Curriculum Mapping (Biology)

Big Idea - Ecosystems are dynamic and have the ability to respond to change, within limits, while
maintaining their ecological balance. People have the responsibility to regulate their impact on the sustainability of ecosystems in order to preserve them for future generations.

Fundamental concepts covered - System and interactions, sustainability and stewardship and change and continuity.

Overall expectations - demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas
of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analyzing and interpreting, and communicating). Identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study, and identify scientists, including Canadians, who have made contributions to those fields. Assess the impact of human activities on the sustainability of terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystems,
and evaluate the effectiveness of courses of action intended to remedy or mitigate negative impacts. Investigate factors related to human activity that affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and explain how they affect the sustainability of these ecosystems. Demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, particularly in terms of ecological balance and the impact of human activity on the sustainability of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Big Ideas - Plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs
that are organized into systems. Developments in medicine and medical technology can have social and ethical implications

Fundamental concepts covered - Systems and interactions, structure and function, sustainability and stewardship and change and continuity.

Overall expectations - demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analyzing and interpreting, and communicating). Identify and describe a variety of careers related to the fields of science under study, and identify scientists, including Canadians, who have made contributions to those fields. evaluate the importance of medical and other technological developments related to systems
biology, and analyse their societal and ethical implications. Investigate cell division, cell specialization, organs, and systems in animals and plants, using research and inquiry skills, including various laboratory techniques. Demonstrate an understanding of the hierarchical organization of cells, from tissues, to organs, to systems in animals and plants.

Diversity of Living Things

Big Ideas - All living things can be classified according to their anatomical and physiological characteristics. Human activities affect the diversity of living things in ecosystems.

Fundamental concepts covered - Matter, energy, Systems and interactions, structure and functions, sustainability and stewardship and change and continuity.

Overall Expectations - Analyse the effects of various human activities on the diversity of living things. Investigate, through laboratory and/or field activities or through simulations, the principles of scientific classification, using appropriate sampling and classification techniques. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of living organisms in terms of the principles of taxonomy and phylogeny

Evolution

Big Ideas - Evolution is the process of biological change over time based on the relationships between species and their environments. The theory of evolution is a scientific explanation based on a large accumulation of evidence. Technology that enables humans to manipulate the development of species has economic and environmental implications.

Fundamental concepts covered - Systems and interactions, structure and functions, sustainability and stewardship and change and continuity.

Overall Expectations - Analyse the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of an artificial selection technology, and evaluate the impact of environmental changes on natural selection and endangered species. Investigate evolutionary processes, and analyse scientific evidence that supports the theory of evolution. Demonstrate an understanding of the theory of evolution, the evidence that supports it, and some of the mechanisms by which it occurs.

Genetic Processes

Big Ideas - Genetic and genomic research can have social and environmental implications.
Variability and diversity of living organisms result from the distribution of genetic materials during the process of meiosis.

Fundamental concepts covered - Structure and functions; and change and continuity.

Overall Expectations - Evaluate the importance of some recent contributions to our knowledge of genetic processes, and analyse social and ethical implications of genetic and genomic research. Investigate genetic processes, including those that occur during meiosis, and analyse data to solve basic genetics problems involving monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. Demonstrate an understanding of concepts, processes, and technologies related to the transmission of hereditary characteristics.

Animals: Structure and Function

Big Ideas - Groups of organs with specific structures and functions work together as systems,
which interact with other systems in the body. The development and uses of technology to maintain human health are based, in part, on the changing needs of society

Fundamental concepts covered - Energy, Systems and interactions, and structure and functions.

Overall Expectations - analyse the relationships between changing societal needs, technological advances, and our
understanding of internal systems of humans. Investigate, through laboratory inquiry or computer simulation, the functional responses of the respiratory and circulatory systems of animals, and the relationships between their respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems. Demonstrate an understanding of animal anatomy and physiology, and describe disorders of the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems.

Plants: Anatomy, Growth, and Function

Big Ideas -Plants have specialized structures with distinct functions that enable them to respond
and adapt to their environment. Plant variety is critical to the survival and sustainability of ecosystems

Fundamental concepts covered - Systems and interactions, structure and functions, sustainability and stewardship.

Overall Expectations - evaluate the importance of sustainable use of plants to Canadian society and other cultures. Investigate the structures and functions of plant tissues, and factors affecting plant growth. Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of vascular plants, including their structures, internal transport systems, and their role in maintaining biodiversity

Biochemistry

Fundamental Concepts Covered - Matter, energy, systems and interactions, and structure and function.

Big Ideas - Technological applications that affect biological processes and cellular functions are used in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. Biological molecules and their chemical properties affect cellular processes and biochemical reactions. Biochemical compounds play important structural and functional roles in cells of all living organisms.

Overall Expectations - Analyse technological applications of enzymes in some industrial processes, and evaluate
technological advances in the field of cellular biology. Investigate the chemical structures, functions, and chemical properties of biological molecules involved in some common cellular processes and biochemical reactions. Demonstrate an understanding of the structures and functions of biological molecules, and the biochemical reactions required to maintain normal cellular function.

Metabolic Processes

Fundamental Concepts Covered - Matter, energy, systems and interactions, and structure and function.

Big Ideas - All metabolic processes involve chemical changes and energy conversions. An understanding of metabolic processes enables people to make informed choices with respect to a range of personal, societal, and environmental issues.

Overall Expectations - analyse the role of metabolic processes in the functioning of biotic and abiotic systems, and evaluate the importance of an understanding of these processes and related technologies to personal choices
made in everyday life. Investigate the products of metabolic processes such as cellular respiration and photosynthesis. Demonstrate an understanding of the chemical changes and energy conversions that occur in metabolic processes.

Molecular Genetics

Fundamental Concepts Covered - Structure and function, and change and continuity.

Big Ideas - DNA contains all the genetic information for any living organism. Proteins control a wide variety of cellular processes. Genetic research and biotechnology have social, legal, and ethical implications.

Overall Expectation - analyse some of the social, ethical, and legal issues associated with genetic research and biotechnology. Investigate, through laboratory activities, the structures of cell components and their roles in processes that occur within the cell. Demonstrate an understanding of concepts related to molecular genetics, and how genetic modification is applied in industry and agriculture.

Homeostasis

Fundamental Concepts Covered - Systems and interactions, Structure and function, and change and continuity.

Big Ideas - Organisms have strict limits on the internal conditions that they can tolerate. Systems that maintain homeostasis rely on feedback mechanisms. Environmental factors can affect homeostasis

Overall Expectations - evaluate the impact on the human body of selected chemical substances and of environmental
factors related to human activity. Investigate the feedback mechanisms that maintain homeostasis in living organisms. Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of human body systems, and explain the mechanisms that enable the body to maintain homeostasis.

Population Dynamics

Fundamental Concepts Covered - Sustainability and stewardship, and change and continuity.

Big Ideas - Population growth follows predictable patterns.
The increased consumption of resources and production of waste associated with population growth result in specific stresses that affect Earth’s sustainability. Technological developments can contribute to or help offset the ecological footprint associated with population growth and the consumption of natural resources.

Overall Expectations - analyse the relationships between population growth, personal consumption, technological
development, and our ecological footprint, and assess the effectiveness of some Canadian initiatives intended to assist expanding populations. Investigate the characteristics of population growth, and use models to calculate the growth of populations within an ecosystem. Demonstrate an understanding of concepts related to population growth, and explain the factors that affect the growth of various populations of species.