Biology S3/S4

Biology Access 3 and Intermediate 1 Level

Biology Standard Grade (General/Credit)

The seven topics studied during Third and Fourth Year are :

The Biosphere
Investigating Cells
Animal Survival
The World of Plants
The Body in Action
Inheritance
Biotechnology

Each of these topics is relevant to the very important role of Biology in the world today. Biological research is involved in many rapidly expanding fields dealing for example with agriculture, the environment, genetic engineering and medicine.

What can you expect from this course?

Students may work towards a Credit or General level award. There is no Foundation level exam available.

The three areas of assessment are:

Knowledge and Understanding
Problem Solving
Practical Abilities

All students follow both General and Credit learning outcomes. Presentation at the end of the course will depend on the individual student's achievement throughout the course.

Your final grade …..

During the two years students will be given the opportunity and encouragement to develop the skills of scientific study, investigation, experimentation and problem solving.

The practical abilities are assessed internally by the class teacher; the other two by external written examinations at General and Credit levels.

What is expected from you?

Students will be expected to work towards an understanding of many biological facts and ideas and apply them to problem solving situations. There are also many practical techniques and skills to master throughout the course. Regular homework will be set and assessed. It is estimated that students should be prepared to spend between one and one and a half hours on homework per week. In addition to formal homework, students will have to develop the habit of regular and independent study to get the most out of their Standard Grade course.

Biology Access & Intermediate (Access Level 3 and Intermediate Level 1)

Biology is the study of living organisms and their environment

What is expected of you?

Your eventual grade achieved will depend, not only on ability, but also on the effort made during the course.

Course Content

Each course consists of three units which are designed to be of interest to students and give plenty of opportunity for practical work. They cover the health of the human body, modern development in biotechnology and growing plants.
The 3 main units in both Intermediate/Access 3 are:

Health and Technology – The human body and how health and fitness can be monitored.
Biotechnological Industries – Looks at dairy industries, yeast industries, detergents and pharmaceuticals.
Growing Plants - How to propagate and care for plants at all stages.

Assessment

Access 3
There are no final exams or external assessment. An award at access 3 is gained if all 3 units are successfully completed.

Intermediate 1
To gain a course award the student must pass the Course Assessment and all three units. The course Assessment is an external exam of 1½ hours worth 75 marks.
It has two sections:

25 Multiple choice questions (25 marks).

Short answer questions (50 marks).

Unit Assessment

Access 3
A unit award for each unit is achieved by passing an end of unit test AT Access 3 level and by successfully carrying out certain practical abilities.

Intermediate 1
An award for each unit is achieved by passing an end of unit test at Int 1 level and by successfully carrying out certain practical activities and writing a report on an investigation done in one of the units.

Int 1 and Access 3 courses are taught at the same time. The content and assessment for Access 3 is slightly easier.