Curriculum
Biology & Geology (STEM)
Chapter 1 - Support and Movement in Living Organisms
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1.1Why is support needed?1.2Support in plants1.3Support in animals1.4The human skeletal system1.5First: the skeleton1.62.1.1 The vertebral column1.72.1.2 The skull (cranium)1.82.1.3 The thoracic cage1.92.1.4 The pectoral girdle and the upper limb1.102.1.5 The pelvic girdle and the lower limb1.11Second: cartilages1.12Third: joints1.13Fourth: ligaments1.14Fifth: tendons
2.1Movement in living organisms2.2Movement in plants2.3Systems that cooperate in movement2.4The muscular system2.5Structure of a skeletal muscle2.6How the nerve impulse reaches the muscle2.7The sliding-filament theory of muscle contraction (Huxley)2.8Muscle fatigue and cramp2.9Summary of coordination in movement2.10Comparison: voluntary and involuntary muscles2.11Key terms2.12Practical tips for answering exam questions
Chapter 2 - Hormonal Coordination in Living Organisms
0/321.1Control of body functions1.2What is a hormone?1.3Discovery of animal hormones — Starling (1905)1.4Plant hormones — Jensen (1913)1.5How scientists found out what hormones do1.6Characteristics of hormones1.7Types of glands in man1.8Position and structure1.9Hormones of the adenohypophysis (anterior lobe)1.10Hormones of the neurohypophysis (posterior lobe)1.11The thyroid gland1.12Diseases of the thyroid (due to hypo- or hypersecretion of thyroxine)1.13The parathyroid glands
2.1The adrenal (suprarenal) glands2.2Hormones of the cortex (steroids; controlled by ACTH)2.3Hormones of the medulla (amino-acid derivatives; controlled by nerves)2.4The pancreas as a mixed gland2.5Insulin2.6Glucagon2.7Diabetes mellitus (hyposecretion of insulin)2.8The sex glands (gonads)2.9Male sex hormones — androgens2.10Female sex hormones2.11Gastrointestinal hormones2.12Comparison between nervous and hormonal co-ordination2.13Summary table of the endocrine glands2.14Key terms2.15Negative feedback — the idea behind every endocrine gland2.16Antagonistic pairs2.17Hormones that are linked to the hypothalamus2.18Additional worked examples2.19Typical exam checklists
Chapter 3 - Reproduction in Living Organisms
0/331.1Importance of reproduction1.2Reproductive capacity1.3Methods of reproduction1.4Asexual reproduction1.5Sexual reproduction1.6Comparison between asexual and sexual reproduction1.7Alternation of generations1.82.4.1 Life cycle of Plasmodium (malaria parasite)1.92.4.2 Life cycle of a fern (Polypodium, Adiantum)
4.1The breeding cycle and the menstrual cycle4.2Fertilisation4.3Pregnancy and embryonic development4.4Contraception (birth control)4.5Multiple births and twins4.6Test-tube babies (in vitro fertilisation, IVF)4.7Cloning and embryo culture4.8Gamete banks and sex control4.9Ethical note4.10Practical observations (as listed at the end of the chapter)4.11Summary comparisons4.12Key terms
Chapter 4 - Immunity in Living Organisms
0/341.1The constant threat1.2Definition1.3Two systems working together1.4Worked example 1 — classifying a defence1.5Worked example 2 — one infection, both systems1.6Immunity in plants1.7Structural immunity1.8Biochemical immunity1.9Why are phenols "biochemical" but cork "structural"?1.10Worked example 3 — what does a cut do to a tree?1.11Worked example 4 — compare two plants1.12Summary table — plant immunity
2.1Overview2.2Lymphoid organs2.3Worked example 5 — why swollen glands?2.4Summary table — lymphoid organs2.5White blood cells (leukocytes)2.6Antigens2.7Helper chemicals2.8Worked example 6 — why do interferons protect neighbours?2.9Antibodies2.10Structure of an antibody2.11How antibodies act2.12Worked example 7 — classify the mechanism
3.1How the human body protects itself3.2Natural (innate) immunity3.3Worked example 8 — a cut finger3.4Acquired (specific, adaptive) immunity3.5Worked example 9 — why a virus-infected cell cannot be cleared by antibodies3.6Stages of the acquired response — primary and secondary3.7Worked example 10 — reading the response graph in words3.8Comparison tables for revision3.9Key terms3.10Final recap
Chapter 5 - Molecular Biology - DNA Structure and Function
0/371.1The question1.2Evidence 1 — Bacterial transformation (Griffith, then Avery)1.3Evidence 2 — Bacteriophages (Hershey and Chase)1.4Is DNA the genetic material of every organism?1.5Evidence 3 — The quantity of DNA in cells1.6Worked example 1 — interpreting a Griffith-type result1.7Worked example 2 — predict the Hershey–Chase outcome
2.1The structure of DNA2.2The data a model had to fit2.3The Watson–Crick model2.4Why the model fits the data2.5Worked example 3 — complementary strand2.6Worked example 4 — base percentages2.7Worked example 5 — a test for the type of nucleic acid2.8Why replicate?2.9The steps and the enzymes2.10Where replication starts2.11Summary of the enzymes2.12Worked example 6 — template and product2.13Worked example 7 — how many fragments?2.14Worked example 8 — speed of copying2.15DNA damage and repair2.16Worked example 9 — why does RNA virus mutate more?2.17Prokaryotes2.18Eukaryotes – chromatin and condensation2.19Comparison2.20Worked example 10 — packing ratio2.21The genome2.22Repetitive DNA2.23Worked example 11 — reasons2.24Definition2.25Kinds2.26Gamete and somatic mutations2.27Origin of mutations2.28Worked example 12 — classify2.29Key terms2.30Final recap
Chapter 6 - Molecular Biology - RNA, Protein Synthesis and Genetic Engineering
0/381.1Two main groups1.2One building plan for thousands of proteins1.3Worked example 1 — counting bonds1.4RNA: structure and difference from DNA1.5Worked example 2 — identify the nucleic acid1.6Messenger RNA (mRNA) and transcription1.7Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)1.8Transfer RNA (tRNA)1.9Comparison1.10Worked example 3 — transcription1.11Why a triplet code?1.12Properties of the code1.13The codon table (mRNA, read 5′→3′; for reference)1.14Counting rules1.15Worked example 4 — translate1.16Worked example 5 — from DNA to protein1.17Worked example 6 — a gene of 150 base pairs1.18Worked example 7 — the effect of a mutation1.19Initiation1.20Elongation1.21Termination1.22Polyribosomes1.23The whole pathway1.24Worked example 8 — number of peptide bonds1.25Worked example 9 — why polysomes?
2.1Modern techniques of molecular technology2.2Nucleic acid hybridisation2.3Restriction endonucleases2.4Cloning a gene in a plasmid2.5Reverse transcriptase and cDNA2.6Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)2.7Recombinant DNA and its applications2.8Worked example 10 — design a cloning experiment2.9Worked example 11 — hybridisation question2.10The Human Genome Project2.11Worked example 12 — why compare genomes?2.12Key terms2.13Final recap
Chapter 7 - Geology, Earth Sciences and Ecology
0/202.11 Minerals: importance and definition2.22 Formation and chemical groups of minerals2.33 Crystallography: crystal structure and crystal systems2.44 Optical properties of minerals2.55 Cohesive properties of minerals2.66 Rocks and their three types2.77 Igneous rocks2.88 Sedimentary rocks2.99 Metamorphic rocks2.1010 Weathering2.1111 The rock cycle
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