New specifications
Continuing specifications
GCSE Science AUnit 1 (Biology)
This content is taken from Unit 1 of the Biology specification.
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Overview
A combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise is needed to help keep the body healthy. Our bodies provide an excellent environment for many microbes which can make us ill once they are inside us. Our bodies need to stop most microbes getting in and deal with any microbes which do get in. Vaccination can be used to prevent infection.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- evaluate information about the effect of food on health
- Candidates will be given data to work from.
- evaluate information about the effect of lifestyle on development of disease
- analyse and evaluate claims made by slimming programmes, and slimming products.
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Overview
The nervous system and hormones enable us to respond to external changes. They also help us to control conditions inside our bodies. Hormones are used in some forms of contraception and in fertility treatments. Plants also produce hormones and respond to external stimuli.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- evaluate the benefits of, and the problems that may arise from, the use of hormones to control fertility, including
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)- Candidates will be given data to work from.
- evaluate the use of plant hormones in horticulture as weed killers and to encourage the rooting of plant cuttings.
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B1.3 The use and abuse of drugs
Overview
Drugs affect our body chemistry. Medical drugs are developed and tested before being used to relieve illness or disease. Drugs may also be used recreationally as people like the effect on the body. Some drugs are addictive. Some athletes take drugs to improve performance. People cannot make sensible decisions about drugs unless they know their full effects.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- evaluate the effect of statins in cardiovascular disease
- Candidates will be given data to work from.
- evaluate different types of drugs and why some people use illegal drugs for recreation
- Classification of drug types is not required.
- evaluate claims made about the effect of prescribed and non-prescribed drugs on health
- consider the possible progression from recreational drugs to hard drugs
- evaluate the use of drugs to enhance performance in sport and to consider the ethical implications of their use.
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B1.4 Interdependence and adaptation
Overview
Organisms are well adapted to survive in their normal environment. Population size depends on a variety of factors including competition, predation, disease and human influences. Changes in the environment may affect the distribution and behaviour of organisms.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- suggest how organisms are adapted to the conditions in which they live
- Examination questions will use examples that are unfamiliar to candidates.
- observe the adaptations, eg body shape, of a range of organisms from different habitats
- develop an understanding of the ways in which adaptations enable organisms to survive
- suggest the factors for which organisms are competing in a given habitat
- Factors are limited to light, water, space and nutrients in plants; food, mates and territory in animals.
- evaluate data concerned with the effect of environmental changes on the distribution and behaviour of living organisms.
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B1.5 Energy and biomass in food chains
Overview
By observing the numbers and sizes of the organisms in food chains we can find out what happens to energy and biomass as it passes along the food chain.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- interpret pyramids of biomass and construct them from appropriate information.
- An understanding of pyramids of number is not required.
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B1.6 Waste materials from plants and animals
Overview
Many trees shed their leaves each year and most animals produce droppings at least once a day. All plants and animals eventually die. Microorganisms play an important part in decomposing this material so that it can be used again by plants. The same material is recycled over and over again and can lead to stable communities.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- evaluate the necessity and effectiveness of schemes for recycling organic kitchen or garden waste.
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B1.7 Genetic variation and its control
Overview
There are not only differences between different species of plants and animals but also between individuals of the same species. These differences are due partly to the information in the cells they have inherited from their parents and partly to the different environments in which the individuals live and grow. Asexual reproduction can be used to produce individuals that are genetically identical to their parent. Scientists can now add, remove or change genes to produce the plants and animals they want.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- interpret information about cloning techniques and genetic engineering techniques
- Candidates will be given data to work from.
- make informed judgements about the economic, social and ethical issues concerning cloning and genetic engineering, including genetically modified (GM) crops.
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Overview
Particular genes or accidental changes in the genes of plants or animals may give them characteristics which enable them to survive better. Over time this may result in entirely new species. There are different theories of evolution. Darwin's theory is the most widely accepted.
Candidates should use their skills, knowledge and understanding to:
- interpret evidence relating to evolutionary theory
- Candidates will be given data to work from.
- suggest reasons why Darwin's theory of natural selection was only gradually accepted
- identify the differences between Darwin's theory of evolution and conflicting theories, such as that of Lamarck
- suggest reasons for the different theories.
- Scientists may produce different hypotheses to explain similar observations. It is only when these hypotheses are investigated that data will support or refute hypotheses.
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