Making students responsible for their own learning in biology is a national issue. The goal of this Master's project was to increase students' responsibility for their own learning in order to increase academic output and decrease the incidence of inappropriate behavior. The targeted population consisted of sophomore high school students in a biology classroom. The high school was located in a stable, urban blue-collar community in northern Illinois. The problems of academic output and inappropriate behavior had been documented by annotated teacher records, student records, and school records. Students also answered surveys designed to determine the causes for the students' lack of responsibility. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students: (1) lacked intrinsic motivation and interest in science; (2) had low self-esteem; and (3) had possible family dysfunctions. Large class size may have contributed to the problem. A review of solution strategies suggested by knowledgeable others, combined with an analysis of the problem setting, resulted in the selection of the following categories of intervention: use of cooperative learning and employment of the theory of multiple intelligences. Post-intervention data indicated an increase in students' responsibility for their own learning through an increase in academic output and a decrease in the incidents of inappropriate behavior. (Three appendices contain a student classroom discipline record form and two student surveys. Contains 37 references.) (BGC)