MYP 4-5 BIOLOGY OBJECTIVES (Content)

1 ENERGY

Explain how plants obtain and store energy
Describe how energy is released for use in cells
List ways in which energy is used in cells
Describe examples of energy changing from one form to another in organisms or ecosystems
Outline different ways in which animals can obtain energy
Distinguish between open and closed systems
Explain the flow of energy along food chains Analyze pyramids of energy

2 TRANSFORMATION

Construct chemical equations to show the changes that happen in a chemical reaction
Distinguish between physical and chemical changes
Explain how enzymes act as catalysts in chemical reactions
Distinguish between oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and hydroxylation reactions
Describe how bioreactors are used in biotechnology industries
Explain how the base sequence of a gene is used in the production of a protein by cells
Describe insect life cycles that include complete and incomplete metamorphosis
Explain the roles of gametogenesis, fertilization and meiosis in sexual life cycles
Explain how meiosis halves the chromosome number
Outline how meiosis can generate genetic diversity

3 FORM

Identify species using dichotomous keys
Define the term species according to the form of the organisms and their capability of interbreeding
Compare and contrast the human form with the form of other primates
Explain difficulties in deciding whether to classify a group of organisms as one species or multiple species
Distinguish between artificial and natural classifications
Describe a feature of plant structure that follows the Fibonacci series
Discuss the features used to classify living organisms into kingdoms
Distinguish between plant and animal cells
Describe how cells are organized into tissues and organs in multicellular organisms
Explain reasons for the reclassification of life into three domains

4 FUNCTION

Describe the functions within cells of the membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondrion and ribosome
Explain how cells can become specialized for a particular function by the structural features that they develop
Outline how cells can communicate with each other using chemical or electrical signals
Distinguish between the properties of living and non-living things
Discuss the advantages of having cells specialized for a particular function
Describe the structure of the human digestive system and the functions of each of its organs
List the types of sensory receptors in the human body and where they are located
Describe the structure of the eye and the functions of each of its parts
Explain how the ear allows us to hear

5 MOVEMENT

Explain the movement of water molecules in osmosis
Compare and contrast gas exchange and transpiration in the leaves of plants
Describe how water moves through plants from the roots to the leaves
Outline the movement of sugars in plants
Explain how the heart pumps blood
Distinguish between arteries and veins
Explain how muscles and bones work together to cause movement
Describe the movements that result in gas exchange in humans
List the types of movement that occur in plants
Describe how organisms are adapted to tolerate wind, waves and other movements of air and water

6 INTERACTION

Describe how signals are transmitted by nerve fibers
Explain how a stimulus leads to a response in a reflex action
Distinguish between voluntary and involuntary actions
Outline how decisions can be made using synapses
Describe types of relationship that can exist between species in an ecological community
Compare and contrast predators and parasites
Describe types of relationship that can exist between members of a species
Discuss the prevalence of cheating in social animals

7 BALANCE

Describe how glucose concentration is kept in balance in the blood
Discuss reasons for the prevalence of diabetes in some countries
Explain how the solute concentration of the blood is kept in balance
Draw a diagram of the human excretory system
Distinguish between positive and negative feedback
Define the term homeostasis
Explain how negative feedback is used in homeostasis
Outline the causes of exponential growth in populations and factors that usually prevent it
Describe the main features of ecosystems
Explain how natural processes can keep atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations in balance
Outline the causes of rapid increases in carbon dioxide concentration at the end of a glaciation
Describe the main features of El Niño events and their causes

8 ENVIRONMENT

Describe the main features of habitats
Distinguish between biotic and abiotic factors in the environments of living organisms
Discuss the effects that living organisms other than humans have on their environment
Describe primary succession in ecosystems
Discuss the extent to which abiotic factors in the environment affect ecological communities
Explain the greenhouse effect
Describe the sources of greenhouse gases
Discuss the ecological consequences of global warming
Outline what alien species are in ecosystems and what their effects can be

9 PATTERNS

Outline evidence for all living organisms on Earth having common ancestry
Describe examples of segmentation in animals Explain how segments develop in animal embryos
Describe examples of patterns in the life cycles of living organisms
Outline the evidence that led to the discovery of the structure of DNA
Explain how DNA is replicated
Describe the cycle of events that is used to produce extra cells in plants and animals
Explain the disadvantage of large cell size and the need for cell division
Describe the main features of tissues
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction

10 CONSEQUENCES

Explain how genes are passed from parents to their offspring
Distinguish between non-heritable characteristics acquired during our lives and heritable characteristics
Distinguish between dominant and recessive alleles
Analyze genetic crosses that result in a 3:1 ratio
Outline the disadvantages of inbreeding with a close relative
Discuss how much genetic variation there is in humans
Explain the process of natural selection
Describe the causes of variation in skin color in humans
Distinguish between natural selection and evolution
Explain how new species are formed by evolution on islands
Discuss what genetic modification is
Outline techniques used to carry out genetic modification
Explain the range of methods that can be used to clone plants and animals

11 EVIDENCE

Discuss limits to the number of times cells can divide by mitosis in an individual
Outline how the rate of increase in number of cells in a tumor can be measured
Explain the consequences of cells from a tumor moving elsewhere in the body
List the causes of normal cells becoming tumor cells
Outline the objectives of the Human Genome Project
Discuss the use of model organisms by research biologists
Describe how the causes of infectious diseases were discovered
Explain how vaccines work
Describe coronary heart disease
List factors that contribute to coronary heart disease

12 MODELS

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