Alberta Biology Curriculum
Change Highlights
Biology 20-30
Implementation
for Biology 20 is
September, 2007.
www.nelson.com
Implementation
for Biology 30 is
September, 2008.
t
Current Curriculum (1998)
NEW Curriculum (2006)
Unit 1 – The Biosphere
Unit A – Energy and Matter Exchange in Biosphere
• biosphere – energy storage, albedo, energy saving
in large office buildings
• equilibrium – photosynthetic/cellular respiration
• trophic levels, food chains, webs, and pyramids
• cycling of water, carbon, nitrogen, how society
affects cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus
• properties of water and relevance to water cycle
• balance of energy and matter
• influence on atmospheric composition
• human disruption of balance eg. CO2,
deforestation, O3
• past changes in CO2
Note: This unit will require approximately 20% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
• biosphere – one way energy flow
• equilibrium – balance between photo/chemosynthetic
environments and cellular respiration
• trophic levels, food chains, webs, and pyramids
• biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen,
oxygen, phosphorus
• important water properties in biogeochemical
cycles, eg. H bonding, universal solvent
• balance of energy and matter
• ecosystem productivity eg. Antarctic versus
tropical seas, tropical rainforest versus desert
• current atmospheric composition
• historic atmospheric composition
Note: This unit will require approximately 20% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
Current Curriculum (1998)
NEW Curriculum (2006)
Unit 3 – Energy and Matter Exchange in Ecosystems
Unit B – Ecosystems and Population Change
• diversity of biomes
• biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem & their
influence
• water quality & human influence, slash & burn,
clear-cutting affects on ecosystem stability and
energy flow
• nature of adaptations and variations
• evidence for evolution
• natural selection & population change
• nature of science versus other ways of knowing
Note: This unit will require approximately 40% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
• species, population, community and ecosystem
• ecosystem diversity of habitats & niches
• biotic and abiotic factors and their influence in an
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem
• limiting factors – influence on organism distribution &
range
• principles of taxonomy (domains, kingdoms, binomial
nomenclature)
• evidence for evolution
• adaptations and variations – heritable mutations
• significance of sexual reproduction
• natural selection
• population change – Lamarckian versus Darwinian
• speciation
• punctuated equilibrium versus gradualism
Note: This unit will require approximately 30% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
I M P L E M E N TAT I O N F O R B I O L O
Key modifications to Biology 20:
• Units are now lettered instead of being numbered
• Order of units has changed, reflecting a logical flow
from larger picture tapering down to specifics
• Units are now lettered instead of numbered
• Change to an inquiry-focus emphasis of evolution
in Unit B: Ecosystems and Population Change
• Addition of motor systems to Unit D: Human Systems
• Addition of muscle contractile unit to Unit D: Human Systems
• Minor changes in other units
Current Curriculum (1998)
NEW Curriculum (2006)
Unit 2 – Energy Flows and Cellular Matter
Unit C – Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
• absorption of light by pigments
• photosynthesis – light dependent and
independent reactions
• glycolysis
• aerobic and anaerobic respiration
• Kreb’s Cycle and electron transport
• role of ATP
• absorption of light by pigments
• photosynthesis – light dependent and
independent reactions
• glycolysis
• aerobic and anaerobic respiration
• Kreb’s Cycle and electron transport
• role of ATP
very little change
Note: This unit will require approximately 15% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
Note: This unit will require approximately 10% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
Current Curriculum (1998)
NEW Curriculum (2006)
Unit 4 – Energy and Matter
Exchange by the Human Organism
Unit D – Human Systems
• structure and function of major systems: digestive,
respiratory, excretory, circulatory
• chemical nature of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids
• chemical and physical digestion
• digestive enzymes
• gas exchange
• composition of blood
• immune response
• renal function
• structure and function of major systems: digestive,
respiratory, excretory, circulatory and motor
• chemical nature of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids
• chemical and physical digestion
• digestive enzymes
• gas exchange
• composition of blood
• immune response
• renal function
• muscle contractile unit
Note: This unit will require approximately 25% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
Note: This unit will require approximately 40% of the time allotted for
Biology 20.
OGY 20 IS SEPTEMBER 2007.