AGUS OLAÍOCHTA BIOLOGY - Curriculum

AN ROINN OIDEACHAIS AGUS EOLA?OCHTA

BIOLOGY

Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level and Higher Level

GUIDELINES FOR

TEACHERS

THESE GUIDELINES

INTRODUCTION

practical approach

SYLLABUS STRUCTURE

Chemistry content

DIFFERENTIATION

between Higher level and Ordinary level ? range of topics ? Depth of treatment

TEACHING METHODS

class preparation material

RESOURCES

? laboratory equipment ? chemicals

TIMETABLING

contact time class periods

MIXED ABILITY TEACHING

team work DART

PLUS

helpful hints,

real samples, lots, lots more...

BIOLOGY

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1

1

UNIT ONE: BIOLOGY ? THE STUDY OF LIFE

5

2

UNIT TWO: THE CELL

25

3

UNIT THREE: THE ORGANISM

47

4

RESOURCES

81

BIOLOGY

BIOLOGY

I ntroduction

1. Introduction

2

2. Syllabus structure

2

3. Chemistry content

3

4. Differentiation between

Higher level and

Ordinary level

3

5. Teaching methods

3

6. Resources

4

7. Timetabling

4

8. Mixed-ability teaching

4

9. Conclusion

4

1

BIOLOGY

1. INTRODUCTION

This material is designed to help the teacher in a very practical manner to work through the syllabus.

The former Leaving Certificate Biology syllabus was introduced in 1975 and first examined in 1977. In the intervening years many changes have occurred in the knowledge and application of biology and in the needs of new cohorts of students.

This revised syllabus has been developed in response to:

? new knowledge, understanding and application of biology ? comparative studies of world syllabi ? submissions from and consultations with individuals,

relevant organisations and Government Departments ? the terms of reference provided by the National Council

for Curriculum and Assessment.

The Course Committee noted in particular a number of key issues in the development of this syllabus including:

? the need to give a greater vocational orientation to the curriculum

? the needs, not only of students who proceed to higher education but also of those who enter the workforce directly on completion of the Leaving Certificate

? the particular needs of those students who present at Ordinary level

? the perception that the previous Biology course was too long and too broad

? the necessity to modernise Biology e.g. the inclusion of contemporary biological issues and technology and the highlighting of its scientific nature

? the need to reduce the overlap in content between the Biology and the Agricultural Science syllabi.

The aims and objectives of the syllabus provide a clear specification of its ethos. Particular emphasis is placed on the following components which are integrated throughout the syllabus in percentage proportions as indicated in brackets:

? science for the enquiring mind or pure science (70%) ? science for action, application and its interface with

technology (22.5%) ? science which is concerned with issues - political, social

and economic - of concern to citizens (7.5%)

In addition the syllabus emphasises

? skill attainment, with particular reference to practical activities

? health and safety issues.

2. SYLLABUS STRUCTURE

The syllabus consists of three units:

The syllabus is presented in four columns:

Unit One: Unit Two: Unit Three:

Biology - The Study of Life The Cell The Organism

? Sub-unit and Topic ? Depth of Treatment ? Contemporary Issues and Technology ? Practical Activities.

2

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