Biology
Stage 6 Preliminary
The Overview
Assessment Schedule
See handout…
Syllabus Modules
8.2 Patterns in Nature
8.3 Life on Earth
8.4 Evolution of Australian Biota
8.5 A Local Ecosystem
8.5 Patterns in Nature
Part 1: History of the cell theory
Part 2: What’s in a cell
Part 3: Plant and animal cells
Part 4: Gaseous exchange and transport of
materials in multi-cellular organisms
Part 5: Maintenance, growth and repair of cells
8.2 Life on Earth
Part 1: Early Earth and the conditions for
life
Part 2: Evolution of living things
Part 3: The evidence for evolution
Part 4: Classification of organisms
8.3 Evolution of Australian Biota
Part 1: Tectonic plates and continental drift
Part 2: Environmental factors and
pressures on evolution
Part 3: Mechanisms of reproduction for
plants and animals
Part 4: Palaeontology (the study of fossils)
8.4 A Local Ecosystem
Part 1: Distribution and abundance of plant
and animal species
Part 2: Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
and biotic and abiotic factors
What You Will Need
You will need work books for:
1. Class notes / questions / worksheets / homework
(your workbook)
2. First hand investigations / experiment log
(your prac book)
3. Study notes
1. Workbook
Self explanatory
Practical Log Book
For you to satisfy the requirements of preliminary Biology
you are required to complete 80 hours of practical or
field work
This work needs to be documented and written up in a
formal manner
We will have some class time to do these write-ups
however not for every practical. If you don’t complete it in
class - do it at lunch, when you get home, or as soon as
possible! Do not wait until later
I will be collecting and checking these regularly and if
you are not up to date, notes will go home, phone calls
will be made and you will be spending your lunchtime
catching up
The Study Book
It is important to develop responsible study practices during the
preliminary year of the HSC.
When it comes time for exams, you will find that studying is
much easier and less stressful if you have been in the habit of
summarising your work often throughout the year to produce
clear and thorough notes.
Your syllabus is your bible for this subject! If you know it, you will
do well. You can not be asked a question in an assessment task
or exam unless that question DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE
SYLLABUS.
Each week in class we will cover certain topics or “dot-points”
from the syllabus which we will link together as the topic
progresses. At the end of each dot-point you will need to
complete a summary of the work (theory) that has been covered
in lessons or for homework.
The Study Book cont…
Summaries should be arranged under headings
corresponding to each dot point in your study book
Everyone has different learning styles so there are a
number of ways that you could present each summary
e.g.:
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Labelled diagrams
Flow charts
Tables
Mind maps (although perhaps not until the end of the topic)
Bullet points
Paragraphs of text, etc…
Try different methods till you figure out which one suits
you best
Remember!
It is your responsibility to catch up on any
work you are away for.