Objectives, topics/understandings to be taught, and teachers notes are provided for the seven units in this Regents biology syllabus. Units and major topic areas include: (1) unity and diversity among living things (concept of life, diversity/unity of life); (2) maintenance in living things (nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, regulation, locomotion); (3) human physiology (nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, regulation, locomotion); (4) reproduction and development (asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction); (5) transmission of traits from taught, and teachers generation to generation (foundations of genetics, genetics concepts, mutations, genetic applications to animal/plant breeding, interaction of heredity and environment, human heredity, modern genetics); (6) evolution (evolution, evolution theory, heterotroph hypothesis); and (7) ecology, ecological organization, ecosystems, biosphere and humans). A topical outline, safety suggestions, information on the role of the laboratory, and a list of laboratory skills are included. Also included (in appendices) are guidelines for the development of district policies for eye protection, information on teaching creationism/evolution, guidelines for the use of vertebrate animals in New York State elementary/secondary schools, and information on publications related to writing in science, use of potentially hazardous materials, and use of hypodermic syringes/needles. (JN)