Year: 11 (Stage 1) – Elective
Length: Semester (10 SACE Credits)
Contact Person: Clay Reid
Recommended Background: Successful completion of Year 10 Science.
Content: The study of Biology is constructed around inquiry into and application of understanding the diversity of life as it has evolved, the structure and function of living things, and how they interact with their own and other species and their environments.
Topic 1: Cells and Microorganisms. All prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells need to exchange materials with their immediate external environment in order to maintain the chemical processes vital for cell functioning. In this topic, students will examine the development of the cell theory, the exchange of materials, and the processes required for cell survival. Students will use the microscope and digital modelling to study the structure and function of cells, and investigate ways in which matter is recycled and energy is transformed and transferred in the biochemical processes of photosynthesis and respiration.
Topic 2: Infectious Diseases. In this topic, students will examine the various agents that can cause infectious diseases, including viral, bacterial, and other parasitic pathogens. Students will examine how infectious disease agents spread, enter hosts, and cause immune responses. They will make comparisons to the function of immune systems in other organisms. Students will examine the structure and function of the main components of the immune system: physical barriers, the innate (non-specific) system, and the specific responses of the adaptive or acquired system. Students will learn that pathogens cause changes that enable memory for future immune response.
Assessment: Students are assessed using the SACE Performance Standards. Students demonstrate evidence of their learning through the following assessment types:
- Assessment Type 1: Investigations Folio (at least one practical investigation and one investigation with a focus on science as a human endeavour)
- Assessment Type 2: Skills and Applications tasks (at least one task)
This course has been designed as a prerequisite for Stage 2 Biology. Therefore, students must successfully complete a full year of Biology at Stage 1 (both units Biology A and Biology B) if they intend to study Stage 2 Biology.
Additional Charges:
A fee applies to participate in this subject in addition to the CHS Materials and Service charges. This fee is for purchasing a Biology Workbook / Textbook and approximate cost is $55.00.