Untitled

Preliminary Biology 2026 With Mrs. Sharma

Overview

  • This document serves as a preliminary guide to the Biology course for 2026, taught by Mrs. Sharma.

  • Course date: 1/28/2026

Course Structure

  • Modules Covered:

    • Module 1: Cells as the Basis of Life

    • Hours: 60

    • Module 2: Organisation of Living Things

    • Combined Years: 120 hours

    • Module 3: Biological Diversity

    • Hours: 60

    • Module 4: Ecosystem Dynamics

    • Hours: 50

Assessment Overview

  • Total Assessments: 4 assessments in 3 terms.

    • Practical Investigation: Focus on enzymes.

    • Fieldwork and Research: Task 1

    • Additional Tasks: Task 2, Task 3, Task 4

    • Final Evaluation: Semester Examination

Definition of Biology

  • Biology is defined as:

    • The systematic study of living things through observation and experiment.\n - Origin of the word: Greek "bios" (life) and "logos" (word, discourse).

  • Areas of inquiry include:

    • Structure and function of living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms).

    • Changes over time, interactions amongst species, and with the environment.

    • Concepts of biodiversity, heredity, and variation.

  • Importance of scientific theories:

    • Must be testable and falsifiable (capable of being proven false).

Course Requirements

  • Scientific investigations must include:

    • Practical Investigations: Total of 35 hours, which include laboratory experiments and fieldwork.

    • Secondary-sourced Investigations: Use and reorganize data from existing scientific literature.

    • At least one fieldwork exercise must be completed.

Depth Studies in Biology

  • Depth Studies:

    • Opportunity to work scientifically and solve scientific problems.

    • Steps in a depth study include:

    1. Initiating and Planning: Pose questions and develop hypotheses.

    2. Implementation and Recording: Conduct investigations and process data.

    3. Analyzing and Interpreting: Analyze and evaluate data; solve scientific problems.

    4. Communicating: Present findings in a clear manner using appropriate terminology.

Inquiry Questions for Module 4: Ecosystem Dynamics

  1. Population Dynamics: What effects can one species have on another in a community?

  2. Past Ecosystems: How do selection pressures in ecosystems influence evolutionary change?

  3. Future Ecosystems: How can human activity impact an ecosystem?

Content Focus

  • The Earth’s biodiversity evolves over time, explained by:

    • The Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.

    • Usage of fossil records and geological evidence to track changes through biotic and abiotic interactions.

Assumed Knowledge

  1. Species:

    • Definition: A group of living things that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

  2. Biome:

    • Major ecosystems classified based on vegetation, climate, and organism adaptations.

  3. Biotic vs. Abiotic Factors:

    • Biotic: Living components.

    • Abiotic: Non-living components (e.g., temperature, rainfall).

  4. Symbiosis:

    • Close physical interaction between differing organisms.

  5. Extinction Dynamics:

    • Definitions of extant (living) and extinct (no longer living) species.

  6. Paleontological Timeframes:

    • Characterization by significant evolutionary events, visible in fossil layers.

  7. Ice Core Drilling:

    • A method for obtaining geological climate data.

  8. Behavioral, Structural, and Physiological adaptations:

    • Behavioral: How organisms behave.

    • Structural: Physical anatomy.

    • Physiological: Functioning of biological processes.

Inquiry Questions Examples and Definitions

  • Inquiry Question 1: What effect can one species have on another in a community?

  • Biotic and Abiotic Factors: Living and non-living components that impact ecosystem dynamics.

Vocabulary Definitions

  • Abiotic: Non-living environmental features.

  • Organism: Living individual (e.g., plants, animals).

  • Habitat: The environment where an organism lives.

  • Environment: Surroundings of an organism, both abiotic and biotic.

  • Population: Group of the same species in a specific area.

  • Community: Groups of different populations in an area.

  • Ecosystem: A community and its abiotic environment.

  • Ecology: Study of interactions between organisms and the environment.

  • Biome: Large regional ecosystems.

  • Niche: Role of a species in its community.

Ecosystems

  • An ecosystem is:

    • A community of organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment (e.g., soil, water).

  • Abiotic Factors include:

    • Light, temperature, gases, water, and more.

  • Biotic Factors include:

    • Food availability, competitors, predators, and disease-causing organisms.

Impacts of Abiotic Factors on Organisms

  • Distribution: Where organisms are found, often dependent on suitable abiotic factors.

  • Abundance: Size of a species population; changes over time due to births, deaths, resources, and migration.

Factors Affecting Distribution and Abundance in Aquatic Environments

  • Organisms' distributions based on light penetration and depth of water.

  • Algal Abundance: Variations in green, red, and brown algae populations on rock platforms influenced by depth.

Case Studies and Examples

  • Humpback Whale Recovery Plans: Management strategies focusing on population distribution and threats.

  • Predator-Prey Relationships: Impacts of population dynamics.

Competition in Ecosystems

  • Types of Competition:

    • Intraspecific: Same species.

    • Interspecific: Different species.

  • Resource Partitioning: Avoid competition by utilizing different resources or niches.

Symbiotic Relationships in Ecosystems

  • Types of Symbiosis:

    • Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of another.

    • Mutualism: Both species benefit from the interaction.

    • Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is not affected.

Conclusion

  • Understanding these concepts will be crucial for navigating through the syllabus and assessments of the Biology 2026 course.