At a glance
A course where students explore living things and how life works, from cells to whole ecosystems. Students investigate real biological questions through fieldwork, labs and research, and learn how biology helps us understand health, sustainability and the natural world.
This course is a good choice for students who:
- are curious about living things, the human body and the environment
- enjoy practical science (experiments, fieldwork and data)
- want strong skills in investigation, analysis and scientific communication
About this course
Biology is the study of the diversity of life and how living systems interact and change over time. Students explore how matter and energy move through living systems, and how systems respond to internal and external change. Students also consider how biology is used to address challenges such as ecosystem health, biosecurity, human health and sustainability.
Pathways
This course can support pathways into areas such as:
- environmental science, conservation and biosecurity
- agriculture, food science and biotechnology
Units in this course
Students complete 2 units for a Minor or 4 units for a Major.
Biodiversity and Interconnectedness
This unit is about ecosystems and biodiversity, and how living things interact with each other and the environment.
Students will:
- investigate ecosystems by collecting and analysing data (including classification to identify organisms)
- explore how energy and matter move through ecosystems and what changes biodiversity over time
Cells and Multicellular Organisms
This unit is about cells as the basic unit of life and how systems in multicellular organisms support life.
Students will:
- investigate how cells exchange materials with their environment and how processes like photosynthesis and respiration support life
- explore how specialised cells, tissues and organ systems work together in plants and animals
Heredity and Continuity of Life
This unit is about how genetic information is passed on and how populations change over time.
Students will:
- investigate inheritance patterns and use models to explain and predict outcomes
- explore evolution by natural selection and how gene pools change in populations over time
Maintaining the Internal Environment
This unit is about homeostasis (keeping the body stable) and how organisms respond to changing conditions and disease.
Students will:
- investigate how organisms maintain internal balance and respond to pathogens (including immune responses)
- explore how infectious diseases spread and what factors can increase or reduce transmission