Miller & Levine Experience Biology® High School Science Curriculum

Miller & Levine Experience Biology is a high school science curriculum that connects real-world phenomena with three-dimensional learning and hands-on science to help every student experience biology by doing science.

A Better Way to Experience Biology

Experience Biology connects real-world phenomena, three-dimensional learning, and hands-on investigation to drive meaningful student sensemaking—all in one NGSS-aligned program.

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Phenomena Drive the Learning

Real-world Anchoring and Experience Phenomena give students a genuine reason to learn biology. Students ask questions, gather evidence, develop models, and refine explanations as they make sense of their observations.

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Students Experience Biology by Doing Science

Students investigate key biology concepts through Flinn Scientific® labs, modeling, simulations, data analysis, and interactive experiences that put Science and Engineering Practices into action.

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Trusted Biology Authorship
 

Renowned biologists and educators Ken Miller and Joe Levine use clear, compelling storytelling, relatable examples, visuals, and step-by-step explanations.

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An All-New Learning Experience

Experience Biology brings the Student Edition, Activity Companion, Teacher Guide, and digital course together into one connected system that supports daily instruction, sensemaking, practice, and assessment.

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High School Biology Teaching Solutions for Today’s Science Classroom

  • Three-Dimensional Learning
  • Accessible Content
  • Biology Assessments
  • Phenomena and Problem-Based Learning

Three-Dimensional Learning

  • Integrated Three-Dimensional Learning
    Students weave together Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) to investigate biology and make sense of phenomena.
  • NGSS Progression and Connections
    Progression and Connections charts show teachers how NGSS dimensions develop across Experiences and Investigations, making three-dimensional planning easier.
  • Interactive Science Notebook for Sensemaking
    The Activity Companion gives students a dedicated space to record evidence, develop models, take notes, and refine explanations as their understanding grows.
  • CER and Modeling
    Students use Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) and modeling to explain their thinking, revise ideas, and connect evidence to biology concepts.
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Accessible Content

  • Biology Storytelling
    Ken Miller and Joe Levine’s engaging narrative approach and unique visual analogies help students connect ideas and make sense of complex biology concepts.
  • The Activity Companion
    Connects reading, vocabulary, note-taking, lab evidence, and explanations in one consumable, interactive notebook that guides learning through each Investigation.
  • Vocabulary and Reading Support
    Build biology vocabulary and strengthen reading with Vocabulary Preview and Tracker, reading strategies, games, and other supports.
  • Visual Learning
    Use Explain Videos, Visual Analogies, and interactivities to help students visualize biological processes through multiple modalities.
  • Multilingual Learner Support
    Support grade-level biology instruction with strategies developed in collaboration with the English Learners Success Forum (ELSF) to strengthen both science understanding and academic language.
  • Digital Reading Tools
    Give students more ways to access content with built-in audio, instant translation, text annotation, and other digital reading tools on Savvas Realize®.
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Biology Assessments

  • Formative Assessment
    Frequent checks throughout the 5E learning cycle help teachers gauge student understanding in real time and adjust instruction as learning develops.
  • Summative Assessment
    Experience Quizzes, Investigation Tests, and course-level assessments evaluate biological knowledge and three-dimensional learning across the program.
  • Performance-Based Assessment
    Performance tasks and Transfer Tasks ask students to apply biological knowledge, analyze evidence, and explain their reasoning in new contexts.
  • Alternative Assessments
    Creative options like science comics and interactive review games give students different ways to demonstrate understanding beyond traditional tests and quizzes.
  • Practice and Remediation
    Question banks, error- analysis activities, and remediation resources provide targeted opportunities to review concepts, address misconceptions, and strengthen understanding.
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Phenomena and Problem-Based Learning

