Subject and Unit: AS Biology Unit
Topic 4: Biodiversity & natural resources
Key Assessment: End of topic test
1
Session
Gcse review
Learning objectives
Review all the GCSE ecology topics
Resources / References / Visits
Introductory presentation
Activity4.2 What is it?
2
species
Understand what a species is
3
niches
4
Adaptations
5
Adaptations
6
Natural selection and evolution
7
What is biodiversity
8
Classification
9
Classification
Describe the concept of niche and examples of
adaptations
Describe how organisms are adapted to their
environment including behavioural, physiological
and anatomical adaptations.
Describe how organisms are adapted to their
environment including behavioural, physiological
and anatomical adaptations.
Describe how natural selection can lead to
adaptation
Explain the terms biodiversity and endemism and
how biodiversity can be measured
Discuss process and critical evaluation of new data
by scientific community which leads to new
taxonomic groups
Discuss and evaluate the three main taxonomic
groups
Introduction to biodiversity and discussion on
concept of species
Activity 4.1 The Galapagos islands
Text book Pages 144-151
Activity 4.3 ecological niche of a leaf cutter bee
10
Measuring biodiversity
11
Measuring genetic diversity
12
13
Structure of plant cells
Structure and function of starch and cellulose
14
Structure and location of specialized cells in the
plant stem
Movement of water and minerals through xylem
15
Course Content
Explain terms biodiversity and endemism relating
them to variety of alleles in a gene pool
Explain terms biodiversity and endemism relating
them to variety of alleles in a gene pool
Compare ultra structure of plant and animal cells
Compare structure and function of polysaccharides
and cellulose
Compare structures and position of sclerenchyma
fibres and xylem vessels in plant stems
Explain how arrangement of microfibrils in cell
walls and secondary thickening contribute to
properties of plant fibres.
Practical 4.4 Well behaved beetles
Textbook pages 151-156
Activity 4.5 Adaptations Exhibition
Checkpoint question 4.1
Activity 4.6 natural selection in action
Checkpoint question 4.2
Activity 4.7 What is biodiversity?
Activity 4.8 The next bug thing
Activity 4.9 Being Darwin
Activity 4.10 New ideas in biology
Checkpoint question 4.3
Textbook pages 161-163
Practical 4.11 Exploring biodiversity
Textbook pages 164-169
Activity4.12 Natter jack toads and genetic diversity
Activity4.13 plant and animal cells
Activity 4.14 cellulose structure
Checkpoint question4.5
Practical 4.15 Practical Looking at plant stems
Practical 4.16 Water transport in plants
Subject and Unit: AS Biology Unit
Topic 4: Biodiversity & natural resources
Key Assessment: End of topic test
16
Mineral deficiency
Describe how to investigate plant mineral
deficiencies
CORE PRACTICAL 4.17 sick plants
17
Strength testing of plant fibres
Describe how to determine the tensile strength of
plant fibres
18
Antibacterial properties of plants
Describe how to investigate the antimicrobial
properties of plants
19/20
Drug Testing
21
Uses of seed-stored starch
Compare historic drug testing with contemporary
protocols
Describe how the uses of plant fibres may
contribute to sustainability
22
Role of zoos
CORE PRACTICAL 4.18 Practical Extraction of fibres
from plants
Textbook pages
CORE PRACTICAL 4.19 Practical Why do they put
mint in toothpaste?
Textbook pages 184-186
Activity4.20 Testing a new drug
Textbook pages 187-189
Practical 4.21 Superheating starch
Activity 4.22 Is your lifestyle sustainable?
Textbook pages 190-191
Activity 4.23 Animal dating agency
Textbook pages 192-193
23
Role of zoos
24
Seed banks
Peer
Learning
Tasks
Using checklist to review learning outcomes
Directed
independent
study
Write up of practicals and questions from activities
Homework
Questions on pages 144-192
Discuss and evaluate the methods used by zoos
and seed banks in conservation of endangered
species
Discuss and evaluate the methods used by zoos
and seed banks in conservation of endangered
species
Discuss and evaluate the methods used by zoos
and seed banks in conservation of endangered
species
Activity 4.24 Putting them back
Activity 4.25 seed banks
Textbook pages 194-196