BIO3

Biology - NCEA Level 3

Course Description

Teacher in Charge: Mrs J. Healy.

Are you considering a career in Biology or just curious to learn more about humans and other living things?

This Biology course examines a wide range of biological ideas including animal and plant behaviour, gene technology, mammalian body systems, and human evolution. 

There are opportunities to gain up to 10 internally assessed credits by designing and carrying out your own practical investigation and conducting research to investigate mammalian physiology and socio-scientific issues in gene technology.

Biology is a literacy-rich course, with 11 out of the 15 credits available counting towards University Entrance Literacy (Reading) and five out of the 15 credits counting towards University Entrance Literacy (Writing).

This is an approved subject for University Entrance and can lead into tertiary study in a Bachelor of Science, as well as many other learning areas.

This course is strongly recommended if you are considering a career in Health, including nursing, midwifery, dentistry, and medicine, or Veterinary Science.

Course Overview

Term 1
In Term 1, we start our learning journey into human body systems, including both anatomy and physiology, which will be internally assessed by our first achievement standard.

This achievement standard investigates how humans control and maintain stable body systems, such as temperature and blood glucose level. This is called homeostasis. This standard is worth three credits and counts towards your University Entrance Literacy (Reading) requirement.

We will then develop our ideas further by designing a practical investigation to explore the homeostatic response to sugar ingestion in humans. This achievement standard is worth four credits and counts towards your Level 1 Numeracy requirement.

Term 2
In Term 2, we start work on our externally assessed achievement standard, which explores the responses of plants and animals to the external environment, and will continue throughout Term 2 and 3. This standard includes how plants and animals react to both the physical environment, such as heat or light, and the presence of other living organisms, such as competitors, parasites, and predators. This standard is worth five credits and is formally assessed in the NZQA examinations in November. This achievement standard counts towards either the Writing or the Reading component of your University Entrace literacy requirement.

Term 3
In Term 3, once we have completed our externally assessed standard, we will move onto our last internal standard which explores how gene technology has been or could be used in Aotearoa New Zealand to fight disease and/or protect our unique ecosystem. This standard involves developing an informed response to a socio-scientific issue and is worth three credits, as well as counting towards your University Entrance Literacy (Reading) requirement, and will be completed in Term 4.

Term 4
In Term 4 we will aim to complete our last internally assessed standard as well as revise inp reparation for the final NZQA examinations.

If you successfully complete this course, you will gain up to 15 credits towards your NCEA Level 3 qualification. If you gain at least 14 credits at Achieved, Merit, or Excellence, you can also gain a course endorsement for Level 3 Biology.

University Entrance Literacy can be achieved through this course, as this requires five Reading (11) are offered) and five Writing (five are offered) credits. If you gain at least 14 credits in this course, it can be used as one of your University Entrance approved subjects.

Recommended Prior Learning

An interest in the living world and reasonable literacy and numeracy skills will be supportive to your learning and achievement. If you have gained 12 or more credits in Year 12 Biology or other Science subject, this will be an advantage.

Career Pathways

Credit Information

You will be assessed in this course through all or a selection of the standards listed below.

This course is eligible for subject endorsement.

This course is approved for University Entrance.

Total Credits Available: 15 credits.
Externally Assessed Credits: 5 credits.
Internally Assessed Credits: 10 credits.

Assessment
Description
Level
Internal or
External
Credits
L1 Literacy Credits
UE Literacy Credits
Numeracy Credits
A.S. 91601 v2
NZQA Info
Biology 3.1 - Carry out a practical investigation in a biological context, with guidance

Further assessment opportunities will not be offered for this standard in line with NZQA guidelines

4
4
4
Level: 3
Internal or External: Internal
Credits: 4
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 0 *
Numeracy Credits: 0

Assessments:
Term: 2023-11-07, Week: 2023-11-07

A.S. 91602 v2
NZQA Info
Biology 3.2 - Integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue

Further assessment opportunities will not be offered for this standard in line with NZQA guidelines

3
3
3
Level: 3
Internal or External: Internal
Credits: 3
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 3r *
Numeracy Credits: 0

Assessments:
Term: 2023-11-07, Week: 2023-11-07

A.S. 91603 v3
NZQA Info
Biology 3.3 - Demonstrate understanding of the responses of plants and animals to their external environment

Further assessment opportunities will not be offered for this standard in line with NZQA guidelines

Level: 3
Internal or External: External
Credits: 5
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 5r,5w *
Numeracy Credits: 0

Assessments:
Term: 4, Week: 4

A.S. 91604 v2
NZQA Info
Biology 3.4 - Demonstrate understanding of how an animal maintains a stable internal environment

Further assessment opportunities will not be offered for this standard in line with NZQA guidelines

Level: 3
Internal or External: Internal
Credits: 3
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 3r *
Numeracy Credits: 0

Assessments:
Term: 2023-11-07, Week: 2023-11-07

Credit Summary
Total Credits: 15
Total Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
Total University Entrance Literacy Credits: 11
Total Numeracy Credits: 0

Approved subject for University Entrance

Number of credits that can be used for overall endorsement: 15

Only students engaged in learning and achievement derived from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are eligible to be awarded these subjects as part of the requirement for 14 credits in each of three subjects.