End of Semester 1 Examination

Learning Objectives

IGCSE
Biology

Year Group: 10

December 2023
 List of Objectives for Year 10 End of Semester 1 Examinations
(PEARSON EDEXCEL INTERNATIONAL GCSE (9 – 1) STUDENT BOOK

Topics Learning Objectives Page Numbers

(Calculator allowed) Links to
Resources

a. 1.1 understand how living organisms share the following Edexcel

Characteristics characteristics: International
• they require nutrition GCSE Student
of living Book
organisms • they respire
• they excrete their waste Pages 3 – 24
• they respond to their surroundings
• they move
• they control their internal conditions
• they reproduce
• they grow and develop

b. 1.2 describe the common features shown by eukaryotic organisms: Pages 25 – 37

Variety of plants, animals, fungi and protoctists.
organisms Plants: these are multicellular organisms; their cells contain
chloroplasts and are able to carry out photosynthesis; their cells
have cellulose cell walls; they store carbohydrates as starch or
sucrose. Examples include flowering plants, such as a cereal (for
example, maize), and a herbaceous legume (for example, peas
or beans).
Animals: these are multicellular organisms; their cells do not
contain chloroplasts and are not able to carry out
photosynthesis; they have no cell walls; they usually have
nervous co-ordination and are able to move from one place to
another; they often store carbohydrate as glycogen. Examples
include mammals (for example, humans) and insects (for
example, housefly and mosquitoes).
 25 – 37
Fungi: these are organisms that are not able to carry out
photosynthesis; their body is usually organised into a mycelium
made from thread-like structures called hyphae, which contain
many nuclei; some examples are single-celled; their cells have walls
made of chitin; they feed by extracellular secretion of digestive
enzymes onto food material and absorption of the organic products;
this is known as saprotrophic nutrition; they may store
carbohydrate as glycogen. Examples include Mucor, which has the
typical fungal hyphal structure, and yeast, which is single-celled.
Protoctists: these are microscopic single-celled organisms. Some,
like Amoeba, that live in pond water, have features like an animal
cell, while others, like Chlorella, have chloroplasts and are more like
plants. A pathogenic example is Plasmodium, responsible for
causing malaria

1.3 describe the common features shown by prokaryotic organisms 25 – 37

such as bacteria.
Bacteria: these are microscopic single-celled organisms; they
have a cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm and plasmids; they
lack a nucleus but contain a circular chromosome of DNA; some
bacteria can carry out photosynthesis but most feed off other
living or dead organisms. Examples include Lactobacillus
bulgaricus, a rod-shaped bacterium used in the production of
yoghurt from milk, and Pneumococcus, a spherical bacterium
that acts as the pathogen causing pneumonia.
 25 – 37
1.4 understand the term pathogen and know that pathogens may
include fungi, bacteria, protoctists or viruses Viruses:
These are not living organisms. They are small particles, smaller
than bacteria; they are parasitic and can reproduce only inside
living cells; they infect every type of living organism. They have
a wide variety of shapes and sizes; they have no cellular
structure but have a protein coat and contain one type of
nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA. Examples include the tobacco
mosaic virus that causes discolouring of the leaves of tobacco
plants by preventing the formation of chloroplasts, the influenza
virus that causes ‘flu’ and the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

2. 2a. 3–5
Level of
2.1 describe the levels of organisation in organisms: organelles,
organisation
cells, tissues, organs and systems.

2b.

2.2 describe cell structures, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell

membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes and
vacuole.

2.3 describe the functions of the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell

membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes and
vacuole.

Biological 2.4 know the similarities and differences in the structure of plant 3–7
molecules and animal cells.

2.5B explain the importance of cell differentiation in the

development of specialised cells.

2.6B understand the advantages and disadvantages of using stem

cells in medicine.

2.7 identify the chemical elements present in carbohydrates,

proteins and lipids (fats and oils).

