Introduction to Year 12 Biology
Aims:
To improve your understanding of the topics studied in AS Biology;
To be able to describe the structure & function of water.
To set a ‘summer Biology assignment’
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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE.
Complete the spider diagram below to describe all the things you know about water,
structure, bonding and function (uses) in plants & animals.
Water:
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Work in groups of two or three.
Use the resources provided to carry out the following tasks:

Use the molymods to make a water molecule. Draw this in 3D:

Turn on the tap slowly. Why do the water molecules stick together? This explanation can be linked to
the molecular structure of water.

Take two microscope slides, put a thin layer of water between them, and choose one in your group to
pull them apart. Explain your observation.

Put one of each size of the glass tubes into the coloured water. Write down the results for each one.
Explain your results.

Look at the ice on the water.
Why does the ice form on the surface first?
What is the significance of this to living things?
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Structure of year 12:
Unit 1 (30%) 1 Hour Examination May 2015
Cells:
 Microscopy;
 Cell structure & organelles;
 Plasma (cell) membrane
structure & function;
 Cell cycle & mitosis;
Exchange & transport:
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Structure & function of the lungs;
Structure & function of the mammalian heart;
Structure & function of blood vessels;
Transport of oxygen & carbon dioxide;
Structure & function of xylem & phloem;
Transpiration & translocation.
Unit 2 (50%) 1 hour 45 minute Examination June 2015
Biochemistry:
 Structure & function
of:
 Carbohydrates;
proteins; lipids;
nucleic acids
 Structure & function
of water;
 Enzyme – structure &
function
Food & health:
 Diet;
 Food production;
 Microorganisms;
 Disease;
 Immunity;
 Drugs;
 Smoking;
 CVD & CHD;
Biodiversity & evolution:
 Biodiversity;
 Sampling animals &
plants;
 Classification &
taxonomy;
 Variation &
adaptation;
 Natural selection;
 Evolution;
 conservation
Practical skills – completed in January 2015 (20 %)
Qualitative skill
Total /10
Practical
Quantitative skill
Total/ 10
Practical
Evaluative skill
Total / 20
Written paper
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Summer project
Complete the following tasks and present in a NEAT format:
1. Labelled diagram of an animal cell and plant cell (A level standard):
2. Copy & complete the following table:
organelle
structure
function
Diagram:
Nucleus
Smooth Endoplasmic
reticulum
Rough endoplasmic
reticulum
Golgi apparatus
Mitochondria
Chloroplast
Lysosomes
Ribosomes
centrioles
3. Labelled diagram of the internal & external structure of the mammalian heart, (A
level standard)
4. Labelled diagram of a transverse section of a plant leaf, root & stem, (A level standard)
Help:
The following web sites may be useful:
http://www.biologymad.com
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/biology/cells-and-organelles/revise-it/organelles
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/biology/transport
http://www.mrothery.co.uk/cells/cellnotes.htm
All diagrams must be hand drawn & in pencil
Complete the past paper questions
Revise pages -1, 2, 3, 31 & 32
YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE A WHITE LABORATORY COAT, TO ALLOW YOU TO PARTICIPATE
IN PRACTICAL LESSONS
You will need to purchase a copy of Head Start to AS Biology. If you haven’t
got one go to the CGP web site or Amazon and order. It retails at £5 and has
an ISBN: 978 -1847621177.
It recaps all the tricky topics from GCSE that AS builds on… so you won’t have
to! Ideal preparation for September no matter what GCSE option you have
followed. It will also be useful for reference throughout the course.
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