Sixth Form Entry Booklet

15 BIOLOGY Examination Board: PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE requirement: 7 in Biology or 7/7 in Combined Science and 6 in Mathematics Biology is a fascinating subject to study at A Level. If you enjoyed learning about the biological processes covered at GCSE and fund yourself asking questions and wanting to know more, then the A Level course is perfect for you. You must possess a genuine and strong interest in the study of life ranging from subcellular biochemical processes to whole organism biology of plants and animals. You level of interest must be such that you will be motivated to spend at least 5 hours a week supporting the work covered in class with enough background reading and private study into order to be able to: • complete and reinforce class notes • write up class experiments and investigations • answer examination questions given a homework Topics covered in the A Level include: Topic 1: Biological Molecules - Structure of biological molecules e.g. carbohydrates, enzymes, nucleic acids, protein synthesis, mutation Topic 2: Cells, Viruses and Reproduction of Living Things - Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure, viruses and controlling viral infections, cell division, fertilisation and reproduction Topic 3: Classification and Biodiversity - Classification, evolution, speciation, biodiversity, conservation Topic 4: Exchange and Transport - Cell transport methods, gas exchange in animals and plants, the heart and circulation, transport in plants Topic 5: Energy for Biological Processes - Photosynthesis, respiration Topic 6: Microbiology and Pathogens - Microbial techniques, disease and the immune system Topic 7: Modern Genetics - Gene sequencing, gene expression, stem cells, genetic engineering Topic 8: Origins of Genetic Variation - Variation, inheritance, population genetics Topic 9: Control Systems - Homeostasis, osmoregulation, the nervous system, hormonal communication Topic 10: Ecosystems - Energy flow through ecosystems, changes in ecosystems, human effects in the environment