National 5 Biology
Unit 1 Cell Biology
Pupil Learning Outcomes and Success Criteria
Section 1
Cell Structure
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
1. Cell structure
Cell ultrastructure and
I can recall that a single celled organism is called
functions to include cell walls, a unit cellular organism.
mitochondria, chloroplasts,
cell membrane, vacuole,
nucleus, ribosomes and
I can recall that an organism is made of more than
plasmids in typical plant,
one cell that it is called Multicellular.
animal, fungi and bacteria
cells
I know that there are different types of cells.
I can identify plant, animal, fungal and bacterial
cells using diagrams.
I can identify the following cell structures: cell
membrane, mitochondria, nucleus and ribosomes.
I can state the function of each of these cell
structures.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can identify the following cell structures: cell
wall, chloroplasts and vacuole,
I can state the function of each of these cell
structures.
I can state that bacteria have structures like
plasmids and flagellum.
I understand what theses structures are for.
I know that yeast cells are plant cells that do not
have chloroplasts.
I know that yeast cells have budding scars, made
during cell division.
I can use a microscope successfully.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I understand what ‘total magnification’ means and
how to calculate it.
I can calculate the size of cells on slides.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 2
Transport Across Cell Membranes
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
2 Transport across cell
membranes
I can accurately describe the structure of the
plasma membrane.
a. The cell membrane consists
of lipids and proteins and is
selectively permeable.
I can draw a simple diagram of a plasma
membrane.
I can describe the phospholipid bilayer and use
the term ‘fluid mosaic model’ confidently.
I can state the functions of the proteins found
within a cell membrane.
b. Passive transport is with
the concentration gradient
and does not require energy.
c. The importance of
diffusion in cells as the
movement of molecules along
a concentration gradient.
I can explain the difference between passive and
active transport.
I can describe and explain the term ‘concentration
gradient’.
I can identify areas of high and low concentration.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can describe and explain diffusion.
d. Osmosis as the movement
of water molecules across a
membrane in terms of water
concentration
I can name some molecules that cross the plasma
membrane by diffusion.
I can describe and explain osmosis.
I can identify areas of high and low water
concentration.
e. Animal cells can burst or
shrink and plant cells can
become turgid or plasmolysed
in different solutions.
I can use the terms Hypotonic, Hypertonic and
Isotonic with confidence.
I can explain the results of osmosis in animal cells
I can explain the results of osmosis in plant cells.
f. Active transport requires
energy for membrane
proteins to move molecules
I can describe the terms Plasmolysed, Flaccid and
Turgid and use them confidently.
I can explain the term active transport.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
against the concentration
gradient.
Success Criteria
I can explain that this process requires energy.
I can give an example of active transport.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 3
Producing New Cells
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
3 Producing new cells
a. Maintenance of diploid
I can state that the chromosome complement is
chromosome complement by
the total number of chromosomes present in an
mitosis.
organisms genome.
Sequence of events of
mitosis, including equator and
spindle fibres.
b. Cell production by cell
culture requires aseptic
techniques, an appropriate
medium and the control of
other factors.
I can state that a cell with the full number of
chromosomes is said to be diploid.
I can state that gametes (sex cells) only contain
half the chromosome complement and they are
called haploid.
I can state that humans have a chromosome
complement of 46 chromosomes.
I can state that this chromosome complement is
maintained during cell division by the process of
mitosis.
I can give reasons as to why maintaining
chromosome complement is important.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can describe the stages of mitosis.
I can identify chromosomes, chromatids,
centromeres, centrioles and spindle fibres.
I can describe the different stages of mitosis and
identify them in diagrams.
I can explain the purpose of mitosis.
I can explain what aseptic technique is.
I can perform procedures in aseptic technique.
I can describe and explain the production of cells
using aseptic technique.
I can describe that cells need growth media to be
cultured.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can describe what factors need to be controlled
during cell culture
I can describe how fermenters are used in
industry.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 4
DNA, Production Of Proteins
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
4 DNA and the production
of proteins
I can describe the structure of a DNA molecule.
a. Structure of DNA: double
stranded helix held by
complementary base pairs.
I can explain the term ‘complementary base pairs’.
DNA carries the genetic
information for making
proteins. The four bases
I can name the base pairs in DNA.
A,T,C and G make up the
genetic code. The base
sequence determines amino
I can draw and understand diagrams of the DNA
acid sequence in protein.
double helix.
I can state that the strand of DNA is divided into
packets of information called genes.
I can explain that the sequence of bases on DNA
is read in groups of 3 called (triplets) called
codons.
I can state that the sequence of the bases
determines the sequence of amino acids that are
joined together.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can state that the sequence of amino acids
determines protein structure and shape and this
determines function.
b. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is
a molecule which carries a
copy of the code from the
DNA, in the nucleus, to a
ribosome, where the protein
is assembled from amino
acids
I can state that the DNA bases do not leave the
nucleus.
I can describe the journey of the instructions to
make a protein from the base sequence on the
DNA to the final protein.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 5
Proteins and Enzymes
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
5. Proteins and enzymes
a. The variety of protein
I can state that the sequence of amino acids in a
shapes and functions arises
protein determines the shape of a protein.
from the sequence of amino
acids.
