WJEC Eduqas GCSE Biology and Combined science 9-1 specifications and SAPS resources
GCSE Biology subject content from:
DFE subjectarea / DFE subject content sub-heading / DFE subject detail / SAPS resources / WJEC Eduqas
GCSE
Biology
Specification section / WJEC Eduqas
GCSE
Combined Science
Specification section
Cell Biology / Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells / explain how the main sub-cellular structures of eukaryotic cells (plants and animals) and prokaryotic cells are related to their functions, including the nucleus/genetic material, plasmids, mitochondria, chloroplasts and cell membranes / Video clip post 16
Practical / 1.1 / 1.1
explain the aseptic techniques used in culturing organisms / Practical Post 16 / 3.3 / 3.3
Growth and development of cells / describe the process of mitosis in growth, including the cell cycle / Practical Post 16
Animation post 16 / 1.2 / 1.2
explain the importance of cell differentiation / Animation post 16 / 1.2 / 1.2
describe the function of stem cells in embryonic and adult animals and meristems in plants / Practical Post 16
Animation post 16
Practical Post 16 / 1.2 / 1.2
Cell metabolism / explain the mechanism of enzyme action including the active site, enzyme specificity and factors affecting the rate of enzymatic reaction / Practical post 16
Practical post 16 / 1.3 / 1.3
describe cellular respiration as an exothermic reaction which is continuously occurring in all living cells / Animation post 16
Practical 11-14
Practical Post 16 / 1.3
6.1 / 1.3
explain the importance of sugars, amino acids, fatty acids and glycerol in the synthesis and breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. / Practical
Practical
Video clip 14-16, post 16 / 1.3 / 1.3
Transport systems / Transport in cells / explain how substances are transported into and out of cells through diffusion, osmosis and active transport / Practical Post 16 / 2.1 / 2.1
Transport systems in multicellular organisms / describe some of the substances transported into and out of a range of organisms in terms of the requirements of those organisms, to include oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, dissolved food molecules, mineral ions and urea. / Animation
(water and sugar transport) 14-16, post 16
Animation
(respiration and photosynthesis)14-16, post 16 / 2.1
2.3 / 2.1
2.3
Transport systems in plants / explain how the structure of xylem and phloem are adapted to their functions in the plant / Resource
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical Post 16
Resource
(Moving water through plants section)11-14 / 2.3 / 2.3
explain how water and mineral ions are taken up by plants, relating the structure of the root hair cells to their function / Animation
(water and sugar transport)14-16, post 16
Practical Post 16
Resource
(plant roots section)11-14
Resource
(Plant cells and water section)11-14 / 2.3 / 2.3
describe the processes of transpiration and translocation, including the structure and function of the stomata / Animation
(water and sugar transport)14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical post 16
Practical Post 16 / 2.3 / 2.3
explain the effect of a variety of environmental factors on the rate of water uptake by a plant, to include light intensity, air movement and temperature / Practical post 16
Practical Post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16 / 2.3 / 2.3
Health, disease and the development of medicines / Communicable diseases / explain how communicable diseases (caused by viruses, bacteria, protists and fungi) are spread in animals and plants / Resource
Practical
Practical
Practical
Resource post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource post 16
Practical Post 16 / 3.2 / 3.2
describe a minimum of one common human infection, one plant disease and sexually transmitted infections in humans including HIV/AIDS / Resource
Practical
Practical
Practical
Practical post 16
Resource post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource post 16
Practical 14-16, Post 16 / 3.2 / 3.2
describe how monoclonal antibodies are produced / Practical Post 16 / 3.2
describe some of the ways in which monoclonal antibodies can be used / Practical Post 16 / 3.2
describe physical plant defence responses (including leaf cuticle, cell /wall) / Resource
Resource 14-16, post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource Post 16
Resource Post 16 / 3.2
describe chemical plant defence responses (including antimicrobial substances) / Resource
Resource post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource Post 16
Resource Post 16 / 3.2
describe different ways plant diseases can be detected and identified, in the lab and in the field / Resource
Practical
Practical
Practical
Practical post 16
Resource post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource post 16
Practical Post 16
Practical Post 16 / 3.2
Treating, curing and preventing disease / explain how the spread of communicable diseases may be reduced or prevented in animals and plants, to include a minimum of one common human infection, one plant disease and sexually transmitted infections in humans including HIV/AIDS / Resource
Practical
Practical
Resource post 16
Resource Post 16
Practical Science club
Resource post 16
Video clip 14-16, post 16 / 3.2 / 3.2
Coordination and control / Plant hormones / explain how plant hormones are important in the control and coordination of plant growth and development, with reference to the role of auxins in phototropisms and gravitropisms / Practical 14-16
Practical post 16
Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Practical Post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16 / 4.4
describe some of the effects of plant hormones, relating to auxins, gibberellins and ethene / Practical Post 16
Practical Post 16 / 4.4
describe some of the different ways in which people use plant hormones to control plant growth / Practical Post 16 / 4.4
Photosynthesis / Importance of photosynthesis / describe the process of photosynthesis and describe photosynthesis as an endothermic reaction / Resource Post 16
Practical 14-16
Resource Post 16
Resource 14-16
Resource 7-11, 11-14
Practical 14-16, post 16
Video 14-16, Post 16
Video post 16
Practical Post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16 / 5 / 5
describe photosynthetic organisms as the main producers of food and therefore biomass for life on Earth / Resource Post 16
