CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
TEACHER ORIENTATION WORKSHOP
CSEC - Human and Social Biology
ACTIVITY SHEET
POSSIBLE SBA TOPICS & SAMPLE ACTIVITY
Possible Topics and Objectives
This list is not exhaustive. To facilitate discussion, ensure the research activity created is aligned
to the relevant objective in the syllabus.
Topic
Specific Objective
Global
Warming
A 13(vii)
Possible Research /Experimental
Activities
Collect data on global temperatures
(highest and lowest) over the last 10
Discuss the impact of global warming years
on the well-being of humans.
Collect data on the number of storms
during the hurricane season.
Collect data on the creation of
greenhouse
Students will conduct labs investigating
the drivers of climate change.
Nutrition
B 1.2
Discuss the functions of macro
nutrients: include hidden sources of
sugars; effects of sugar sweetened
beveages on health; benefits of fresh
fruits and vegetables with reference
to fruits and vegetables grown in the
Caribbean
Nutrition
B 1.3 Discuss the functions of
Collect data on the amount of sugar in
popular drinks consumed by students in
a class/year group/school
Collect data on the amount of sugar in
popular packaged foods.
Students will investigate the energy in
the most popular snacks consumed by
students on campus.
Collect data on the quantities of salt in
1
micronutrients; include hidden
sources of salt
popular packaged foods, using food
labels.
Students will investigate the effect of
consumption of popular snacks on high
blood pressure
Nutrition
B 1.12
Determine Body mass index (BMI)
Calculate the BMI of individuals in a
year group. To categorize individuals
who are obese
Students will investigate if waist size is
linked with diabetes.
Nutrition
B 1.17
State the causes of tooth decay:
include the effects of sugarsweetened beverages (through sugar
and carbonation) on tooth decay.
Nutrition
Collect data on the amount of sugar in
popular sweet drinks
Students will investigate and measure
the amounts of fats and sugars found in
the foods they eat
B 1.19 Outline guidelines for the care
of the teeth
Explanatory Notes: Include flossing,
brushing at least twice daily,
fluoridation, dental check-ups biannually and diet
Collect data on the hygiene of students
at school A. Interview of a dentist.
B 1.21
Investigation of effects of temperature
or pH on activity of a named enzyme.
Investigate the effects of temperature
and pH on the activity of the
enzymes, amylase and catalase in the
digestive process: include
construction and interpretation of
tables, graphs and charts.
B 2.4 Outline the factors affecting the
rate of breathing
Explanatory Notes: Exercise,
smoking, anxiety, drugs,
environmental factors, altitude,
weight/obesity
Investigate the activity of rennin in
milk.
Investigate the effect of stress on
breathing rate.
Investigate the effect of exercise on
breathing rate.
Investigate the effect of weight on
breathing rate.
2
B 2.8 Differentiate between aerobic
and anaerobic respiration
Explanatory Notes: Include the
definitions of anaerobic respiration;
oxygen debt; worded and chemical
equations to represent anaerobic
respiration
Respiration B 2.11
Discuss the effects of smoking and,
effects of smoking (cigarette,
marijuana, vaping, hookah); nicotine
addiction, damage to the lungs …
Circulatory
System
Heredity
and
Variation
B 3.7
Explain the concept of blood
pressure; include modifiable risk
factors (salt, fat, alcohol, smoking
and stress) for elevated blood
pressure; trends in hypertension and
obesity in children in Caribbean
countries; trends in modifiable risk
factors
Investigate effect of exercise on
recovery rate.
Do a survey on how many students
have tried cigarettes in a year group
To determine the effect of smoking on
lung capacity
Collect data on how many students
have relatives with hypertension.
To investigate the effect the
consumption of popular snacks has on
high blood pressure.
B 4.11 Explain the importance of
locomotion to man
Explanatory Notes: include definition
of muscle tone and the effect of
exercise on it.
Investigate the effect of exercise on
muscle tone.
C 8 Explain why genetic variation is
important to living organisms
Investigation of tongue rolling and
height to determine whether they are
continuous or discontinuous variation
C 9 Distinguish between genetic
variation and environmental variation
Explanatory note: Include the
difference between continuous and
discontinuous variation.
Collect data on the incidence of two
traits to determine what type of
variation they represent.
3
D 23 Explain the social and economic Collect data on how many students
effects of drug misuse on the
have used marijuana in a class/year
individual family and community
group.
To investigate the effect of caffeinated
drinks on the heart rate
Environment
E 3 Describe the effects of pollutants
on human beings and the
environment; include eutrophication,
social and economic effects
Design a questionnaire to determine
how students are affected by burning
garbage in their neighborhoods.
E 14 Evaluate the efficiency of the
methods of domestic refuse disposal;
include composting, separation of
waste, bio-diesel, dumping, burning,
garbage collection
Collect data on any of the following:
To investigate the effect of oil spill on
birds
(1) Frequency of garbage collection
in different districts
(2) The number of students whose
families recycle plastic bottles
(3) The types of refuse disposal
used by families of students in a
class/year group
To investigate the water quality
parameters of fresh water bodies.