SBI4U – Biology Grade 12

Course Type: University Preparation

Credit: 1.0

Ontario Curriculum: SBI4U Grade 12: Biology

SBI4U Prerequisite: SBI3U – Grade 11 Biology

NCAA Approved Course

Diving into the SBI4U course online provides an opportunity for students to explore the intricate workings of biological systems at an advanced level. With a curriculum that navigates through the core areas of biochemistry, metabolic processes, molecular genetics, homeostasis, and population dynamics, SBI4U is designed to blend theoretical knowledge with practical application seamlessly. Students engaging with SBI4U are tasked with not only understanding these complex subjects but also applying them in investigative scenarios. The course sets a clear path towards building the skills and knowledge essential for further studies in life sciences and adjacent fields, positioning SBI4U participants for future inquiry and innovation in the field of biology.

SBI4U Course Outline

Unit 1 – Biochemistry
In this unit, students will identify chemical structures, functions, and chemical properties of biological
molecules involved in some common cellular processes and biochemical reactions and understand the
importance of these in the maintenance of normal cellular function. Students will also analyse technological
applications related to enzyme activity in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Unit 2 – Metabolic Processes
In this unit, students will identify and describe the cellular organelles involved in cellular respiration and
photosynthesis, and the various metabolic reactions taking place during these processes and will
understand the importance of these reactions in the maintenance of normal cellular function. Students will
also analyze medical and technological applications related to cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
Unit 3 – Molecular Genetics
In this unit, students will identify key scientific contributions leading to the discovery of DNA and DNA
function, and describe the key events in DNA replication and protein synthesis with an emphasis on the
impacts of mutations on protein function and disease. Students will also analyze common biotechnological
tools and applications related to molecular genetics.
Unit 4- Homeostasis
In this unit, students will identify key components of the nervous, endocrine and excretory system, and
describe their role in maintaining homeostasis and how select chemical substances and environmental
factors affect these processes. Students will also assess the impact of various drugs on homeostatic
mechanisms.
Unit 5 – Population Dynamics
In this unit, students will demonstrate an understanding of concepts related to population growth, and
explain the factors that affect the growth of various populations of species, use models to calculate the
growth of populations and analyze the relationships between population growth, personal consumption,
technological development, and our ecological footprint. Students will also assess the impact of human
population growth on the sustainability of resources for future generations.

Scientific Investigation Skills and Career Exploration
By the end of the course, students will:
● demonstrate scientific investigation skills (related to both inquiry and research) in the four areas of
skills (initiating and planning, performing and recording, analysing and interpreting, and
communicating)

Biochemistry
By the end of this course, students will:
● identify chemical structures, functions, and chemical properties of biological molecules involved in
some common cellular processes and biochemical reactions and understand the importance of
these in the maintenance of normal cellular function.
● analyze technological applications related to enzyme activity in the food and pharmaceutical
industries

Metabolic Processes
By the end of this course, students will:
● identify and describe the cellular organelles involved in cellular respiration and photosynthesis, and
the various metabolic reactions taking place during these processes and will understand the
importance of these reactions in the maintenance of normal cellular function.
● analyze medical and technological applications related to cellular respiration and photosynthesis

Molecular Genetics
By the end of this course, students will:
● identify key scientific contributions leading to the discovery of DNA and DNA function, and describe
the key events in DNA replication and protein synthesis with an emphasis on impacts of mutations
on protein function and disease.
● analyze common biotechnological tools and applications related to molecular genetics

Homeostasis
By the end of this course, students will:
● will identify key components of the nervous, endocrine and excretory system, and describe their
role in maintaining homeostasis and how select chemical substances and environmental factors
affect these processes.
● will assess the impact of various drugs on homeostatic mechanisms

Population Dynamics
By the end of this course, students will:
● demonstrate an understanding of concepts related to population growth, and explain the factors
that affect the growth of various populations of species, use models to calculate the growth of
populations and analyze the relationships between population growth, personal consumption,
technological development, and our ecological footprint.
● assess the impact of human population growth on the sustainability of resources for future
generations

In this course, students will experience the following activities.

Presentations with embedded videos are utilized to outline concepts, explain theory with the use of
examples and practice questions, and incorporate multi-media opportunities for students to learn more (e.g. online simulations, quizzes, etc.).

End of unit conversations and Poodlls are opportunities for students to express their ideas, problem
solving, and thought processes with a teacher who provides timely feedback.

Reflection is an opportunity for students to look back at concepts and theories with new eyes, to relate theory to practice, and to align learning with their own values and beliefs.

Discussions with the instructor are facilitated through video conferencing, discussing the concepts and skills being studied. This enables two-way communication between the student and the instructor, to share
ideas and ask questions in dialogue. This also helps to build a relationship between the student and instructor.

