Life Science Online Textbook

The Life Science online/digital textbook is an introduction to life science and biology written to support the Nitty Gritty Science Life Science Curriculum.

Students can access information online, or a pdf can be printed for each section. This online textbook is in no way intended to be a complete overview of Life Science or Biology.

The topics covered are grade-appropriate (Grades 6, 7, and 8) and support the Middle School Life Science Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) along with most state standards. As this is only one resource, it is always recommended that students also learn how to use other resources to fill in the gaps and provide more context for each subject.

Chapter 1: Nature of Science

• Section 1: Method of Science
• Section 2: Standards of Measurement
• Section 3: Graphing

Chapter 2: Intro to Life Science

• Section 1: The Science of Biology
• Section 2: Lab Safety
• Section 3: Scientific Research and Tools

Chapter 3: Principles of Ecology

• Section 1: Nutrition and Energy
• Section 2: Energy Flow in Ecosystems
• Section 3: Cycles in Nature
• Section 4: Organisms and their Environment
• Section 5: Ecological Succession
• Section 6: Biomes

Chapter 4: Population Dynamics

• Section 1: Characteristics of Populations
• Section 2: Human Populations
• Section 3: Renewable & Nonrenewable Resources
• Section 4: Biodiversity

Chapter 5: Cell Structure and Function

• Section 1: The Discovery of Cells
• Section 2: The Plasma Membrane
• Section 3: Eukaryotic Cell Structure
• Section 4: Prokaryotic Cell Structure
• Section 5: Cellular Transport

Chapter 6: Cell Processes and Energy

• Section 1: Photosynthesis
• Section 2: Cellular Respiration
• Section 3: Cell Cycle
• Section 4: Phases of Mitosis
• Section 5: DNA Structure and Replication
• Section 6: Control System of Cell Cycle

Chapter 7: Genetics – The Science of Heredity

• Section 1: The Work of Gregor Mendel
• Section 2: Mendel’s Laws of Heredity
• Section 3: Punnett Squares
• Section 4: Meiosis

Chapter 8: Modern Genetics

• Section 1: Complex Patterns of Inheritance
• Section 2: The Genetic Code
• Section 3: Human Genetic Disorders
• Section 4: Advances in Genetics

Chapter 9: Change Over Time & Classification

• Section 1: Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
• Section 2: Evolution of Populations
• Section 3: The Fossil Record
• Section 4: Classification
• Section 5: Domains & Kingdoms

Chapter 10: The Microbial World

• Section 1: Bacteria
• Section 2: Viruses
• Section 3: Protists
• Section 4: Fungi

Chapter 11: Plants

• Section 1: The Plant Kingdom
• Section 2: Plants Without Seeds
• Section 3: Seed Plants
• Section 4: Flowering Plants
• Section 5: Roots, Stems, and Leaves
• Section 6: Plant Responses and Growth

Chapter 12: Animal Diversity – Invertebrates

• Section 1: Introduction to Animals
• Section 2: Animal Behavior
• Section 3: Sponges, Cnidarians, & Worms
• Section 4: Mollusks, Arthropods, & Echinoderms
• Section 5: Insects

Chapter 13: Animal Diversity – Vertebrates

• Section 1: Intro to Vertebrates – Fish & Amphibians
• Section 2: Reptiles & Birds
• Section 3: Mammals

Chapter 14: Human Body – Part 1

• Section 1: The Skin
• Section 2: The Muscular System
• Section 3: The Skeletal System
• Section 4: The Nervous System
• Section 5: The Digestive System

Chapter 15: Human Body – Part 2

• Section 1: The Respiratory System
• Section 2: The Excretory System
• Section 3: The Cardiovascular System
• Section 4: Blood
• Section 5: The Endocrine & Reproductive System