Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 11 Biology
This course investigates the cellular basis of life and the biochemical processes that sustain organisms. Students explore how life persists through reproduction and inheritance while examining the evolutionary mechanisms that drive biological diversity across the Australian landscape.
Cellular Foundations and Chemistry of Life
Exploration of the microscopic structures and biochemical pathways that allow cells to function as the fundamental units of life.
An investigation into the comparative anatomy of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the specific roles of membrane bound organelles.
A study of the fluid mosaic model and the mechanisms by which cells regulate the internal environment through selective permeability.
Analysis of cellular metabolism focusing on the role of enzymes as biological catalysts and the factors affecting their efficiency.
Organismal Systems and Resource Acquisition
Study of how multicellular organisms organize cells into tissues and organs to facilitate nutrient exchange and waste removal.
Examining the respiratory and circulatory systems that allow for the efficient delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide.
Analysis of how heterotrophs break down complex organic matter into usable chemical building blocks.
Investigation of the xylem and phloem systems and the biochemical process of converting light energy into glucose.
Genetics and the Molecular Basis of Heredity
An exploration of DNA structure, protein synthesis, and the patterns of inheritance that transfer traits across generations.
Detailed study of the double helix structure and the semi conservative process of DNA duplication.
Tracing the flow of information from DNA to RNA to functional proteins within a cell.
Using Mendelian and non Mendelian genetics to predict the outcomes of biological crosses.
Evolutionary Change and Biodiversity
Examining the evidence for evolution and the processes of natural selection that shape populations over time.
Reviewing the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and molecular biology as evidence for common descent.
Investigating how selective pressures act on phenotypes to change allele frequencies in a population.
Analyzing the processes that lead to the formation of new species and large scale biological changes.
Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability
A study of the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and the flow of energy through Australian ecosystems.
Analysis of population growth models and the symbiotic relationships between different species.
Investigating how energy is lost at each trophic level and how matter is recycled through biogeochemical cycles.
Evaluating the effect of human activity on biodiversity and the strategies used for environmental management.
Homeostasis and Infectious Disease
Understanding how organisms maintain a stable internal environment and respond to the threat of pathogens.
Study of negative feedback loops in the regulation of temperature, blood glucose, and water balance.
Classification of pathogens and the study of how diseases are transmitted through populations.
Analysis of the innate and adaptive immune systems and the role of vaccinations in public health.