  • Anchoring Phenomena and Problems
    Each Investigation begins with a real-world phenomenon or problem, giving students a meaningful reason to ask questions, investigate biology, and build deep conceptual understanding.
  • Shared Phenomena Experiences
    Engaging videos, photos, and demonstrations give every student a common experience to observe, question, discuss, and reference as they begin making sense of biology.
  • Investigate Through Inquiry
    Flinn Scientific® Inquiry Labs, virtual labs, simulations, and interactive activities give students multiple ways to gather evidence, test ideas, and explore core biology concepts.
  • Make Sense of the Evidence
    Students revisit phenomena throughout learning to revise models, strengthen explanations, and use Claim-Evidence-Reasoning to connect evidence to biology concepts.
  • Solve Real-World Problems
    Engineering problems challenge students to apply scientific ideas, evaluate evidence, and design solutions to authentic real-world problems.
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Authorship Team With Roots in Education Leadership and Research

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Joseph S. Levine, Ph.D., Author

Joseph S. Levine, Ph.D. was born in Mount Vernon, New York, attended public schools, and graduated from Mount Vernon High School.                                                                  

He studied at Tufts University and earned his Ph.D. in Biology working between Harvard University and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. He has taught at Boston College and Boston University, and at the Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica. Following a fellowship at WGBH-TV, he served as science correspondent for National Public Radio, and as scientific advisor to NOVA for programs including "Judgment Day" for OMNI-MAX films, "Coral Reef Adventure," and for the PBS series "The Secret of Life" and "The Evolution Project." He designed exhibits for state aquaria in Texas, New Jersey, and Florida, and has led seminars and professional development workshops across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore—where he served as “Outstanding Educator in Residence” for the Ministry of Education. He was recently elected a Fellow of AAAS. Levine lives in Concord, Massachusetts, a short distance from the Old North Bridge, and Thoreau‘s Walden Pond.
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Kenneth R. Miller, Ph.D., Author

Ken Miller, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.                                                                  

He grew up in Rahway, New Jersey, attended the local public schools, and graduated from Rahway High School. Miller attended Brown University as an undergraduate and earned his Ph.D. in Cell Biology at the University of Colorado. His research work on cellular membranes has been published in journals such as Cell, Nature, the Journal of Cell Biology, and Scientific American. His popular books include "Finding Darwin‘s God—A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground between God and Evolution," and most recently "The Human Instinct—How We Evolved to Have Reason, Consciousness, and Free Will." His honors include the Public Service Award from the American Society for Cell Biology, the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers, the AAAS Award for Public Engagement with Science, the Stephen Jay Gould Prize from the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Laetare Medal from Notre Dame University. Miller lives with his wife, Jody, on a small farm in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He is the father of two daughters, one a wildlife biologist and the other a high school history teacher. In his free time, he umpires high school and NCAA softball.

New Digital Technologies for K-12 Ecosystem

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Savvas Realize

Savvas Realize brings our award-winning content to life in an exciting digital experience that students love. For teachers and admins, it includes valuable classroom-management tools like auto-rostering, single-sign-on, and available integrations with many top K-12 LMSs.

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Savvas One

A next-generation learning solution that provides an all-inclusive, one-year digital license to our most popular Math, Literacy, Science, and Social Studies national K–12 programs.

School Stories

"I have used the Miller & Levine Biology program since it was first introduced with the Elephant book. I have always been impressed with the content and all of the teacher and student support material." – Deborah, Miller & Levine Biology Teacher Houston, TX

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Miller & Levine Experience Biology Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Miller & Levine Experience Biology and what are the main components?

    Miller & Levine Experience Biology is a high school biology curriculum from Ken Miller and Joe Levine that connects real-world phenomena, three-dimensional learning, hands-on investigation, student sensemaking, and assessment through a connected 5E learning model. The Student Edition, Activity Companion, Teacher Guide, and digital course work together across instruction, practice, and assessment.

    The core program includes the Student Edition, Activity Companion, Teacher Guide, and digital course on Savvas Realize. The Student Edition provides expert-written biology content and visual learning. The Activity Companion supports daily sensemaking and note-taking. The Teacher Guide supports planning and instruction. The digital course adds interactive experiences, practice, and assessment.