Discussion forums are an opportunity for students to summarize and share their ideas and perspectives with their peers, which deepens understanding through expression. It also provides an opportunity for peer-to-peer feedback.

Practical extension and application of knowledge are integrated throughout the course. The goal is to help students make connections between what they learn in the classroom and how they understand and relate to the world around them and their own lives. Learning becomes a dynamic opportunity for students to be more aware that their learning is all around them and enable them to create more meaning in their lives.

Individual activities/assignments assessments are completed individually at a student’s own pace and are intended to expand and consolidate the learning in each lesson. Individual activities allow the teacher to accommodate interests and needs and to assess the progress of individual students. For this reason, students are encouraged to discuss IEPs (Individual Education Plans) with their teacher and to ask to modify assessments if they have a unique interest that they feel could be pursued in the assessment. The teacher plays an important role in supporting these activities by providing ongoing feedback to students, both orally and in writing.

Research is an opportunity to apply inquiry skills to a practical problem or question. Students perform research to gather information, evaluate quality sources, analyze findings, evaluate their analysis, and synthesize their findings into conclusions. Throughout, students apply both creative thinking and critical thinking. New questions are also developed to further learning.

Writing as a learning tool helps students to think critically about course material while grasping, organizing, and integrating prior knowledge with new concepts. Good communication skills are important both in and out of the classroom.

Virtual simulations are interactive websites that provide students with an opportunity to ask questions, explore hypotheses, relate variables, examine relationships, and make connections between theory and application in a safe environment that promotes intellectual risk taking and curiosity.

Virtual labs are interactive websites that provide students with an opportunity to follow a procedure to test hypotheses using scientific apparatus, gather and record observations, analyze observations using formula and relevant theory/concepts, and then formulate conclusions that relate hypotheses to analysis.

Diagrams are visual representations of scientific ideas and concepts. They provide another perspective to organize ideas. Visuals are thought to promote cognitive plasticity – meaning, they can help us change our minds or help us to remember an idea.

Graphics/images are visual representations of ideas/concepts. Visuals are thought to promote cognitive plasticity – meaning, they can help us change our minds or help us to remember an idea.

Charts are visual representations of scientific ideas and concepts using math that support analysis.

Tables involve organizing information in terms of categories (rows and columns). This helps us to understand the relationships between ideas and data, as well as highlight trends.

Articles are examples of concepts and theories being discussed in the public realm and with respect to current events. They are snapshots not only of why scientific theories/concepts/applications are relevant but also provide a window into the broader context of scientific knowledge and understanding. Students learn through reading and analysis that science is deeply related to, and intertwined with, society and the diverse perspectives of lived experience.

Practice problems provide students with a scenario/problem to solve by applying concepts and skills learned in a context. This helps students to understand the relevance of their learning.

Readings are an opportunity for students to gain insight from a variety of texts online and further develop literacy skills. Students may print out the reading material to use it to highlight, take notes, and have with them when a computer is not available.

Oral presentations in an online environment are opportunities for students to present live or record presentations, expressing their ideas and understanding orally.

Reflective/comparative analysis and evaluation of written work is very important in this course. Concepts and skills are modelled in examples (exemplars), which students can refer to and utilize to self-evaluate their own work. A variety of texts are shared, and students are encouraged to make comparisons with different texts, real life situations, and their own writing.

As summarized in Growing Success 2010, the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each course. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. As part of assessment, teachers provide students with descriptive feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement.

Evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality of student work on the basis of established criteria, and assigning a value to represent that quality. All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuses on students’ achievement of the overall expectations. A students’ achievement of the overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specific expectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of overall expectations, and which ones will be covered in instruction and assessment but not necessarily evaluated.

In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that:

● Address both what students learn and how well they learn;
● Are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart
● Are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
● Are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students;
● Are fair to all students;
● Accommodate students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan;
● Accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction;
● Ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;
● Promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals
● Include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement;
● Are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year and at other appropriate points throughout the school year.

The final grade will be determined as follows:

❑ 70% of the grade will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course. This
portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement
throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent
evidence of achievement.

❑ 30% of the grade will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of
the course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the
following: an examination, a performance, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to
the course content. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate
comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course.

(Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools. Ontario
Ministry of Education Publication, 2010 p.41)

All students can succeed. Some students are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow access to the course without any changes to the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate. The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning can be identified by the teacher, but recommendations from a School Board generated Individual Education Plan (IEP) if available can also be consulted. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.

Examples of accommodations (but not limited to) include:

• Adjustment and or extension of time required to complete assignments or summative tasks
• Providing alternative assignments or summative tasks
• Use of scribes and/or other assistive technologies
• Simplifying the language of instruction

To learn more go to our Individual Education Plan (IEP) page.

To learn more about this course including tests and exams please visit our FAQ page