This syllabus has been developed as an alternative to Regents biology and is intended for the average student who could benefit from an introductory biology course. It is divided into seven major units dealing with, respectively: (1) similarities among living things; (2) human biology (focusing on nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, and regulation); (3) variety among living things; (4) reproduction and development; (5) genetics; (6) evolution and classification; and (7) living things and their environment (with attention to ecology, relationships in the environment, the human population, and human impact on the environment). Each unit includes: a brief introduction; list of objectives; understandings (basic information subject to testing); activities and teacher notes corresponding to the understandings (with suggested laboratory experiences, questions, demonstrations, topics for discussion, career choices, methods of presentation, and references to other portions of the syllabus); and content. General information about the syllabus is provided in an introduction. (JN)