A great fit if they…
Love the life sciences and want to learn how science concepts play out in living organisms.
Science, Nature & Space · Life Science
Biology: A Tour of Life
for Ages 13 to 18
A tour of living things, from bacteria to animals, and how each group got where it is today. For teens who want to understand how life works.
- Ages
- 13 to 18
- Class size
- 6–8 max
- Format
- Live online · 21 weeks
- Mentor
- Monica
Show me available times
From $39.71 /week
Course details
Course Overview
Young Scholars Academy's Biology: A Tour of Life is a live online class for teens ages 13 to 18 who love the life sciences. With Monica, students tour the kingdoms of life, from bacteria to animals, and learn how each group evolved and why it matters. The course runs without labs, and teens can take it for enrichment or as an elective for Credit with Transcript.
A tour of the kingdoms of life
The class moves through the major groups of living things: bacteria, archaea and protists, then plants and fungi, then animals. For each group, students ask how it got where it is today and how that shows up in the world around them. Each unit builds on the one before.
Evolution as the through line
Students look at the traits that set each group apart and how those traits evolved. They weigh the benefits and downsides of multicellular life and trace the evolutionary path of animals from their most basic forms to humans. They also look at why some branches of life succeeded in their own ways.
Reading real science
Between classes, students read short articles and research topics on their own. All readings are free. Sometimes they find or photograph examples of what the class is studying. Over the semester they learn to read and explain real scientific literature.
No labs, all curiosity
This course runs without labs, so students can follow their curiosity about how life works without a lab workload. Groups are small, cameras are optional, and students can take part by chat or voice.
Ages 13 to 18 · Prerequisites · Who it's for
Is this the right class for my kid?
They should already be able to…
Find and read scientific information online and in books with confidence. Best for students who read at a 9th-grade level or higher.
Start here, or take something first?
No YSA class needed first. This is a fine place to start.
Can they keep taking it?
Biology: A Tour of Life is one semester. Afterward, students can go on to AP Biology, Horticulture or Ecology: Field Detectives, depending on their interests.
New students
Everyone starts together with Unit 1: Bacteria, Archaea & Protists.
Returning students
This is a brand-new course, so returning YSA students start at Unit 1 alongside everyone else.
Learning outcomes
What will my kid learn this semester?
Traits that set groups apart
Identify the traits that set major groups of organisms apart.
How traits evolved
Explain how those traits evolved and why.
Why microbes matter
Explain why bacteria, archaea and protists matter, both in evolution and in everyday life.
Real scientific literature
Read and understand real scientific literature.
What's covered
Unit 1
Bacteria, Archaea & Protists
The key differences between these three kingdoms and how those differences shape specialization.
Unit 2
Plants & Fungi
The benefits and downsides of multicellular life, and how evolutionary stepping stones led to an evolutionary arms race.
Unit 3
Animals
The evolutionary path of animals from their most basic forms to humans, and what made other animal branches successful (or not) in their own ways.
Growth · Progress reports
You'll see the growth every week
What you'll notice at home
They share weird facts about the organisms they're studying. You hear that the bacteria in yogurt are alive, then how they compare to the cells in your own body.
What changes on the inside
They get comfortable reading real scientific writing and explaining it in their own words.
A write-up every week
A short report from Monica about your child's actual work: what they made, where they shined, what's next.
Materials Needed
- Free readings and articles, shared by Monica, for reading and research between classes.
- A way to find or take photos of things related to the topics the class is covering.
- Optional: "Your Inner Fish" by Neil Shubin, strongly recommended as supplementary reading.
- No lab kit needed. This course runs without labs.
You'll get this list by email when you enroll, then 1 week, 3 days and 1 day before class starts.
Getting started
What happens after you enroll
1. Your welcome email
Zoom link, Google Classroom link and an add-to-calendar button in one place. Forward it to your child: Young Scholars Academy can't email students directly.
2. Google Classroom
Syllabus, the weekly Zoom link and a way to message Monica.
3. Every week
A short progress report from Monica about your child's actual work.
Credit · Transcript · Enrichment
For Credit Option
Young Scholars Academy is a WASC-accredited Supplementary Education Center and a UC-registered online publisher, so this course can count toward official credit. Same course, same mentor, same experience in class.
For Enrichment
$39.71 /week up front
Students take the full tour of life, do the readings, and get Monica's weekly write-up.
For Credit
$41.80 /week up front
Students can choose Credit with Transcript and earn elective credit on a Young Scholars Academy transcript for the same class.
