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Goulburn High School

Goulburn High School

Justice and Tenacity

Telephone02 4821 4022

Emailgoulburn-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

 


 15030                                                                                                       BIOLOGY


Course: Biology                                                                Category:  A

2 units for each of Preliminary and HSC                                         

Board Developed Course                                                  Exclusions: Senior Science (Preliminary)

Course Description:

The Preliminary course incorporates the study of the mechanisms and systems living things use to obtain, transport and use material for their own growth and repair; biotic and abiotic features of the environment and the relationships between and interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem; the evolution of life on Earth; and the effects of global changes that took place during the formation of modern Australia on the diversity of Australian biota.

The HSC course builds upon the Preliminary course. It examines the processes and structures that plants and animals, especially humans, have developed to maintain a constant internal environment and the way in which the continuity of life is assumed by the inheritance of characteristics from generation to generation.

Main Topics Covered:

Preliminary Course

HSC Course

Core Topics 

·         Biology skills

·         Biology skills

·         Patterns in Nature

·         Maintaining a Balance

·         A Local Ecosystem

·         Blueprint of Life

·         Life on Earth

·         The Search for Better Health

·         Evolution of Australian Biota

 

 

One Option from the following:

·         Communication

·         Biotechnology

·         Genetics: The Code Broken

·         The Human Story

·         Biochemistry

Particular Course Requirements:

The Preliminary course includes a field study related to local environments.  The HSC course may include a field study related to Primates and the Human Story, and Disease.  Practical experiences should occupy a minimum of 80 indicative hours across Preliminary and HSC course time with no less than 35 hours in the HSC course.

SKILLS / APTITUDE                         Important                               Not so important

Essay writing                                                                                         *

Research                                              *

Oral Reporting                                                                                       *

Practical Work                                       *

Working in a group or team                     *

Public Performance                                                                                *

Meeting Deadlines                                 *

Assessment HSC Course only

External Assessment

Weighting

Internal Assessment

Weighting

A three-hour written examination consisting of:

 

Core Modules

Multiple-choice questions

Short-answer-questions

 

Options (one only to be attempted)

Short-answer part-questions

 

Questions/question parts focusing on Core Module 9.1 will be incorporated into both the Core and Option sections of the paper.

 

 

 

75

 

 

 

25

 

Knowledge and understanding:

·          Prescribed Focus Areas (outcomes H1-H5)

·          Domain (outcomes H6-H10).

Skills in planning and conducting first-hand investigations, and in communicating information and understanding based on these investigations.

 

Skills in scientific thinking, problem solving and in communicating understanding and conclusions.

Note:

No more than 50% weighting may be allocated to examinations and topic tests.

40

 

 

 

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

30

 

100

 

100