Module 1 Unit 1
Strategies to teach terminology
- In every lesson identify new terms/concepts and write it on the board
- Learners will take down terms/concepts at the back of their notebooks noting the correct spelling
- Learners must define/write down the meaning of these words from listening to the educator’ lesson/finding meaning from the dictionary or textbook
- Break down the concept/term where possible- give the meaning of the prefix and suffix e.g. photo (light) synthesis (to build up)
- Use the concept in a sentence
- Educators must check that learners have done the above, on a daily basis e.g. asks any learner to define a concept
- By the end of the year ALL learners have a comprehensive GLOSSARY of ALL terms /concepts
- ASSESSMENT: Biological terms to be included in all daily assessment tasks. Develop crossword puzzles. (Use various websites from the internet e.g. eclipse).
|
Biological term |
Description |
|
Acquired characteristic
|
Is a characteristic that an offspring is not born with but which develops/is acquired through the course of its lifetime; a characteristic not controlled by a gene. |
|
Alleles |
Two alternative forms of a gene at the same locus |
|
Analogous structures |
Pertain to the various structures in different species having the same function but have evolved separately, thus do not share common ancestor. |
|
Artificial selection/selective breading |
The breeding of organisms over many generations in order to achieve a desirable phenotype
|
|
Biodiversity |
The variety of plant and animal species on earth |
|
Biotechnology |
The use of biological processes, organisms or systems to improve the quality of human life |
|
Common ancestor |
An ancestor that two or more descendants have in common |
|
Continuous variation |
Type of variation within a population in which there is a range of intermediate phenotypes |
|
Discontinuous variation |
The type of variation in a population with no intermediate phenotypes |
|
Extant |
Still in existence; surviving. |
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Extinction |
The permanent disappearance of a species from earth |
|
Fossils |
The mineralized remains of organisms that have lived in the past |
|
Gene |
A segment of DNA/a chromosome that codes for a particular characteristic |
|
Genetic variation: |
This includes a variety of different genes that may differ from maternal and paternal genes resulting in new genotypes and phenotypes. |
|
Genome |
The complete set of chromosomes in the cell of an organism |
|
Harmful mutations |
Causes changes in the DNA that can cause errors in protein sequencing that can result in partially or completely nonfunctioning proteins |
|
Harmless mutations |
Have no effect on the structure or functioning of the organism. |
|
Homologous structures |
Pertain to the structures that show similar morphology and anatomy but have different functions, believed to have developed from a common ancestor |
|
Hypothesis |
A tentative explanation of a phenomenon that can be tested and may be accepted or rejected |
|
Inherited characteristic
|
Is a characteristic that an offspring is born with, having been inherited from one of the parents; a characteristic controlled by a gene. |
|
Mutation |
A sudden change in the sequence/order of nitrogenous bases of a nucleic acid |
|
Natural selection |
The process by which organisms best suited to survival in the environment achieve greater reproductive success, thereby passing advantageous characteristics onto future generations |
|
Palaeontology |
Study of fossils |
|
Phenotype: |
This is the external, physical appearance of an organism. The phenotype is determined by the genotype. |
|
Phylogenetic tree/cladogram |
A diagrammatic representation showing possible evolutionary relationships among different species |
|
Population |
A group of organisms of the same species living in the same habitat at the same time |
|
Speciation |
Process whereby new species are formed from the original population |
|
Species |
A group of organisms which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring |
|
Theory |
Explanation of an observation that is supported by facts, models and laws |
|
Useful mutations |
Can be advantageous to the organism and are passed on from parent to offspring |
Introduction to Evolution
WHAT
IS EVOLUTION?
The processes that have transformed life
on earth from its earliest forms to the vast diversity that characterizes life on earth
today. A change
in the genes!
WHAT
IS BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION?
All present-day forms of life have
descended from, and are related to, those that
lived in the past. They may look different because they became modified
from one generation to another.
