Fields of Biology

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Biology is the study of living organisms.

A biologist is a scientist who studies these organisms. Since biology is the study of living organisms, it includes every aspect of living things, from human DNA to bird migration. The study of biology is extraordinarily vast because it covers every aspect of living organisms. The study of biology includes how organisms grow, function, are structured, and how they adapt to their environment and habitat.

Print the Discovering Biology Notebook found in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar and answer the questions as you read through the lesson. This resource will be used with both Related Lessons in this two-lesson series titled Discovering Biology. (See the right-hand sidebar.)

• Biochemistry the study of chemical reactions required for life
• Botany the study of plants, including agriculture
• Cellular biology the study of the basic building blocks of living things
• Ecology the study of how organisms interact with their environment
• Genetics the study of heredity
• Molecular biology the study of living organisms at the atomic level
• Physiology the study of the functions of organisms and their parts
• Zoology the study of animals and their behavior

The fields of biology are vast and diverse. The Biology Fields of Biology Video 1-2 from Center Grove Community School Corporation (below) gives information about some of the fields above and others that you may find intriguing. Write the various fields listed in your Discovering Biology Notebook. You can find an answer key on page 4 of the Discovering Biology Notebook.

There are many fields of biology that you could study. Discuss with your teacher or parent which three fields interest you the most and why.

In the Got It? section, you will take a closer look at actual careers in biology. Some of the careers may surprise you!