Advanced Secondary Curriculum: Biology Syllabus 2025

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the key biological concepts, curriculum terminology, and physiological processes outlined in the 2025 Uganda Advanced Secondary Biology Syllabus.

Competency-based Curriculum

An educational approach where learners develop the ability to apply their learning with confidence across various situations, focusing on skills rather than just knowledge.

Generic Skills

Essential abilities embedded in all subjects, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication, which equip learners for lifelong learning and the workforce.

Triangulation

The practice of checking information from three forms of formative assessment—observation, conversation, and product—against each other to ensure accuracy.

Conjugated lipids

Lipid molecules that are combined with other chemical compounds, such as proteins or carbohydrates, to perform specific cellular functions.

Fluid-mosaic model

A structural representation of the plasma membrane that illustrates the arrangement of its parts and explains its functional nature.

Parenchyma

A type of plant tissue involved in physiological processes, typically characterized by relatively thin-walled cells.

$C4$ plants

Plants that utilize a specific photosynthetic pathway to optimize carbon fixation and adaptation to varying environmental conditions, such as high temperatures.

PEP carboxylase

An enzyme used by $C4$ plants for initial carbon fixation, often compared to Rubisco for its efficiency.

Chloride shift

The movement of chloride ions into red blood cells during the transportation of $CO_2$ to maintain electrochemical stability.

Myogenic action

The intrinsic ability of the heart muscle to generate its own rhythmic contractions without external nervous stimulation.

Innate immunity

A non-specific body defense mechanism that provides immediate protection against various pathogens from birth.

Adaptive immunity

A specific immune response that develops after exposure to particular antigens, involving the production of antibodies.

Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA)

A central metabolic intermediate that links the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins to the citric acid cycle.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The process in the mitochondrion where $ATP$ is produced as electrons are transferred through protein complexes to oxygen.

Negative feedback mechanism

A homeostatic control system that detects deviations from a set point and triggers responses to return the internal environment to stability.

Osmoregulation

The process by which living organisms maintain the balance of water and solutes within their bodies.

Photoperiodism

The physiological reaction of organisms, particularly plants, to the length of day or night, which often triggers flowering.

Chemical synapse

A junction between two neurones where impulses are transmitted via neurotransmitters across a gap.

Vestibular apparatus

The organ in the inner ear responsible for maintaining balance during body position changes and movement.

Recombinant DNA Technology

A genetic engineering technique used to join together DNA molecules from different species to create new genetic combinations.

Hardy-Weinberg principle

A mathematical model used to analyze allele frequencies and genotype distributions within a population in genetic equilibrium.

Speciation

The evolutionary process by which new and distinct species are formed, often driven by isolation mechanisms.

Seed dormancy

A state in which seeds are prevented from germinating even under favorable environmental conditions, serving as a survival strategy.

Metamorphosis

The biological process of development in insects involving distinct stages like larvae and pupae to reach adult form.

Ecological succession

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time, categorized as primary or secondary.

Bio-accumulation

The gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an organism's body relative to the environment.

Carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, emitted directly or indirectly by human activities.

Invasive species

Non-native organisms that disrupt the ecosystems they enter, impacting native biodiversity and economies.

Food security

A condition existing when all people have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.