Biology is the
study of living things. It raises a person’s consciousness of self and
man’s place in the environment. It has the potential to develop a sense of
wonder and an awareness of responsibility towards the preservation of life
and the environment.
Biology consists of a three-year course from Grades 10 to 12, building on
the Biology component of a Natural Sciences course in Grade 9. A vast
amount of material is covered, including cellular biology, plant biology,
human physiology and anatomy, organic and inorganic chemistry as pertaining
to biological compounds and nutrients, the diversity of both plant and
animal kingdoms, population dynamics and ecology. Principles of experimental
and practical work receive more attention. Although the final Matriculation
Examination is set mainly on the Grade 12 syllabus, learners will be
expected to be familiar with the relevant concepts covered in previous
standards and knowledge gained in those standards, as these may be used when
answering questions in the examination. Mastery of terminology is
fundamental to success in this subject. Learning for understanding should
take priority over rote learning.
Biology is offered on both Higher and Standard Grades. The work
covered from both courses is similar, with differentiation increasing from
Grades 10 to 12. The major difference between the grades is in the approach
to questioning and examining. Higher Grade incorporates essay work in
addition to shorter questions that will test insight as well as knowledge.
More advanced skills are demanded, so that learners are expected to be able
to cope with comparisons, application of principles to new situations,
analysis and interpretation of data in various forms, including statistics
and graphs.
The choice of Biology as an elective subject is recommended in the
case of those learners who wish to study further in the fields of the
Natural Sciences, Medicine, Medical Technology, Marine Biology,
Biochemistry, Physiology, Food Technology, Home Economics and other related
courses. |