2.8 describe the structure of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids as

large molecules made up from smaller basic units: starch and
glycogen from simple sugars, protein from amino acids, and lipid
from fatty acids and glycerol.
 2.9 practical: investigate food samples for the presence of glucose,
starch, protein and fat.

2.10 understand the role of enzymes as biological catalysts in

metabolic reactions.

2.11 understand how temperature changes can affect enzyme

function, including changes to the shape of active site.

2.12 practical: investigate how enzyme activity can be affected by

changes in temperature.

2.13 understand how enzyme function can be affected by changes

in pH altering the active site.

Movement into
and out of cells
2.14B practical: investigate how enzyme activity can be affected by
changes in pH.

2.15 understand the processes of diffusion, osmosis and active

transport by which substances move into and out of cells.

2.16 understand how factors affect the rate of movement of

substances into and out of cells, including the effects of surface area
to volume ratio, distance, temperature and concentration gradient.

2.17 practical: investigate diffusion and osmosis using living and

non-living systems.

Nutrition 2.18 understand the process of photosynthesis and its importance 135 – 149
in the conversion of light energy to chemical energy.

2.19 know the word equation and the balanced chemical symbol
equation for photosynthesis 2.20 understand how varying carbon
dioxide concentration, light intensity and temperature affect the
rate of photosynthesis.

2.21 describe the structure of the leaf and explain how it is adapted
for photosynthesis.

2.22 understand that plants require mineral ions for growth, and
that magnesium ions are needed for chlorophyll and nitrate ions are
needed for amino acids.
2.23 practical: investigate photosynthesis, showing the evolution of
oxygen from a water plant, the production of starch and the and the
requirements of light, carbon dioxide and chlorophyl.

2.24 understand that a balanced diet should include appropriate

proportions of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, vitamins, minerals,
water and dietary fibre

2.25 identify the sources and describe the functions of

carbohydrate, protein, lipid (fats and oils), vitamins A, C and D, the
mineral ions calcium and iron, water and dietary fibre as
components of the diet.

2.26 understand how energy requirements vary with activity levels, 52 – 69

age and pregnancy.

2.27 describe the structure and function of the human alimentary

canal, including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine
(duodenum and ileum), large intestine (colon and rectum) and
pancreas.

2.28 understand how food is moved through the gut by peristalsis.

2.29 understand the role of digestive enzymes, including the

digestion of starch to glucose by amylase and maltase, the digestion
of proteins to amino acids by proteases and the digestion of lipids to
fatty acids and glycerol by lipases.

2.30 understand that bile is produced by the liver and stored in the
gall bladder.

2.31 understand the role of bile in neutralising stomach acid and

emulsifying lipids.

2.32 understand how the small intestine is adapted for absorption,

including the structure of a villus.

2.33B practical: investigate the energy content in a food sample.

 Structure and Edexcel
2.34 To understand how the process of respiration produces ATP in International
function in living GCSE (9 – 1)
living organisms.
organisms Biology Student
2.35 To know that ATP provides energy for cells. Book
Respiration Pages
2.36 To describe the differences between aerobic and anaerobic
respiration. 39 – 51

2.37 To know the word equation and the balanced chemical symbol
equation for aerobic respiration in living organisms.

2.38 To know the word equation for anaerobic respiration in plants

and in animals.

2.39 practical: investigate the evolution of carbon dioxide and heat

Gas exchange in 2.40B To understand
from respiring theother
seeds or role suitable
of diffusion in organisms.
living gas exchange.
flowering plants 135 – 151
2.41B To understand gas exchange (of carbon dioxide and oxygen)
in relation to respiration and photosynthesis.

2.42B To understand how the structure of the leaf is adapted for gas
exchange.

2.43B To describe the role of stomata in gas exchange.

2.44B To understand how respiration continues during the day and

night, but that the net exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen
depends on the intensity of light.

2.45B practical: investigate the effect of light on net gas exchange

from a leaf, using hydrogen-carbonate indicator.

