Biology - Broad General Education (BGE) Level 3/4

Online Lessons for Students in Scotland learning Broad general education Biology Index

• Biodiversity
• Photosynthesis
• Fertilisers
• Cells and Cell Processes
• Tissues and Organs
• Health
• Ethics
• Reproduction
• Genetics
• Inheritance
• Famous Scientists

Biodiversity: the biological variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.

Level 3 Biodiversity: the lesson includes describing what is meant by biodiversity, explaining how biodiversity is measured and stating different methods that can be used to measure biodiversity.

Level 3 – Investigating biodiversity: scientists use several methods to measure biodiversity. These include canopy fogging, quadrat sampling, transect sampling, and netting.

Level 4 – Factors affecting biodiversity: the numerous factors are responsible for the loss of biodiversity such as pollution, habitat loss, hunting, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation of preferred species, climate change, and natural disasters.

Photosynthesis: a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism’s activities.

Level 3 – Photosynthesis: a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism’s activities.

Level 4 – Plant growth and respiration: the lesson includes describing both natural and artificial means of growing plants, describing uses of plants and the process of aerobic respiration in organisms.

Fertilisers: a fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients.

Level 3 – Chemicals in agriculture: agrochemicals were first introduced to protect crops from pests (insects, birds, mice, rats, bug etc.) and enhance crop yields. The most common types of agrochemicals include pesticides and fertilizers

Level 4 – Nitrogen cycle: the nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmosphere, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological and physical processes.

Body systems and cells: cells make up tissues, tissues make up organs, and organs make up organ systems. The function of an organ system depends on the integrated activity of its organs

Cells and cell processes: cells perform 5 processes to keep them alive: metabolism, respiration, diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.

Level 3 – Microscopic cells: microscopic organisms are tiny life forms, often consisting of a single cell. They are very sensitive to change

Level 4 – Mitosis and stem cells: in this lesson pupils learn to state the meaning of term mitosis, explain the purpose of mitosis and describe stem cells.

Level 3 – micro-organisms: a microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic size, which may exist in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells.

Level 4 – Biotechnology: a broad area of biology, involving the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products.

Tissues and organs: an organ is made from a group of different tissues, which all work together to do a particular job.

Level 3 – Tissues and organs: cells make up tissues, tissues make up organs, and organs make up organ systems. The function of an organ system depends on the integrated activity of its organs

Level 4 – Body stability and regulation: Learn to state what is meant by the term homeostasis, describe how external factors can impact homeostasis, explain how the body regulates to maintain homeostasis, and to describe some of the mechanisms employed to assist regulation.

Health: according to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.

Level 3 – Health technology: defined as the “application of organised knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of lives”.

Level 4 – Learned behaviour for survival: these lessons include describing methods of learned behaviour and explain how these behaviours contribute to the survival of an organism.

Ethics: Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that “involves systematising, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour”.

Level 3 – Vaccinations: learn how microbes can be harmful to humans, learn about the body’s different lines of defence and explain the process of vaccination and how it protects us from disease.

Level 4 – Ethics in Biology: bioethics is the study of the ethical issues emerging from advances in biology, medicine and technologies.

Inheritance: This section talks about reproduction, genetics and inheritance.

Reproduction: the biological process by which new individual organisms – “offspring” – are produced from their “parent” or parents.

Level 3 – Fertilisation and embryo development: fertilisation is the process in which gametes (an egg and sperm) fuse to form a zygote.

Level 4 – Growth and development of organisms: this lesson describes the growth and lifecycle of a human organism and non-human organism. Apply knowledge to compare the life cycles of humans and other organisms.

Genetics: a branch of biology concerned with the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.

Level 3 – DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses.

Level 4 – Sexual and asexual reproduction: asexual reproduction does not involve sex cells or fertilisation. Only one parent is required. Since there is only one parent, there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information. In sexual reproduction new organisms are produced from the fusion of a male sex cell with a female sex cell. This fusion of gametes is called fertilisation.

Inheritance: asexual reproduction does not involve sex cells or fertilisation. Only one parent is required. Since there is only one parent, there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information. In sexual reproduction new organisms are produced from the fusion of a male sex cell with a female sex cell. This fusion of gametes is called fertilisation.

Level 4 = Inheritance: asexual reproduction does not involve sex cells or fertilisation. Only one parent is required. Since there is only one parent, there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information. In sexual reproduction new organisms are produced from the fusion of a male sex cell with a female sex cell. This fusion of gametes is called fertilisation.