Biology Unit 1: How Do Living Things Stay Alive?

Prerequisites

Students must have completed Year 10 Science before attempting VCE Biology. 

If accelerating in VCE Biology students will take Year 10 Science concurrently. 

Course Description

Students are introduced to some of the challenges faced by an organism to sustain life. Students examine the cell as the structural and functional unit of life, from the single celled to the multicellular organism, and the requirements for sustaining cellular processes in terms of inputs and outputs. They analyse types of adaptations that enhance the organism’s survival in a particular environment and consider the role homeostatic mechanisms play in maintaining the internal environment. Students investigate how a diverse group of organisms form a living interconnected community that is adapted to, and utilises, the abiotic resources of its habitat. The role of a keystone species in maintaining the structure of an ecosystem is explored. Students consider how the planet’s biodiversity is classified and the factors that affect the growth of a population.

A student practical investigation related to the survival of an organism or species is undertaken in Area of Study 3. The investigation draws on content from Area of Study 1 and/or Area of Study 2. 

Areas of Study

Students examine the structure and functioning of cells and how the plasma membrane contributes to survival by controlling the movement of substances into and out of the cell. Although the internal structure of a cell varies, all cells require a relatively stable internal environment for optimal functioning. Whether life forms are unicellular or multicellular, or heterotrophic or autotrophic, whether they live in a deep ocean trench, a tropical rain forest, an arid desert or on the highest mountain peak, all individual organisms are faced with the challenge of obtaining nutrients and water, exchanging gases, sourcing energy and having a means of removal of waste products.

How Do Plant and Animal systems Function?

On completion of this unit students should be able to explain and compare how cells are specialised and organised in plants and animals and analyse how specific systems are regulated. They will study the impact of malfunctions of these ssytems on health. 

How do Scientific investigations develop understanding of how organisms regulate their functions?

Survival requires control and regulation of factors within an individual and often outside the individual. In this area of study students design and conduct 3 practical investigations into the survival of an individual or a species.

The investigation requires the student to develop a question, plan a course of action to answer the question, undertake an investigation to collect the appropriate primary qualitative and/or quantitative data, organise and interpret the data and reach a conclusion in response to the question. The investigation is to be related to knowledge and skills developed in Areas of Study 1 and/or 2 and is conducted by the student through laboratory work, fieldwork and/or observational studies.

Assessment

Outcomes	Assessment Tasks
	(school-assessed coursework)
Explain how cellular structures and systems function to sustain life.	Assessment tasks include a selection from the following: A report of a fieldwork activity. Annotations of a practical work folio of activities or investigations. A bioinformatics exercise. Media response. Data analysis. Problem solving involving biological concepts, skills and/or issues. A reflective learning journal/blog related to selected activities or in response to an issue. A test comprising multiple choice and/or short answer and/or extended response.
Explain how plant and animla systems function
Design and undertake investigations related to the survival of organisms, and draw conclusions based on evidence from collected data.	The assessment task includes a report of a student-designed or adapted investigation related to the survival of an organism or a species using an appropriate format, for example a scientific poster, practical report, oral communication or digital presentation. Where teachers allow students to choose between tasks they must ensure that the tasks they set are of comparable scope and demand.

Overall Final Assessment

End of Semester Examination – 1.5 hours.

Detailed information about the course structure and content can be obtained from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Victoria, Australia: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Biology Study design