  • How does Experience Biology support three-dimensional learning?
    Students use science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts together as they investigate phenomena, gather evidence, develop models, and revise explanations. Teacher support includes NGSS Progression and Connections charts, planners, and point-of-use guidance that help organize three-dimensional instruction.
  • How does Experience Biology use phenomena?
    Each Investigation centers learning around a real-world phenomenon or problem. Students observe, ask questions, investigate, gather evidence, develop models, and return to the phenomenon as their understanding grows. Experience Phenomena may be introduced through videos, photos, or demonstrations.
  • Does Experience Biology include problem-based and engineering learning?
    Yes. Real-world problems and engineering tasks give students opportunities to apply science ideas, evaluate evidence, and design solutions. These experiences connect biology concepts to authentic applications and science and engineering practices.
  • What types of biology labs are included in Experience Biology?
    Experience Biology includes hands-on Inquiry Labs developed with Flinn Scientific®, along with virtual labs and other interactive science experiences. Inquiry Labs provide flexible options for different classroom needs, including Open-Ended, Guided, Shortened, and Advanced approaches. Lab videos also help preview techniques and safety expectations.
  • What types of assessments are included in Experience Biology?
    Experience Biology provides multiple ways for students to demonstrate understanding through formative, summative, performance-based, and alternative assessments. Assessment opportunities appear throughout the learning cycle so teachers can monitor understanding, respond to misconceptions, and measure learning in different ways.
  • How does Experience Biology support different learners?
    The program includes point-of-use instructional support, differentiation strategies, flexible student grouping suggestions, remediation pathways, alternate assessments, and planning tools. The Teacher Guide also includes Instruction Keys that provide support for differentiation and multilingual learners.
  • How does Experience Biology support multilingual learners?
    Teacher guidance includes point-of-use support for multilingual learners, while the connected print and digital resources give students multiple ways to access biology through text, visuals, interactive experiences, note-taking, and discussion. Instruction Keys in the Teacher Guide provide additional support during instruction.
  • Is Miller & Levine Experience Biology available in Spanish?
    Spanish resources are planned for Fall 2027. The program brochure identifies Spanish availability for the Student Edition and Activity Companion.
  • How does Experience Biology help teachers plan a three-dimensional biology course?
    The Teacher Guide includes planners for every Experience, NGSS Progression and Connections charts, Vocabulary Tables, Fast Track checkmarks, instructional strategy callouts, differentiation support, materials lists, prep notes, and flexible grouping suggestions. These tools help teachers organize instruction without piecing together separate resources.
  • Does Experience Biology include digital learning resources?
    Yes. The digital course extends learning through interactive experiences that help students explore and apply biology concepts. Savvas Realize connects digital resources with print materials and supports digital or blended instruction, practice, and assessment.
  • Who are the authors of Miller & Levine Experience Biology?
    Miller & Levine Experience Biology is authored by Ken Miller and Joe Levine, longtime biology educators, scientists, authors, and science communicators. Their approach combines strong biology content with narrative explanations, real-world examples, and visual learning that help students make sense of complex concepts.
  • How does Experience Biology make complex biology concepts easier to understand?
    Students encounter biology through multiple entry points, including story-like explanations, real-world examples, visual analogies, videos, interactive experiences, hands-on investigations, and note-taking through the Activity Companion. These resources give students several ways to work with the same biology ideas across instruction.
  • How does Experience Biology support vocabulary and reading in science?
    The program includes vocabulary support, academic language guidance, reading strategies, Key Questions, note-taking prompts, and connected Activity Companion activities that help students work through biology text and strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts.
  • How can I preview Miller & Levine Experience Biology?
    Teachers and district leaders can preview sample program resources, including the Student Edition, Activity Companion, Teacher Guide, lab materials, and digital experiences, to get a closer look at how the program supports biology instruction.
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