Practical
Practical 14-16
Video Post 16
Resource 14-16
Resource 7-11, 11-14
Resource Post 16
Practical
Video 14-16, post 16
Video 14-16, post 16 / 5 / 5
explain the effect of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of photosynthesis / Resource Post 16
Practical Post 16
Animation post 16
Practical
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical Post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Resource 14-16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Video 14-16, post 16
Video 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Video 14-16, Post 16
Practical
14-16, Post 16 / 5 / 5
explain the interaction of these factors in limiting the rate of photosynthesis. / Resource Post 16
Practical Post 16
Animation
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical post 16
Practical 14-16,
Practical Post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Resource 14-16,
Practical 14-16, Post 16
Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Video 14-16, post 16
Video post 16
Video 14-16, post 16 / 5 / 5
Ecosystems / Levels of organisation within an ecosystem / explain how some abiotic and biotic factors affect communities / Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16 / 6.1 / 6.1
describe the importance of interdependence and competition in a community / Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Practical post 16
Resource 16
Practicals post 16 / 6.1 / 6.1
The principle of material cycling / explain the role of microorganisms in the cycling of materials through an ecosystem / Pracical 16
Practical / 6.2 / 6.2
explain the effects of factors such as temperature and water content on rate of decomposition in aerobic and anaerobic environments / Resource 7-11
Practical / 6.2
evaluate the evidence for the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of organisms, with reference to water and atmospheric gases / Resource post 16 / 6.2
Pyramids of biomass and transfer through trophic levels / describe the differences between the trophic levels of organisms within an ecosystem / Practical 14-16
Practical / 6.1 / 6.1
describe pyramids of biomass and explain, with examples, how biomass is lost between the different trophic levels / Practical 14-16, post 16 / 6.1 / 6.1
Biodiversity / describe how to carry out a field investigation into the distribution and abundance of organisms in an ecosystem and explain how to determine their numbers in a given area / Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Practical Post 16
Practical
Resource post 16 / 6.3 / 6.3
describe both positive and negative human interactions within ecosystems and explain their impact on biodiversity / Resource Post 16
Practical post 16
Practical post 16
Resource
Resource post 16
Resource / 6.3 / 6.3
explain some of the benefits and challenges of maintaining local and global biodiversity. / Practical 14-16
Resource 16
Resource 11-14 / 6.3 / 6.3
Some of the biological challenges of increasing food yields using fewer resources / describe some of the biological factors affecting levels of food security including increasing human population, changing diets in wealthier populations, new pests and pathogens, environmental change, sustainability and cost of agricultural inputs / Resource 7-11
Video clip 14-16, post 16
Resource post 16
Resource 14-16 / 6.4
describe and explain some possible biotechnological and agricultural solutions, including genetic modification, to the demands of the growing human population. / Video clip 14-16, post 16
Video clip post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Practical post 16
Resource post 16
Practical 16
Resource post 16
Practical post 16
Resource post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Video clip post 16
Resource 11-14, 14-16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Video clip post 16
Resource / 6.4
Inheritance, variation and evolution / Reproduction / explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction in a range of organisms. / Resource 7-11, 11-14
Resource 7-11, 11-14
Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Resource 7-11, 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Resource 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Resource 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Resource 11-14
Resource 11-14
Practical post 16
Practical post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16
Resource / 7.3
The genome and gene expression / explain the following terms: gamete, chromosome, gene, allele/ variant, dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous, genotype and phenotype / Video clip 14-16, post 16
Practical post 16 / 7.1
7.2 / 7.1
7.2
describe simply how the genome, and its interaction with the environment, influence the development of the phenotype of an organism / Practical 14-16, post 16
Resource post 16 / 7.3 / 7.3
Inheritance / explain single gene inheritance / Practical post 16
Video clip 14-16, post 16 / 7.2 / 7.2
predict the results of single gene crosses / Practical post 16 / 7.2 / 7.2
describe the development of our understanding of genetics including the work of Mendel / Video clip 14-16, post 16
Video clip 14-16, post 16 / 7.2
Variation and evolution / explain how evolution occurs through natural selection of variants that give rise to phenotypes best suited to their environment / Practical 11-14, 14-16, post 16 / 7.3 / 7.3
describe the impact of developments in biology on classification systems / Practical 14-16, post 16
Video clip 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Resource post 16 / 7.3 / 7.3
describe the work of Darwin and Wallace in the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection and explain the impact of these ideas on modern biology. / Video clip 11-14, 14-16 / 7.3
Selective breeding and gene technology / explain the impact of the selective breeding of food plants and domesticated animals / Practical 14-16, post 16 / 7.4 / 7.4
describe genetic engineering as a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism to introduce desirable characteristics / Resource 14-16, post 16
Practical 14-16, post 16 / 7.4 / 7.4
explain some of the possible benefits and risks, including practical and ethical considerations, of using gene technology in modern agriculture and medicine. / Video clip 11-14, 14-16, post 16
Video clip 14-16, post 16
Resource 14-16, post 16
Resource post 16 / 7.4 / 7.4