Biology Classroom Tools
Interactive activities I build for my ninth-grade Biology I and Advanced Biology I classes, filed by unit so any Virginia teacher can find the one that fits tomorrow’s lesson. Each runs in Safari on a school iPad with no login and no printing, and each is mapped to the Virginia Biology SOL and to the Prince William County Public Schools pacing guide. Units and block counts follow the PWCS Biology I pacing guide for 2026–27. Each tool keeps its Bio Tool number for good; numbers run in the order the tools were built, and a tool that serves two units appears in both.
All year Science and Engineering Practices
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.1a–f scientific and engineering practices, embedded in every unit rather than taught on their own
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 1 Biochemistry
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.2a water chemistry has an influence on life processes
- BIO.2b macromolecules have roles in maintaining life processes
- BIO.2c enzymes have a role in biochemical processes
- Bio Tool #2 Biochemistry Vocabulary Crosswords — three puzzles, one for each learning target: water, macromolecules, and enzymes Interactive · works on iPads · checks its own letters · about 40 minutes for all three · SOL BIO.2a, 2b, 2c · PWCS LT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
Unit 2 Cell Structure & Function
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.3a cell theory is supported by evidence
- BIO.3b structures in unicellular and multicellular organisms work interdependently to carry out life processes
- BIO.3d the structure and function of the cell membrane supports cell transport
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 3 Cell Energetics
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.2e photosynthesis and respiration include the capture, storage, transformation, and flow of energy
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 4 Nucleic Acids & Protein Synthesis
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.2d protein synthesis forms proteins, which influences inheritance and evolution
- BIO.3c DNA replication
- BIO.5a DNA has structure and is the foundation for protein synthesis
- BIO.5b the structural model of DNA has developed over time
- BIO.5e synthetic biology has biological and ethical implications
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 5 Cell Growth, Division & Specialization
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.3c cell structures and processes are involved in cell growth and division (mitosis)
- BIO.3e specialization leads to the development of different types of cells
- BIO.5d meiosis has a role in genetic variation between generations
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 6 Genetics & Heredity
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.5c the variety of traits in an organism results from the expression of various combinations of alleles
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 7 Evolution
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.7a evidence is found in fossil records and through DNA analysis
- BIO.7b genetic variation, reproductive strategies, and environmental pressures affect the survival of populations
- BIO.7c natural selection leads to adaptations and may lead to new species
- BIO.7d biological evolution has scientific evidence and explanations
- Bio Tool #1 The Tree of Life — every living thing from the first cell to today, zoomable, with fossil branches marked where they ended Interactive · works on iPads · SOL BIO.7a, 7d
Unit 8 Classification & Biodiversity
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.6a organisms have structural and biochemical similarities and differences
- BIO.6b fossil record interpretation can be used to classify organisms
- BIO.6c developmental stages can be used to classify organisms
- BIO.6d Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya are domains based on characteristics
- BIO.6e protists, fungi, plants, and animals can be compared by their functions and processes
- BIO.6f systems of classification adapt to new scientific discoveries
- Bio Tool #1 The Tree of Life — switch on the kingdoms layer to see the domains and kingdoms as branches of one tree Interactive · works on iPads · SOL BIO.6d, 6e, 6f
Unit 9 Bacteria & Viruses
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.4a viruses depend on a host for metabolic processes
- BIO.4b modes of reproduction and replication can be compared
- BIO.4c structures and functions can be compared
- BIO.4d bacteria and viruses have a role in other organisms and the environment
- BIO.4e germ theory of infectious disease is supported by evidence
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Unit 10 Ecology
Virginia SOL for this unit
- BIO.8a populations interact through carrying capacity, limiting factors, and growth curves
- BIO.8b nutrients cycle with energy flow through ecosystems
- BIO.8c ecosystems have succession patterns
- BIO.8d natural events and human activities influence ecosystems and may affect the flora and fauna of Virginia
Nothing here yet. New tools are added as each unit is taught.
Using these with Canvas
The tools send nothing back to the teacher, so collect the work with a screenshot uploaded to a Canvas assignment. The steps, what to do about answer keys, and what to do when students share iPads are in A Note to Teachers Using the Classroom Tools, which is updated as new tools arrive.