If you homeschool, this works seamlessly. If your student attends another school full time, we create a report card and transcript that we share with you, and you share with the school. It is up to your primary school to accept it and add it to your student's official transcript.
Spring 2027 · Schedule · Tuition
At a glance
Key facts
- Provider
- Young Scholars Academy (WASC-accredited virtual school for gifted or 2e students, ages 5-18)
- Course
- Biology: A Tour of Life
- Mentor
- Monica
- Ages
- 13-18
- Format
- Live online small-group class on Zoom, 6 to 8 students max per class (average class: 5 students)
- Class length
- 50 minutes, once a week
- Term
- Spring 2027, January 4 to May 28, 2027 (21 weeks)
- Category
- Science, Nature & Space
- Credit option
- Yes: Enrichment or Credit with Transcript (elective)
Spring 2027 sections
| Section | Ages | Day | Time (PT / ET) | Weeks | First class | Mentor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology: A Tour of Life, Ages 13-18 | 13-18 | Wednesday | 11:00-11:50 AM PT / 2:00-2:50 PM ET | 21 | January 6, 2027 | Monica |
All times Pacific, with Eastern alongside.
Tuition (Spring 2027)
- Enrichment Flex Payment Plan $41.80/week ($877.80 total); Enrichment Pay Up Front (save 5%) $39.71/week ($833.91 total); Credit with Transcript Flex Payment Plan $44.00/week ($924.00 total); Credit with Transcript Pay Up Front (save 5%) $41.80/week ($877.80 total).
- New Year All-Access Pass (covers 21-week spring classes; pay in full): Bronze $2,797 (4 live courses + Friendship Social Club), Silver $3,597 (5 live courses + 1 free bonus course), Gold $5,797 (8 live courses + 2 free bonus courses). Class switches allowed during the first month (January 4 to February 3, 2027).
- Guarantee: Try It From The Inside. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Not in love? Switch courses (equal or lesser value) or take a credit. Payment plans can also stop future payments after 30 days. Attendance required.
How to enroll
- Course page and enrollment: https://youngscholarsacademy.org/courses/biology
- Free Spring Open House: November 11, 2026, 5 PM PT. RSVP: https://youngscholarsacademy.org/spring-open-house
- Questions: support@youngscholarsacademy.org
Meet Your Mentor
Monica
Mentor
Life Sciences & 2e Educator
- B.S. Environmental Horticulture
- Certificate in 2e Education
- Life Sciences
- Ecology
- Horticulture
- Gaming
Biology: A Tour of Life FAQ
Questions parents ask about Biology: A Tour of Life
Can my teen take this Biology class for credit?
Yes. Young Scholars Academy offers Biology: A Tour of Life for Credit with Transcript as an elective, or for enrichment.
Is this the same as a core biology course?
No. It covers a focused tour of life, from bacteria to animals, with evolution as the through line. It runs without labs.
Does my teen need a lab kit?
No. There are no labs in this class.
How much reading is there?
Between classes, students read short articles and research topics on their own. All readings are free. Students who read at a 9th-grade level or higher get the most from it.
Is there a book to buy?
No book is required. Monica strongly recommends "Your Inner Fish" by Neil Shubin as optional supplementary reading.
What should my teen take after this?
Biology: A Tour of Life is one semester. Depending on their interests, students can go on to AP Biology, Horticulture or Ecology: Field Detectives.
Try It From The Inside Satisfaction Guarantee
The Young Scholars Academy Promise
If you’re not 100% in love with the course, you have options depending on how you enrolled:
Pay In Full Option
You can switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit or get a credit to use toward a future course.
Payment Plan Option
You can either get credit toward a future course, switch to another course of equal or lesser value that’s a better fit, or stop all future payments after a 30-day processing period.
No risk. No stress. Just the learning and belonging you have been looking for.
We can offer this because we know what we do works for thousands of other families. Kids become more self-confident. They find their people. And families tell us this is the place where their student finally feels welcome. We know it will work for your family, too.
All-Access Passes have separate terms and conditions. Please see the All-Access Pass pages.
It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway... to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee policy, you have to actually attend the classes. This is not a cancellation policy. It’s a satisfaction guarantee. You can’t be satisfied or dissatisfied if you don’t attend.
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About Young Scholars Academy
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers one-of-a-kind, engaging enrichment courses and community for 5-18-year-old bright, quirky kids to empower them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, cultivate life skills, build confidence, and feel great about themselves under the loving care of expert mentors. description2: >- Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content their beautiful brain craves. That happens every day at YSA for over 1,200+ families, and it can happen for your family, too.
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