BIOLOGY
SYLLABUS FORM 6
Biology
course objectives
The course is designed to respond to Tanzania's
present aspiration to produce more creative scientists by encouraging greater
participation in science and technology in all walks of life. It is also
intended to:
- Cultivate an understanding and appreciation of the
role, influence and importance of science in everyday life, at work, and in
society in general;
- Develop mastery in the fundamental concepts, principles and skills of
Biological Science and use these for best utilization of their natural heritage
and raise their standard of living;
- Apply their knowledge and skills in proper use of and management of the
environment;
- Analyse the behaviours of people involved in the abuse and misuse of the
environment and make informed judgement in as far as making amendments is
concerned;
- Prepare themselves for further studies and training in biology and relate
fields.
Organization
of the syllabus
In designing the syllabus, Due consideration has been made to both the learner's
and the teacher's needs. The content has been carefully selected and organized
so as to promote interest and motivation throughout the course. All topics and
sub-topics are blocky organized in a progressive manner such that the
acquisition of knowledge and skills is synchronized with the learning level of
the learner. The topics fall under 2 main blocks, Form 5, and Form 6. Each form
has its objectives.
In the format of the syllabus are also
included instructional objectives for each sub-topic.
Choice and use of instructional
Materials
With the new book production policy, the science
book market is seeing more and more up to date science books. The biology
teacher is expected to be well informed about books which best meet the
requirements of the syllabus. Teachers will also be expected to use their
academic and professional knowledge and skills to guide and advise learners on
how best to use books and other non-textual instructional materials available in
schools and libraries.
Methods of Teaching and Learning
The syllabus has proposed teaching/learning
strategies for each topic. These are just proposals. The teacher of Biology will
be free to use any teaching/learning method considered effective in promoting
concept formation, skill development and internalization of knowledge in
general. It is worth bearing in mind that, it is generally agreed among science
scholars that using the active methods of instruction learns science better. NB:
When conducting practical, all chemicals should be handled with care).
Assessment of
student's Progress and Performance
It is expected that teachers will carry out
assessment of their student's progress and performance periodically. This should
be done so as to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to help the weak
and encourage the good ones as appropriate.
Instructional
Time
The teacher is advised to make maximum use of the
allocated time per week for this subject. Lost instructional time, for whatever
cause, should be compensated for through the teacher's own local arrangement
with the school administration. It should be remembered that this course of
study is designed to be covered in two academic years at a minimum of 50 periods
of forty minutes duration each.
OBJECTIVES OF FORM 6 BIOLOGY
COURSE
The form six Biology Course aims
at exposing the students to those aspects not touched or only lightly
touched in the )-level Biology Course in the topics dealing with
transportation of materials in organisms, growth and development, multiplication
of organisms, inheritance of characters, origin of life and new species and
interactions among organisms and their environment.
1.
Explain the relationship between mitosis and growth and discuss with
graphical representation growth patterns in organism.
2.
Explain the relationship between meiosis and reproduction and discuss the
process of gamete formation.
3.
Conduct simple breeding experiment with garden pea fruit fly and discuss
how characters are inherited.
4.
Explain how life is thought to have originated and new species may evolve
and account for evidence which support organic evolution.
5.
Discuss the basic ecological concepts and apply the knowledge in
improving the environment.
TOPICS
8.
TRANSPORTATION
8.1.
Transportation in Plants
8.1.1.
Movement of Materials Across the Root
8.1.2.
Upward Movement
8.1.3.
Translocation of manufactured food
8.2.
Transportation in Vertebrates
9.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
9.1.
Mitosis
9.2.
Growth Patterns
9.3.
Growth and Development in Plants
9.3.1.
Primary and Secondary Growth in Angiosperms
9.3.2.
Seed Dormancy and viability
10.
REPRODUCTION
10.1.Meiosis
10.2.Reproduction
in plants
10.2.1.
Fertilization
10.2.2.
Seed and fruit Development
10.2.3.
Life cycles
10.3.Reproduction
in Animals
10.3.1.
Oestrus
10.3.2.
Fertilization and zygote Development in mammals
10.3.3.
Birth and Parental Care
10.3.4.
Life cycles
11.
GENETICS
11.1.Hereditary
Materials
11.1.1.
RNA
11.1.2.
DNA
11.2.Mendelian
principles of inheritance
11.3.
Non Mendelian Inheritance
11.4.
Mutations
12.1. THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
12.2.
Theories on the Mechanism of organic Evolution
12.3.
Evidence for Evolution
12.3.1.
Palaentology
12.3.2.
Comparative Morphology and
Anatomy
12.3.3.
Comparative Bio-Chemistry
12.3.4.
Biogeography
12.3.5.
Selective Breeding
12.4.
Speciation
13. ECOLOGY
13.1.
Ecosystem
13.2.
Methods of studying ecology
13.3.
Population by Dynamics
13.4.
Sustainable use of
environmental resources
