headstart+program

We will have 3 double lessons to get right into the nucleus of the course. You will also find the homework that needs to be done in between lessons, as well as the holiday work that will need to be completed.

Today's lesson is about exploring the chemical nature of life. The four groups of organic substances will be covered and the basic units that make them up. Cells are essentially factories that take simple organic (and inorganic) molecules to form large complex substances called biomacromolecules. Homework: do a terminology analysis for both 'proteins' and 'carbohydrates' and then do a compare and contrast between them.
 * Tuesday 9th December **

[|intro biomacromolecules1.ppt]

Review the homework before covering nucleic acids and lipids and the idea of polymerisation. Some new terminology will be included. Give out the major holiday work task involving creating a table summary of organic substances.
 * Thursday 11th December **

Finish animation on proteins and nucleic acids. Bringing together the idea of cells using building blocks to create biomacromolecules. Explain new terms such as monomer, polymer and condensation polymerisation. Summary activity of constructing own organic substances from polystyrene balls and contributing to concept maps for each type of organic substance. Explanation of holiday work.
 * Friday 12th December **

You have been given A3 pages for each of the four organic substances. Cut out the various text boxes, diagrams heading and labels and place them in the correct places on the A3 pages. The yellow ones are headings. The rest of the colours represent a partciular secion on each A3 page. Eg. there are blue text boxes that relate to each of the four organic substances and they will all be in the same section on a partciular page. Hope this makes sense. Feel free to use resources such as the notes I have given you. These will represent an overall summary of each of the types of organic susbstances and you can place them somewhere observable to help things sink in.
 * Holiday work **

You have also been given handouts on: Cells Organic molecules Proteins and enymes Energy transformations Homeostasis

Read each of these and answer as many of the questions as you can. IMPORTANT, keep a record of any uncertainties that arise or any questions you have. Place them on the wiki and I will answer them as soon as I can and definitely before you get back to school.

The majority of area of study 1 in Unit 3 is really about concepts that you have already covered in Unit 1. So being familiar with as much as possible when we come back is going to be a huge advantage.

Check the wiki everytime you set time to work on Biology, there may be some new stuff there. I will hopefully have the course outline, SAC dates and other info up by mid January. If you want to extend yourself further download the following summary of the links between the year 11 course and unit 3. [|Links between unit 3 and units 1 and 2.doc]

Have a relaxing and safe break so that you can come back ready to immerse yourself in the wonders of Year 12 Biology!