The second term of SS2 Biology focuses on the understanding of biological systems and processes in both plants and animals. Students explore the intricate mechanisms of excretion, digestion, transport systems, and more. This guide provides a detailed overview of each topic, designed to help students gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the biological concepts. Each topic includes explanations and examples to aid in learning.
Scheme of Work: SS2 Second Term – Biology
Week(s) | Topic(s) | Content |
---|---|---|
Week 1 | Excretion | Understanding the process of excretion in animals and plants, focusing on waste removal and the role of the excretory system. |
Week 2 | Tissues and Supporting Systems | The study of different tissues in animals and plants and their roles in supporting structures and processes. |
Week 3 | Components of the Mammalian Skeleton | Study of the bones, joints, and components that make up the mammalian skeletal system, providing structure and protection. |
Week 4 | Joints | Exploration of the types of joints in the body, their functions, and how they contribute to movement and stability. |
Week 5 & 6 | Alimentary Canal/Digestive System | A detailed study of the digestive system, focusing on how food is ingested, digested, and absorbed by the body. |
Week 7 | Feeding Habits | Analyzing different feeding strategies and habits across various animal species, including herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and more. |
Week 8 | Feeding in Amoeba, Hydra, and Man | Studying the feeding mechanisms of simpler organisms like amoeba and hydra, as well as the complex digestive systems of humans. |
Week 9 | Transport Systems | A look at how nutrients, gases, and other substances are transported within the body, including circulatory and respiratory systems. |
Week 10 | Circulatory System in Mammals | Exploring the mammalian circulatory system, including the heart, blood vessels, and the role of blood in transporting oxygen and nutrients. |
Week 11 | Mechanism of Transport in Higher Plants | Understanding how plants transport water, nutrients, and food through specialized structures like xylem and phloem. |
Detailed Explanation of Topics
Week 1: Excretion
What is Excretion? Excretion is the biological process of removing waste products from the body. In humans and animals, the excretory system includes organs like the kidneys, lungs, and skin, which help in eliminating waste materials.
Examples:
- Removal of urea by the kidneys in mammals.
- Sweating to expel salts and water from the skin.
- Carbon dioxide being expelled from the lungs during respiration.
- Nitrogenous waste elimination in aquatic animals through diffusion.
- Ammonia excretion in fish.
- Excretion of undigested food in the form of feces.
Week 2: Tissues and Supporting Systems
What are Tissues? Tissues are groups of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function. In animals and plants, tissues provide structure, support, and protection.
Examples:
- Epithelial Tissue: Forms the lining of organs and body cavities.
- Connective Tissue: Provides support and binds other tissues, such as bone and cartilage.
- Muscle Tissue: Responsible for movement in the body, like skeletal and cardiac muscles.
- Nervous Tissue: Transmits signals throughout the body.
- Xylem in Plants: Transports water and nutrients.
- Phloem in Plants: Transports sugars and organic compounds.
Week 3: Components of the Mammalian Skeleton
What is the Mammalian Skeleton? The mammalian skeleton is made up of bones and cartilage that provide support, protect internal organs, and facilitate movement.
Examples:
- Skull: Protects the brain.
- Ribs: Protects the heart and lungs.
- Spine: Supports the body and protects the spinal cord.
- Humerus: Bone of the upper arm.
- Femur: The longest bone in the human body, located in the thigh.
- Pelvis: Supports the weight of the upper body and connects the spine to the legs.
Week 4: Joints
What are Joints? Joints are the connections between bones that allow for movement and flexibility. They are classified based on their structure and the type of movement they allow.
Examples:
- Ball-and-Socket Joint: Found in the shoulder and hip, allowing rotational movement.
- Hinge Joint: Found in the elbow and knee, allowing back-and-forth movement.
- Pivot Joint: Allows rotation, such as the joint between the first and second vertebrae in the neck.
- Gliding Joint: Found in the wrists and ankles, allowing sliding movements.
- Saddle Joint: Found in the thumb, allowing a wide range of movement.
- Fixed Joint: Joints in the skull that do not allow movement.
Week 5 & 6: Alimentary Canal/Digestive System
What is the Digestive System? The digestive system is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients that the body can absorb. It includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and anus.
Examples:
- Mouth: Food is ingested and chewed, where enzymes begin the digestion process.
- Esophagus: Transports food from the mouth to the stomach.
- Stomach: Digests food using stomach acid and enzymes.
- Small Intestine: Absorbs nutrients from digested food.
- Large Intestine: Absorbs water and forms waste.
- Rectum and Anus: Eliminate undigested food and waste from the body.
Week 7: Feeding Habits
What are Feeding Habits? Feeding habits refer to the dietary patterns and strategies animals use to obtain and consume food. These habits vary greatly across species, depending on their biological needs and environment.
Examples:
- Herbivores: Animals that feed on plants, such as cows and elephants.
- Carnivores: Animals that eat meat, like lions and wolves.
- Omnivores: Animals that eat both plants and meat, like humans and pigs.
- Detritivores: Animals that feed on decomposing organic matter, such as earthworms.
- Filter feeders: Animals like baleen whales that feed by filtering small organisms from water.
- Saprophages: Animals like vultures that feed on dead organisms.
Week 8: Feeding in Amoeba, Hydra, and Man
Feeding Mechanisms Different organisms have unique methods of obtaining food. This week focuses on the feeding habits of single-celled organisms like amoeba, simple multicellular organisms like hydra, and humans.
Examples:
- Amoeba: Uses pseudopodia to engulf food particles in a process called phagocytosis.
- Hydra: Uses its tentacles to capture prey and bring it to its mouth.
- Humans: Use teeth and enzymes to break down food in the mouth, stomach, and intestines.
- Paramecium: Feeds by drawing food into its oral groove.
- Plankton: Filter feeds in aquatic environments.
- Jellyfish: Uses tentacles to capture prey and transport it to the mouth.
Week 9: Transport Systems
What are Transport Systems? Transport systems are responsible for moving nutrients, gases, and waste products throughout the body. In humans, the circulatory and respiratory systems are key components of this process.
Examples:
- Blood Circulation: Transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body.
- Lymphatic System: Transports lymph, which helps in immune defense and waste removal.
- Xylem in Plants: Transports water from roots to leaves.
- Phloem in Plants: Transports sugars and nutrients from leaves to other parts of the plant.
- Respiratory System: Transports oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream and removes carbon dioxide.
- Transport in Animals: Use of blood to deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Week 10: Circulatory System in Mammals
What is the Circulatory System? The circulatory system in mammals consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. It is responsible for transporting oxygen, nutrients, and hormones, and removing waste products.
Examples:
- Heart: Pumps blood through arteries, veins, and capillaries.
- Arteries: Carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart.
- Veins: Carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
- Capillaries: Small blood vessels where oxygen and nutrients are exchanged.
- Red Blood Cells: Carry oxygen to tissues.
- Plasma: Transports nutrients, hormones, and waste products.
Week 11: Mechanism of Transport in Higher Plants
What is the Mechanism of Transport in Plants? Plants have specialized systems for transporting water, nutrients, and sugars throughout their structures. These systems include xylem and phloem.
Examples:
- Xylem: Transports water and minerals from the roots to the leaves.
- Phloem: Transports food from the leaves to other parts of the plant.
- Root Hair Cells: Absorb water and minerals from the soil.
- Transpiration: The process by which water evaporates from the leaves, pulling more water up from the roots.
- Active Transport: Movement of nutrients against concentration gradients.
- Cohesion and Adhesion: Forces that help water move through plants.