General Biology II at Western Governors University (WGU) is a content course for future high school biology teachers.
It follows the first general biology course in the science education programs and covers cell structure, cell division and how living things sense and respond to their surroundings.
WGU's own course description says the aim is to build teachable understanding, not just recall. You are expected to explain mitosis and meiosis, link them to growth and development, and show how organisms of different complexity process information. That mix of detail and explanation is what makes the course harder than it first looks.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | D877 (codes can change; titles are the safer match) |
| Level | Undergraduate, secondary biology teacher preparation |
| Size | 3 competency units in the BS Science Education (Secondary Biological Science) guide |
| Subject area | Cell biology, cell division, organism responses |
| Typical work | Explanatory writing on biological processes, diagrams, short applied scenarios |
What D877 Covers
WGU's program guide lists three competencies for this course. The first line of the course also asks you to agree a personal course plan with your instructor.
| Competency (WGU wording, summarized) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Describe cellular structures and their functions | Organelles, membranes and what each part does for the cell |
| Describe how organisms of diverse complexity process information and communicate in response to their environment | Signals, receptors, nervous and chemical responses, from single cells to animals |
| Describe how mitosis and meiosis relate to growth and development | Why cells divide, how the two kinds of division differ, and what each is for |
The description also mentions cell differentiation and the roles of different brain regions, so expect both cell-level and whole-organism questions.
Key Concepts Explained
Mitosis Versus Meiosis
Mitosis produces two genetically identical daughter cells and supports growth and repair. Meiosis produces four genetically different cells with half the chromosome number and supports sexual reproduction. Most mistakes come from mixing up what happens to chromosome number and when homologous chromosomes pair.
Example: A human body cell has 46 chromosomes. After mitosis, each of the two daughter cells has 46. After meiosis, each of the four gametes has 23. When a sperm and an egg fuse, the zygote returns to 46. Writing the numbers out like this makes the purpose of each process obvious.
Differentiation
All cells in an organism carry essentially the same DNA, but they use different genes. A muscle cell and a neuron differ because different genes are switched on, not because they hold different genetic material. Link this idea to why stem cells matter in development.
Information Processing
A response needs a stimulus, a receptor, a pathway and a response. This pattern fits a bacterium moving towards food, a plant bending towards light and a reflex arc in a human. Using one pattern across examples shows the "diverse complexity" the competency asks for.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Process explanation | Accurate, ordered account of mitosis or meiosis | Name each stage, say what happens to chromosomes, and state the purpose |
| Compare and contrast | Seeing differences that matter | Use a table, then explain two or three differences in prose |
| Applied scenario | Using ideas in a new situation | Restate the scenario, apply one concept at a time, and conclude |
| Teaching-oriented explanation | Explaining at high school level | Use plain words, one analogy and a common misconception to correct |
A Four-Part Study Plan
Because the course is self-paced, a simple structure keeps you moving. Spread the three competencies across your available weeks and finish with a review pass.
| Stage | Focus | Check yourself by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cell structure and function | Labeling a blank cell diagram from memory |
| 2 | Information processing | Explaining three responses with the same four-step pattern |
| 3 | Mitosis, meiosis, differentiation | Drawing both divisions side by side with chromosome counts |
| 4 | Review and teaching language | Explaining each idea aloud to someone with no biology background |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Confusing chromosome and chromatid counts. A duplicated chromosome is still one chromosome with two sister chromatids. Count centromeres to count chromosomes.
- Listing without explaining. Naming the stages is not the same as explaining why they matter. Add a "so that" to each step.
- Treating meiosis as a copy of mitosis. Focus on the two things unique to meiosis: homologous pairing and two divisions.
- Skipping the brain and response material. It is easy to over-study division and under-study information processing, which is a full competency.
Study Tips for D877
- Draw each process from memory, then compare with your resource and correct it.
- Keep a one-page table of terms with a plain-language meaning beside each.
- Write a short explanation as if teaching a ninth-grade class; this tests real understanding.
- Set your own target date for each competency and tell your instructor.
How We Help with D877
Send the task prompt, the rubric, any course notes and your draft if you have one. A writer with a biology background prepares a model explanation, reviews your draft against the rubric, or tutors you through the processes with diagrams described step by step.
GradeEssays is independent of WGU. Our work is a study and reference aid: use it to learn the material, then write and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy. Orders are written from scratch, include free revisions within the scope of your original request, and are refunded in full if late.
Make Sense of Your D877 Task
Share the instructions and rubric. A science writer prepares a clearly explained custom answer you can study and check your own work against.
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Frequently Asked Questions
WGU's program guide lists three: cellular structures and functions, how organisms process information and respond, and how mitosis and meiosis relate to growth and development.
No. Cell structure, cell differentiation, the roles of brain regions and organism responses to the environment are all in the course description.
It depends on your background. Many students find the process detail in cell division the hardest part, because it needs both memory and explanation.
The course prepares future teachers, so explaining ideas clearly is valued. Check your task rubric for the audience and level it expects.
Split the three competencies into weekly goals, book your assessment attempt in advance and review your instructor's feedback after each attempt.
Yes. Send the task and rubric and we review accuracy, clarity and rubric coverage, then explain what to fix.