I can explain that the bonds between the amino
acids cause the shape of the protein to be formed
and that it is the same every time the protein is
made.
I can state that the shape of a protein
determines the function of the protein.
b. Functions of proteins to
include structural, enzymes,
hormones, antibodies.
I can describe the function of structural proteins
I can describe the function of enzymes.
I can describe the function of hormones.
I can describe the function of antibodies.
I can describe a conjugated protein.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
c. Enzymes function as
biological catalysts and are
made by all living cells. They
speed up cellular reactions
and are unchanged in the
process. The shape of the
active site of an enzyme
molecule is complementary to
a specific substrate.
d. Each enzyme works best in
its optimum conditions.
Enzymes and other proteins
can be affected by
temperature and pH, which
result in changes in their
shape. A change in shape will
affect the rate of reaction
and may result in
denaturation.
Success Criteria
I can describe and explain the effects of
temperature on proteins, using enzymes as a
named example.
I can describe and explain the effects of ph on
proteins, using enzymes as a named example.
I can explain what the term ‘Optimum’ means and
apply it to temperature and pH effects on
enzymes.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 6
Genetic Engineering
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
6 Genetic engineering
Genetic information can be
I can give a definition of genetic engineering.
transferred from one cell to
another naturally of by
genetic engineering. Stages
I can describe the stages of genetic engineering.
of genetic engineering to
include: identify section of
DNA that contains required
I can identify the processes involved in genetic
gene from source
engineering from diagrams.
chromosome, extract
required gene, insert required
I can identify the plasmid in a bacterial cell
gene into vector/bacterial
diagram.
plasmid, insert plasmid into
host cell and grow
transformed cells to produce
I can give examples of the benefits of genetic
a GM organism.
engineering.
I can give reasoned arguments both in support of
and against genetic engineering.
I can understand the issues, concerns and
benefits of GM foods.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 7
Photosynthesis
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
7 Photosynthesis
a. Chemistry of
I can state that photosynthesis is the process by
photosynthesis, as a series of which organic compounds are made by the
enzyme controlled reactions,
reduction of carbon dioxide.
in a two stage process.
Light reactions: the light
energy from the sun is
I can state that the raw materials for
trapped by chlorophyll in the
photosynthesis are: water, carbon dioxide and
chloroplasts and is converted energy from the sun.
into chemical energy in the
form of ATP. Water is split
to produce hydrogen and
I can state the chemical formulae for carbon
oxygen. Excess oxygen
dioxide, water, glucose and oxygen.
diffuses from the cell.
Carbon fixation: hydrogen and
ATP produced by the light
I can write a balanced chemical equation for
reaction is used with carbon
photosynthesis.
dioxide to produce sugar.
b. The chemical energy in
sugar is available for
I can state that photosynthesis is split into two
respiration or can be
enzyme controlled stages: Photolysis and Carbon
converted into plant products Fixation.
such as starch and cellulose.
I can accurately describe the stages of
photolysis.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
I can state that ATP is a special molecule that can
transfer energy from one reaction to another.
I can state that Oxygen is a by-product of this
reaction and that it is released into the
atmosphere.
I can accurately describe the stages of Carbon
Fixation.
I can describe the fate of the sugar produced
during photosynthesis.
c. Limiting factors: carbon
dioxide concentration, light
intensity and temperature
and their impact on
photosynthesis and cell
growth.
I can explain the term Limiting Factors.
I can list limiting factors for photosynthesis.
I can explain a limiting factor graph.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Section 8
Respiration
Learning Outcome
Success Criteria
8 Respiration
a. The chemical energy stored I can describe the chemical ATP.
in glucose must be released
by all cells through a series
of enzyme controlled
I can understand the use of ATP in energy
reactions called respiration
transfer.
b. The energy released from
the breakdown of glucose is
used to generate ATP from
ADP and phosphate. The
chemical energy stored in
ATP can be released by
breaking it down to ADP and
phosphate. This energy can
be used for cellular activities
including muscle cell
contraction, cell division,
protein synthesis and
transmission of nerve
impulses. ATP can be
regenerated during
respiration.
I can state that respiration is a chemical reaction
using oxygen to release energy.
I can state that respiration is a series of enzyme
controlled reactions.
I can state that when oxygen is not present
energy is still released using alternative pathways.
I can state that these alternative pathways are
known as anaerobic respiration.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments
Learning Outcome
The breakdown of each
glucose molecule via pyruvate
to carbon dioxide and water
in the presence of oxygen
yields 38 moleucles of ATP.
The breakdown of each
glucose molecule via the
fermentation pathway yields
2 molecules of ATP when
oxygen is not present.
Breakdown of glucose to
lactic acid via pyruvate in
animal cells.
Breakdown of glucose to
alcohol/ethanol and carbon
dioxide via pyruvate in plant
and yeast cells.
c. Aerobic respiration starts
in the cytoplasm and is
completed in the
mitochondria.
Fermentation occurs in the
cytoplasm.
Success Criteria
I can describe the alternative pathways in animal
cells and plant cells.
Achieved
Notes/ Comments