Kenya Form 4 Biology

  • Course Objectives
  • Course Instructor

1. Communicate biological information in a precise, clear and logical manner
2. Develop an understanding of interrelationships between plants and animals and between. humans and their environment
3. Apply the knowledge gained to improve and maintain the health of the individual, family and the community
4. Relate and apply relevant biological knowledge and understanding to social and economic situations in rural and urban settings
5. Observe and identify features of familiar and unfamiliar organisms, record the observation and make deductions about the functions of parts of organisms
6. Develop positive attitudes and interest towards biology and the relevant practical skills
7. Demonstrate resourcefulness, relevant technical skills and scientific thinking necessary for economic development
8. Design and carry out experiments and projects that will enable them understand biological concepts
9. Create awareness of the value of cooperation in solving problems
10. Acquire a firm foundation of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes for further education and for training in related scientific fields

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Learning Area Content

Introduction to Form Four Biology
Genetics
12 Topics
Genetics: Introduction to Genetics
Genetics: Concepts of genetics – Variation within plant and animal species
Genetics: Concepts of genetics – Review of chromosomes
Genetics: Concepts of genetics – Brief mention of genes and DNA (without details of the molecular structure of genes and DNA)
Genetics: First law of heredity – (i) Mendel’s experiments – monohybrid inheritance (3:1 ratio) (ii) Complete and incomplete dominance, backcross/testcross (iii) Inheritance of ABO blood groups and Rh factor
Genetics: Sex determination in humans
Genetics: Linkage – (i) Sex linked genes (ii) sex linked characteristics e.g. Colour blindness, Haemophilia, Hairy ears and Nose
Genetics: Mutations; Types of mutations, Causes and consequences of chromosomal mutations, Gene mutations(only cover the following examples of genetic disorders: Albinism, Sickle cell Anaemia, Haemophilia, Colour blindness)
Genetics: Practical applications of genetics; Blood transfusion, Plant and animal breeding using artificial selection, Genetic counselling, Genetic engineering
Genetics: Practical Activities: Measure and record heights of class members and plot the data on graphs
Genetics: Practical Activities: Demonstrate chromosome behaviour in mitosis and meiosis by using clay / plasticine / insulated coloured wires/coloured thread
Genetics: Practical Activities: Carry out investigations on finger prints and tongue rolling
Evolution
7 Topics
Evolution: Meaning of evolution
Evolution: The origin of life; Special creation, Chemical evolution (Brief explanation required)
Evolution: Evidences for organic evolution; Fossil records – brief mention of human evolution, Geographical distribution – continental drift, Comparative embryology, Comparative anatomy (Convergent and divergent evolution based on homology and analogy), Cell biology – occurrence of cell organelles and blood pigments
Evolution: Mechanisms of evolution; Lamarcks theory (Brief mention), Evolution by natural selection, Natural selection in action e.g. peppered moth (industrial melanism), Resistance to drugs, pesticides and antibiotics
Evolution: Practical Activities: Compare vertebrate limbs
Evolution: Practical Activities: Compare wings of birds and insects
Evolution: Practical Activities: Education tour to an archaeological site/local museum
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals
11 Topics
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Meaning of stimulus, response and irritability
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Reception, response and coordination in plants; Response to a variety of external stimuli, Tropisms and tactic movements and their survival values, Production of auxins and their effects on plant growth
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Reception, responses and coordination in animals; Components of the nervous system in a mammal, Structure and functions of the neurones, Functions of major parts of human brain, Simple and conditioned reflex actions
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: The role of hormones in coordination in a mammal; Effects of over secretion and under secretion of adrenaline and thyroxine in humans, Functional differences and similarities between endocrine and nervous systems
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Effects of drug abuse on the human health
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Structure and functions of parts of the mammalian eye (human); Accommodation, image formation and interpretations, Common eye defects and their corrections
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Structure and functions of parts of the mammalian ear (human); Hearing (omit details of cochlea), Balance and posture (mention only parts involved)
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Carry out experiments to investigate tactic responses e.g. chemotaxis – use any of the following organisms: worker termites/fly maggots/earth worms/honey bee/grasshoppers/ woodlice
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Carry out experiments on tropisms and etiolation
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Determine the distance of blind spot
Reception, Response, and Coordination in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Carry out knee jerk experiment
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals
11 Topics
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Plants; Necessity for support and movement in plants, Review of tissue distribution in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants (Histological details of tissues are not required)
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Animals; Necessity for support and movement in animals, Types and functions of the skeleton (Exoskeleton in arthropods, Endoskeleton in vertebrate)
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Locomotion in a finned fish
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Identification of the bones of axial and appendicular skeletons (names of individual bones of coccyx not required)
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Types and functions of movable joints (ball and socket, hinge joint)
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Structure, function and location of cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscles (Details of fine structure not required); Role of muscles in the arm in humans
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Observe permanent slides of transverse sections of the stems of herbacious and woody plants
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Observe wilting in young herbacious plants
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Examine the exoskeleton in arthropods
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Observe and identify external features of a finned fish
Support and Movement in Plants and Animals: Practical Activities: Examine and draw different types of bones in mammals