IB Biology HL - 2024

IB Higher Level (HL) Biology is the study of biology is an exploration of living organisms and their interactions with each other and the environment. This course allows students to dig deep into the world of biology, and goes beyond subject matter, allowing students to study the nature of science, experimental design, and the communication of biological ideas.

Questionbank

All the questions you could need! Sorted by topic and arranged by difficulty, with mark schemes and video solutions for every question.

Practice Exams

Choose your revision tool! Contains topic quizzes for focused study, Revision Village mock exams covering the whole syllabus, and the revision ladder to precisely target your learning.

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Key Concepts

Helpful refreshers summarizing exactly what you need to know about the most important concepts covered in the course.

Past Papers

Full worked solutions to all past paper questions, taught by experienced IB instructors.

Course Structure and Content

Students electing to study IB HL Biology investigate 11 topics and one additional topic from the Options. A foundation in biology is developed through the Core topics of Cells, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, and Human Physiology. The additional Higher Level topics are DNA (structure, replication, and protein synthesis), Metabolism, Cell Respiration, Photosynthesis, Plant Biology, Genetics, Evolution, and Animal Physiology (including the kidney, muscles, sexual reproduction, and the immune response.) In addition to these 11 topics, one additional topic is selected and explored - Neurobiology and Behaviour (Option A), Biotechnology and Informatics (Option B), Ecology and Conservation (Option C), or further studies in Human Physiology (Option D).

Assessment in HL Biology topics require students to demonstrate knowledge in vocabulary, facts, and concepts, biological methods and techniques, analyse data, and communicate understanding through detailed explanations of major biological concepts. At the end of the course, there are three examinations: Paper 1 (multiple choice), Paper 2 (structured questions based on data interpretation, short answer questions, and extended answer questions covering big ideas), and Paper 3 (experimental questions and short answer questions on the selected Option.)

The breadth of content and depth of material covered in this course fully prepares students for advanced studies in biology in university. Over 240 hours of study is dedicated to the course; approximately 180 content hours, and 60 hours dedicated to the experimental programme, including an individual lab investigation which is planned and executed by the student.

Tips for Success

Excellent mastery of key terms is critical to show understanding of course content. Make sure to continually review vocabulary through the course.
To best learn details and be able to successfully explain biological processes, draw and annotate as much as you can on large paper or whiteboard without referring to other resources. When finished, use resources to fill in the blank areas needed to further content knowledge, and then explain your work verbally, out loud.
Practice and review exam-type questions! There's no better preparation for sitting the IB exams than answering exactly the types of questions you will be asked on the actual examinations.