Unit outline – Biological Sciences Unit 3B
Assessment type
Notional hours
Investigation (10%)
12
DNA
Investigating and communicating
in biology
Planning and conducting
biological research
Biological systems
Biological change
Continuity of species
Students consider environmental
and ethical considerations associated
with practices of biotechnology, such
as cloning.
Students will consider DNA as a self-replicating and
information-carrying molecule and how the
manipulation of DNA has led to a range of
applications of biotechnology, particularly in
agriculture and environmental conservation.
Students consider implications for
careers and commercial applications
of biological research.
Students will be introduced to the following
content:
 replication of DNA

protein synthesis

recombinant DNA techniques including the use
of restriction enzymes, ligation, gel
electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction
(PCR)

recombinant DNA processes including gene
cloning, transgenic organisms and DNA
profiling.
Task
Matching profiles: DNA
sequencing
(fingerprinting).
In this task students
examine a technique used
to identify the original
source (carcase) of an
infected meat sample.
Activities:
© WestOne Services 2010

DNA activity

DNA and RNA activity

protein synthesis activity

gel electrophoresis activity

recombinant DNA activity

transgenic organisms activity

DNA profiling activity.
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Unit outline – Biological Sciences Unit 3B
Assessment type
Notional hours
Investigation (10%)
8
Variation
Investigating and
communicating in biology
Planning and conducting
biological research
Students will devise a safe
investigation involving a number of
controlled variables (random
alignment/poppit bead activity).
Design an investigation for an
hypothesis (mutant mice).
Students consider limitations of
experimental design.
Biological systems
Biological change
Continuity of species
Students consider the significance of
meiosis in producing variation within a
species.
Students consider sources of variation
such as:
 mutations

the independent assortment of
chromosomes

crossing over during meiosis

random mating.
Task
Meiosis is a type of cell division
which produces gametes. In
this task you will work through
the stages of meiosis by
modelling the process. This will
familiarise you with some of
the details of meiosis and its
significance in variation.
Activities:
© WestOne Services 2010

meiosis activity

random alignment (independent
assortment) activity

crossing-over activity

variation within a species activity

mutant mice activity.
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Unit outline – Biological Sciences Unit 3B
Assessment type
Notional hours
Extended response (5%)
12
Mechanisms of evolution
Investigating
and communicating in
biology
Evaluating and
communicating as a
biologist
Students consider
environmental and ethical
considerations associated
with practices of
biotechnology, such as
artificial selection and
selective breeding.
Biological systems
Biological change
Continuity of species
Students consider natural selection as a process leading to change in
characteristics of a population, eg pesticide resistance, bird beaks, flowers
and pollinators.
Students consider the mechanisms of evolution through changes in allele
frequency due to natural selection, sexual selection and genetic drift.
Students dip into gene pools and consider ‘isolation’ as a barrier to gene
flow.
Task
In this task you
will simulate
natural selection
by means of a
model and
observe the
consequences of
a selective
pressure.
Students consider how a population might evolve into two separate
species by the process of speciation.
Students consider how selective pressures lead to change or extinction,
eg loss of habitat, predation.
Students consider the practical application of artificial selection, eg the
selective breeding of animals and crops.
Students will complete a range of activities.
Activities:

selective pressures (Activity 1)
o

selective pressures (Activity 2)
o
© WestOne Services 2010
a tea-tree population study: a case for the struggle for existence
the peppered moth: a case study of natural selection in action

changes in allele frequency activity

natural selection activity

artificial selection in animals activity

wild mustard activity

selective breeding activity.
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Unit outline – Biological Sciences Unit 3B
Evidence for evolution
Investigating and
communicating in biology
Biological systems
Assessment type
Notional hours
Extended response (5%)
11
Biological change
Continuity of species
Evidence for evolution
Students will consider evolutionary
relationships between groups using
physiological, molecular and evidence in
phylogenetic trees during a range of
activities.
In this task students will have
the opportunity to discuss the
single most unifying idea in
biology, evolution, and to
explain why the majority of
biologists support the theory of
evolution.
Students will investigate evidence for
evolution including:

fossils

homologous structures

comparative anatomy

embryology of vertebrates
Students will have the
opportunity to investigate
evidence for evolution under
three of the following
headings:

comparative biochemistry and genetics.

fossils

homologous structures

comparative anatomy

vertebrate embryology

comparative biochemistry
and genetics.
Activities:
© WestOne Services 2010
Task

phylogeny activity

fossil activity

homologous structures activity

comparative biochemistry and genetics
activity.
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Unit outline – Biological Sciences Unit 3B
Conservation
Investigating and
communicating in biology
Biological systems
Notional hours
Extended response (10%)
12
Biological change
Evaluating and communicating
as a biologist
Ecosystem: Biodiversity and
sustainability
Students use scientifically informed
sources to analyise current
biological issues, such as
maintaining biodiversity and the
prevention of extinction, eg effective
conservation strategies.
Students consider conservation projects
and strategies for maintaining biodiversity
and the prevention of extinction.
Students consider the influence
of biological research on
decision-making and management
of biological systems, eg the
effective conservation of biodiversity
within natural ecosystems.
Assessment type
Students explore rationale for the effective
conservation of biodiversity within natural
ecosystems.
Students consider conservation projects
and strategies for maintaining biodiversity
and the prevention of extinction including:
 genetic strategies, eg gene/seed
banks, captive breeding programs,
DNA profiling, development of new
strains

environmental strategies, eg biological
control, reafforestation, introduced
species, pest control

management strategies, eg national
parks, protected zones, licences, open
seasons.
Task
Students use their knowledge of
how ecosystems operate and are
naturally sustained to suggest a
rationale for the effective
conservation of biodiversity within
an existing Western Australian
ecosystem of their choice.
Students are not required to visit a
site.
Secondly, students will research an
Australian animal, the southern
cassowary, whose status is
threatened in the wild.
Students consider conservation
projects and strategies for
maintaining biodiversity and the
prevention of extinction using
Australian examples where
possible.
Activities:
© WestOne Services 2010

conservation activity

management and conservation of
ecosystems activity

species status activity

prevention of extinction activity.
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