (1 day); Lights and Pigments (1 day); Structure of Leaves (1 day); Cellular Respiration (1 day)		Review and demonstrate mastery of Cells; define ATP and describe how cells use ATP. Activity named in source: Floating Leaf Disk.
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Weeks 11–12Unit 4: Photosynthesis & Cell Respiration
Unit 5: DNA - Structure & Function		9 instructional days
Unit 4: Cellular Respiration Balloon Lab (1 day); Fermentation (2 days); Test Review (2 days); Test (1 day)
Unit 5: The History of DNA (1 day); The Structure of DNA (2 days)		Activities/assessments named in source: Cellular Respiration Balloon Lab, Test Review, and Test. Identify scientists responsible for discoveries about DNA structure and function; identify DNA as genetic information; describe the double helix, DNA components, and A–T/C–G base-pairing rules.
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Weeks 13–14Unit 5: DNA - Structure & Function10 instructional days
DNA Replication (2 days); Transcription and Translation (2 days); DNA Extraction Lab (1 day); Protein Synthesis (2 days); Mutations (3 days)		Explain DNA replication purpose, enzymes (helicase, DNA polymerase, primase, ligase), major steps, and leading/lagging strands with Okazaki fragments; define transcription and translation, where they occur, their major molecules, the DNA-to-RNA-to-protein flow, and transcription steps; extract DNA and explain why each step and DNA extraction matter; explain protein synthesis; classify gene mutations, their causes, and effects on proteins and traits.
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Weeks 15–16Unit 5: DNA - Structure & Function
Unit 6: Mitosis & The Cell Cycle		11 instructional days
Unit 5: Test Review (2 days); Test (1 day)
Unit 6: Intro to Cell Division (2 days); Mitosis (3 days); Cell Cycle Regulation (3 days)		Review DNA Structure and Function; explain the cell cycle’s role in growth, repair, and maintenance and identify interphase stages (G1, S, G2); explain mitosis phases and cytokinesis in plant versus animal cells; describe cell-cycle regulation by checkpoints, cyclins, and CDKs and analyze consequences of failed regulation, including cancer. Assessment: DNA test.
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Weeks 17–18Unit 6: Mitosis & The Cell Cycle10 instructional days
Mitosis Review (1 day); Mitosis Quiz (1 day); Midterm Review (4 days); Midterms (4 days)		Review and assess mitosis; review first-semester biology topics; complete midterm assessments.
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Weeks 19–20Unit 7: Genetics9 instructional days
Reproduction and Chromosomes (1 day); Meiosis (2 days); Comparing Meiosis and Mitosis (2 days); Test Review (1 day); Test (1 day); Intro to Mendelian Genetics (2 days)		Compare asexual and sexual reproduction and their advantages/disadvantages; define haploid and diploid and relate them to meiosis/mitosis; explain meiosis and gamete formation; compare mitosis and meiosis by chromosome number, daughter cells, and variation; review/test mitosis and meiosis; explain Mendel’s contribution, core inheritance vocabulary, independent assortment, and homozygous versus heterozygous notation.
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Weeks 21–22Unit 7: Genetics10 instructional days
Basic Punnett Square (3 days); Finding Phenotypes and Genotypes for One Trait (1 day); Marshmallow Genetics (1 day); Mendels Principles and Dihybrids (2 days); Codominance and Incomplete Dominace (3 days)		Construct monohybrid Punnett squares; calculate and interpret genotype/phenotype ratios, probabilities, and expected versus observed outcomes from coin-toss simulations; demonstrate meiosis, fertilization, alleles, dominance/recessiveness, genotypes, and phenotypes; explain Mendel’s contribution, inheritance vocabulary, independent assortment, and homozygous/heterozygous notation; distinguish incomplete dominance from codominance.
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Weeks 23–24Unit 7: Genetics10 instructional days
Sex-Linked Traits (2 days); Pedigrees (3 days); Mutations and Genetic Disorders (3 days); Karyotyping (2 days)		Define sex-linked traits and explain why males more often express X-linked recessive traits; explain pedigrees and how they track inheritance; define genetic disorders as gene/chromosome mutation conditions and describe common causes/effects; define karyotypes and explain how they reveal chromosome number and structure.
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Weeks 25–26Unit 7: Genetics9 instructional days
Genetics Review (2 days); Genetics Test (2 days); Genetic Disorders (5 days)		Review and test genetics; research a genetic disorder and create a Google Slides presentation based on the research.
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Weeks 27–28Unit 8: Evolution10 instructional days
Intro to the Theory of Evolution (3 days); Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection (3 days); Evidence for Evolution (4 days)		Define evolution as population change over generations; explain natural selection, differential survival/reproduction, and common ancestry; explain how multiple lines of evidence support evolution and how scientific theories are supported by evidence from different fields.
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Weeks 29–30Unit 8: Evolution10 instructional days
Understanding Homology and Analogy (1 day); Evolution of Populations (1 day); Speciation (2 days); Types of Speciation (1 day); Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (5 days)		Describe how homologous structures indicate evolutionary relationships; define population genetics and gene pools and distinguish genotype from allele frequency; define speciation, the biological species concept, microevolution versus macroevolution, and two types of speciation; define Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, its five conditions, and constant allele frequencies; calculate genotype/allele frequencies with p²+2pq+q²=1 and p+q=1, interpret equilibrium, analyze violations that drive evolution, and apply the model to real-world examples.
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Weeks 31–32Unit 8: Evolution10 instructional days
Patterns of Evolution (1 day); Disruptions to Genetic Equilibrium (1 day); Worm Dissection (1 day); Genetic Drift (1 day); Evolution Project (1 day); Patterns of Natural Selection (1 day); Grasshopper and Crayfish Dissection (1 day); Evolution Test Review (2 days); Evolution Test (1 day)		Activities/assessments named in source: Worm Dissection, Evolution Project, Grasshopper and Crayfish Dissection, Evolution Test Review, and Evolution Test.
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Weeks 33–34Unit 9: Classification9 instructional days
Animal Classification (1 day); Intro to the Classification of Living Things (1 day); 6 Kingdoms of Life (2 days); Modern Taxonomy (1 day); Frog Dissection (1 day); Dichotomous Key (2 days); Shark Dichotomous Key (1 day)		Activities/assessments named in source: Frog Dissection, Dichotomous Key, and Shark Dichotomous Key.
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Weeks 35–36Unit 9: Classification8 instructional days
Pig Demo (2 days); Dissection Review (2 days); Dissection Quiz (1 day); Final Exam Review (3 days)		Activities/assessments named in source: Pig Demo, Dissection Review, Dissection Quiz, and Final Exam Review.
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