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© School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2015
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2015/54070v4

Week
1–2
3–4
5
6
7–8
9–10
11
Key teaching points
Endocrine system
 function and location of the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, thymus gonads, pineal and adrenal glands
 hormones secreted from endocrine glands, specific target organs and action
 water-soluble and lipid-soluble hormones and associated receptors
 hypothalamic control of pituitary gland
 the development of synthetic hormones using recombinant DNA and associated biotechnological techniques for the treatment of endocrine dysfunctions
 gene therapy for diabetes
Task 1: Extended response – Treatment of endocrine dysfunction
Nervous system
 structure and function of the divisions of the peripheral nervous system
 autonomic and somatic
 sympathetic and parasympathetic
 afferent and efferent
 function of thermoreceptors, osmoreceptors, chemoreceptors, touch and pain receptors
 structure and function of the CNS – cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, corpus callosum, spinal cord, meninges and cerebrospinal fluid
 structure and function of the reflex arc
Task 2: Science inquiry (practical) – Receptors, reactions and reflex arcs
 transmission of nerve impulses
 cell replacement therapy for treatment of nervous system disorders (Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s)
 comparison of the endocrine and nervous systems
Task 3: Test – Endocrine and nervous systems
Homeostasis
 maintaining the body’s internal environment through:
 thermoregulation
Task 4: Science inquiry (investigation) – Temperature regulation mechanisms of the human body
 maintaining the body’s internal environment through:
 blood sugar levels
 body fluid concentrations
 gas concentrations
 treatments for disruption to homeostasis
Task 5: Test – Homeostasis
Response to infection

 pathogens – viruses and bacteria transmission of pathogens by:
 direct and indirect contact
 transfer by body fluids
 disease-specific vectors
 contaminated food and water
 body’s external defence mechanisms
1
Sample course outline | Human Biology | ATAR Year 12

2
Week
12–13
14
15
Key teaching points
 non-specific immune response
 antiviral and antibiotic drugs
 passive immunity and active immunity
 cell-mediated immunity and antibody-mediated immunity
 social, economic and cultural influences on immunisation programs
Task 6: Extended response – The role of vaccines in developing ‘herd immunity’
Revision
Task 7: Test – Response to infection
Task 8: Examination – Semester 1
Week
1–2
3–4
5–7
8
9
10
11
Key teaching points
Mutations
 gene and chromosomal mutations
 genotypes, phenotypes and variation due to environment
 advantageous and disadvantageous mutations and survival
Task 9: Extended response – Further evidence for evolution: comparative biochemistry, comparative genomics and bioinformatics
Gene pools

 gene pools and populations changes to gene pools due to
 mutations
 selection pressures
 random genetic drift and founder effect
 barriers to gene flow
Task 10: Science inquiry (practical) – Chance changes in gene pools and the founder effect
 gene pools and genetic disorders
 Tay-Sachs disease
 thalassemia
 sickle-cell anaemia
Task 11: Test – Mutations and gene pools
 natural selection
 mechanisms underpinning evolution by natural selection
Evidence for evolution
 biotechnological techniques used to provide evidence:
 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
 restriction and ligase (bacterial) enzymes
 gel electrophoresis
Task 12: Science inquiry (practical) – Biotechnology techniques (PCR and gel electrophoresis)
 biotechnological techniques used to provide evidence:
 DNA sequencing/genome sequencing
 comparative genomics, biochemistry and bioinformatics
 phylogenetic trees to show evolutionary relationships between groups
 fossil formation
 problems and limitations of the fossil record
 application and limitations of
 relative dating techniques; stratigraphy and index fossils
 absolute dating techniques; radio-carbon and potassium-argon
Task 13: Science inquiry (practical) – Fossil dating techniques (second-hand data)
Sample course outline | Human Biology | ATAR Year 12

Week
12–14
Key teaching points
Hominid evolutionary trends
 differences between humans and great apes
 relative size of cerebral cortex
 mobility of digits
 locomotion
 prognathism and dentition
 possible evolutionary pathways from studies of fossils of
 Australopithecus afarensis
 Australopithecus africanus
 Paranthropus robustus
 Homo habilis
 Homo erectus
 Homo neanderthalensis
 Homo sapiens
 tool use as evidence for cognitive evolution of H habilis, H erectus, H neanderthalensis and
H sapiens
Task 14: Test – Evidence for evolution and hominid evolutionary trends
Task 15: Examination – Semester 2 15
3
Sample course outline | Human Biology | ATAR Year 12