Human gas 2.46 To describe the structure of the thorax, including the ribs,
exchange intercostal muscles, diaphragm, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles,
 39 – 51
and pleural membrane.

2.47 To understand the role of the intercostal muscles and the

diaphragm in ventilation.

2.48 To explain how alveoli are adapted for gas exchange by

diffusion between air in the lungs and blood in capillaries.

2.49 understand the biological consequences of smoking in relation

to the lungs and the circulatory system, including coronary heart
disease.

2.50 practical: investigate breathing in humans, including the

release of carbon dioxide and the effect of exercise.

Transport

Students should:

2.51 understand why simple, unicellular organisms can rely on

diffusion for movement of substances in and out of the cell.

2.52 understand the need for a transport system in multicellular

organisms Flowering plants.

2.53 describe the role of phloem in transporting sucrose and amino

acids between the leaves and other parts of the plant.

2.54 describe the role of xylem in transporting water and mineral

ions from the roots to other parts of the plant.
2.55B understand how water is absorbed by root hair cells.

2.56B understand that transpiration is the evaporation of water

from the surface of a plant.

2.57B understand how the rate of transpiration is affected by

changes in humidity, wind speed, temperature and light intensity.

2.58B practical: investigate the role of environmental factors in

determining the rate of transpiration from a leafy shoot.

Humans

2.59 describe the composition of the blood: red blood cells, white
blood cells, platelets and plasma

2.60 understand the role of plasma in the transport of carbon

dioxide, digested food, urea, hormones and heat energy.

2.61 understand how adaptations of red blood cells make them

suitable for the transport of oxygen, including shape, the absence of
a nucleus and the presence of haemoglobin.

2.62 understand how the immune system responds to disease using

white blood cells, illustrated by phagocytes ingesting pathogens and
lymphocytes releasing antibodies specific to the pathogen.

2.63B understand how vaccination results in the manufacture of

memory cells, which enable future antibody production to the
pathogen to occur sooner, faster and in greater quantity.
 2.64B understand how platelets are involved in blood clotting,
which prevents blood loss and the entry of micro-organisms.

2.65 describe the structure of the heart and how it functions.

2.66 explain how the heart rate changes during exercise and under
the influence of adrenaline.

2.67 understand how factors may increase the risk of developing

coronary heart disease 2.68 understand how the structure of
arteries, veins and capillaries relate to their function.

2.69 understand the general structure of the circulation system,

including the blood vessels to and from the heart and lungs, liver
and kidneys.

Excretion Excretion

Students should:

Flowering plants

2.70 understand the origin of carbon dioxide and oxygen as waste

products of metabolism and their loss from the stomata of a leaf
Humans

2.71 know the excretory products of the lungs, kidneys and skin
(organs of excretion)

2.72B understand how the kidney carries out its roles of excretion
and osmoregulation
 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

EDEXCEL INTERNATIONAL GCSE Biology – THE REVISION GUIDE (CGP) BOOK.

Biology

Topics Pages

Nature and variety of organisms 1 – 12

Human nutrition 13 – 19

Plant nutrition 20 – 28

Respiration and gas exchange 29 – 36

Blood and organs 37 – 44

Video link

1. Transport in plants:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dwEp83S5yU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsLxZm_V8GA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0wjTdBK77o
2. Transpiration:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgkaW9-vFaI&t=5s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTDokLRZs0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTDokLRZs0&t=114s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yTDokLRZs0&t=137s
3. Blood and organs:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc_kbfjhiUo
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx-MrhlOFMk
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81w0BXg7QJA
4. Kidneys:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbLVB_EDnRs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRZ7VOeIr6g
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWnIFIdDeto
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmRh_yRbAR4
• https://byjus.com/biology/homeostasis/
5. Characteristics of organisms:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2O6sVcUtLU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBZcpzr5B2g
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuY0n7-zfds
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAoeI2gXBRg
 Practice questions

2
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 Mark Scheme

1(a)

2
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