9th Grade Biology Topics and Syllabus

Ninth grade biology classes typically cover cells, in the subject area called cell biology. It’s a bit different than the life sciences that are studied at earlier ages, in which the life cycles of organisms, not their cells, are studied.

Typically, 9th grade biology classes will also focus on proteins, the substances which cells produce to promote life. Membranes are also an important topic, as they separate what’s inside the cell from what’s outside, as well as compartmentalize the cell. We typically think of cells as a complex factory or a little city, with all these different compartments or zones where different cellular activities occur. High school biology also tends to focus on DNA and RNA, however it’s important that a 9th grade biology class focuses on cell biology and doesn’t diverge off on a molecular biology tangent. Molecular biology is a college level subject for students who already have a strong high school cell biology background.

Students who excel in and enjoy their freshman biology experience may be interested in careers in the life sciences, medicine, nursing, or dentistry. It’s pretty typical that we have pre-medical and pre-dental students taking our biology courses, as they were designed by college professors and health care professionals.