Biology Form 4: Syllabus and Key concepts summary.

FORM FOUR BIOLOGY

• Define the term genetics
• Differentiate between heredity and variation
• Distinguish between continuous and discontinuous variations
• Describe continuous and discontinuous variations
• Observe variations in plants and animals
• Describe the structure, nature, and properties of chromosomes
• Describe the structure, nature, and properties of the DNA molecule
• Differentiate between DNA and RNA
• Distinguish between F1 and F2 generation
• Determine Mendel’s first law of inheritance
• Define other terms used in inheritance such as phenotype, genotype, dominant gene, recessive gene, haploid, and diploid
• Demonstrate monohybrid inheritance in plants and animals
• Predict outcomes of various genetic crosses
• Construct and make use of Punnett squares
• Work out genotypic and phenotypic ratios
• Predict outcomes of various crosses
• Determine the unknown genotypes in a cross using a test cross
• Describe albinism as an example of monohybrid inheritance in human beings
• Explain the inheritance of ABO blood groups in human beings
• Explain the inheritance of rhesus factor as an example of monohybrid inheritance in human beings
• Predict the inheritance of blood groups in human beings
• Describe incomplete dominance
• Describe inheritance of colour in flowers of Mirabilis jalapa
• Describe inheritance of sickle cell anemia in human beings
• Explain how sex is determined in human beings
• Describe sex linkages in human beings
• Define linkage and sex-linkage
• Describe linkage in human beings e.g., colour blindness and hemophilia
• Describe colour blindness as an example of a sex-linked trait in human beings
• Interpret pedigree of inheritance
• Describe the inheritance of hemophilia as an example of sex-linked traits in human beings
• Define mutation
• Differentiate between mutations and mutagens
• List causes of mutations
• State the types of mutations
• List various chromosomal mutations
• Describe chromosomal mutations
• Explain the effects of chromosomal mutations
• Describe gene mutations and their effects on organisms
• Describe areas in which the knowledge of genetics has been applied
• Explain the practical applications of genetics
• Define evolution
• Explain the current concepts of the origin of life
• Describe the study of fossils as evidence of organic evolution theory
• Describe comparative anatomy as evidence of organic evolution
• Describe occurrence of vestigial structures and geographical distribution of organisms as evidence of organic evolution
• Describe comparative embryology, cell biology, and biochemistry as evidence of organic evolution
• Describe evolution of hominids
• Describe Lamarck’s theory
• Describe and discuss the struggle for existence and survival of the fittest
• Describe and discuss new concepts of Darwin’s theory
• Describe natural selection in action
• Describe natural selection in nature
• Describe the isolation mechanism in speciation
• Describe artificial selection in plants and animals and how it leads to speciation
• Explain the importance of sexual reproduction in evolution
• Define stimulus
• Define irritability
• Define response
• Define tactic and tropic responses
• List tactic responses in plants
• List tropic responses in plants
• Differentiate between tactic and tropic responses
• Define geotropism
• Describe geotropism in roots and shoots of plants
• Differentiate between phototropism and geotropism
• Carry out experiments demonstrating both phototropism and geotropism in a plant seedling
• Carry out experiments to demonstrate tactic responses to light and water
• Carry out experiments to show chemotactic response using fruit juice
• Define hydrotropism and thigmotropism
• State the importance of tactic and tropic responses
• Explain the production of plant hormones and their effects on plants
• Carry out experiment to investigate hydrotropism
• Carry out experiment to investigate etiolation
• Demonstrate the knee jerk in a reflex action
• Define conditioned reflex actions
• Describe conditioned reflex action using Pavlov’s dog
• Compare simple and conditioned reflex actions
• Explain the role of the endocrine system in a human being
• Explain the effects of oversecretion and undersecretion of thyroxin and adrenaline
• Isolate and list the similarities and differences between the endocrine and the nervous system
• State the effects of drug abuse on human health
• Draw and label the mammalian eye
• State the functions of the mammalian eye
• Describe how the structure of the mammalian eye is adapted to its functions
• Dissect and display parts of the mammalian eye
• Describe how an image is formed and interpreted in the mammalian eye
• Describe accommodation in the mammalian eye
• Name and explain common eye defects
• Describe common eye defects and their corrections
• Investigate the blind spot in the eye
• Investigate which eye is used more during vision
• Name and describe common eye diseases
• Draw and label the mammalian ear
• Describe the mammalian ear and how it is adapted to its functions
• Describe the mechanism of hearing
• Discuss thick eardrum, damaged cochlea, ruptured eardrum, fused ossicles, otitis media, otosclerosis, and tinnitus
• Define support and movement
• Describe the necessity of movement in plants and animals
• Review the tissue distribution in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants
• Describe support in woody and non-woody stems
• Describe the role of tendrils and tender stems in support
• Observe prepared sections of woody and herbaceous stems
• Observe a wilting plant
• List the types of skeletons
• Describe the role of exoskeleton in insects
• Describe the role and components of endoskeleton
• Describe the role of skeleton in vertebrates
• Draw the structure of a finned fish (tilapia)
• Calculate the tail power
• Explain how locomotion occurs in fish
• Name and draw the different fins and state their functions
• Draw the human skeleton and identify the component parts
• Identify and draw the skull
• Identify bones of the axial skeleton in the vertebral column
• Identify the cervical vertebrae
• Identify the structures of the thoracic vertebrae
• Relate the structure of the thoracic vertebrae to their functions
• Identify the structures of lumbar, sacral, and caudal vertebrae
• Show how ribs articulate with thoracic vertebrae
• Draw and label ribs and sternum
• Relate the structure to their functions
• Identify components of the appendicular skeleton
• Draw the scapula bone and relate it to its functions
• Identify the bones of the forelimbs
• Draw the structure of the humerus, radius, and ulna
• Draw and label bones of the hand
• Draw the pelvic girdle
• Name the bones of the pelvic girdle
• Relate the structure to their functions
• Identify, draw, and label the femur, tibia, and fibula bones
• Relate their structure to their functions
• Draw and label the bones of the foot
• Relate the structure of bones of the foot to their functions
• Define a joint
• List the three types of joints
• Describe the types of joints
• List examples of movable joints, hinge joints, and ball and socket joints
• Define immovable joints
• Name immovable joints
• Define muscles
• Explain the differences between the three types of muscles
• Identify biceps and triceps in the arm movement