Tag Archives: sciences

Two Must-Have Books for Biology-Interested High Schoolers

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Over Christmas break, I will spend some extra time studying for USABO, or Biology Olympiad. Even though I am currently taking AP Biology, I quickly realized that AP Curriculums in most schools don’t completely cover the curriculum required for similar competitions for high-school students. After a little research and personal experience, I found the following list of books the most helpful:

Campbell Biology (Any edition after 8th)

This series of textbooks has historically been a must-have if you are studying for USABO or any similar biology-related competition. It is by far one of the most comprehensive and time-saving resources I have found. I currently have the 11th edition, which is not much different from the 10th or 12th editions content-wise. The price of a textbook from this series ranges from 60 dollars to a whopping 300 dollars (if you are considering buying a textbook). Still, many libraries offer this textbook, making it accessible if you would like to use it.

Anatomica: The Complete Home Medical Reference

This book is one of the most comprehensive human anatomy and physiology resources I’ve used. Although not for the faint of heart, with highly detailed diagrams of internal organs and organ systems, I found this book highly helpful for the human A&P class I am currently taking at school. Furthermore, the book contains some more information detailing diseases and disorders affecting each one of the body systems it covers, making this book useful for those who want to learn a bit about medicine.

Overall, if you really love biology or science classes in general, I would recommend both these books as a more comprehensive way to learn at a higher level about biology-related subjects!

Biology? What?

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Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science…. the list continues for a while. As a current high schooler, one of my new interests is learning about biology. When I first signed up for AP biology for the 2021-2022 school year I was not the most excited, to say the least. But, now being 5 months into the course, I am happy to say I made the right decision in choosing which course of the many sciences offered to take. 

Just like most people, when I go through my daily schedule, the interactions inside and outside of my body were not a thought that ever crossed my mind. But now, my perspective has shifted. One of the most interesting aspects of biology is learning how all of those little organelles inside of your body all work together to create specific outcomes that keep you alive. Unlike most other offered courses, normal or AP biology highlights the extreme complexity of organisms and how our bodies have evolved into completing intricate processes such as cellular respiration. If you are a person like me, someone that is always curious about how things we expect in life work, biology is an interest that may be worth picking up. 

For those of you reading this and still not found a spark of interest, you may be more interested in the other parts of biology. Currently, I am learning about genetics, or how organisms inherit distinct traits. If you have ever stared at your family and wondered why you look like none of your siblings even though you come from the same set of parents, it is not just a fluke. Siblings could show traits that even their parents do not have and it is still completely normal! Coming from a big family of 6, I had always wondered why I did not look like a single one of my brothers and sisters. Learning about recessive traits, dominant traits, etc… explains why there is such a low likelihood of you looking like anyone else in the entire world.

Personally, these types of topics are thoughts that have lingered in the back of my mind and now that I am actively learning about the interactions of life, are all answered. So, to any of you still reading this, I encourage you to find an interest that you find curious and interesting so that you want to find out more. Biology is a topic that applies to everyday life and is complex and always offers something new to learn.

-Lilly G.