Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 12 Biology
This course explores the intricate biochemical and genetic mechanisms that sustain life. Students investigate the relationship between metabolic processes, molecular genetics, and homeostatic regulation while evaluating the impact of biotechnology on society and the environment.
01Biochemistry and Metabolic Processes
An exploration of the chemical basis of life, focusing on the structure of biological molecules and the energy transformations within cells.
Students review fundamental chemistry concepts, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, and the unique properties of water essential for life.
Students investigate the unique physical and chemical properties of water, such as cohesion, adhesion, high specific heat, and solvent capabilities, and their importance for living organisms.
Students examine the structure and function of carbohydrates, focusing on their roles in energy storage, structural support, and cell recognition.
Students investigate the diverse group of lipids, including fats, phospholipids, and steroids, and their functions in energy storage, membrane structure, and signaling.
Students investigate the complex structures and diverse functions of proteins, including their roles in catalysis, transport, and structural support.
Students explore the structure and function of nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, focusing on their roles in genetic information storage and expression.
A study of biological catalysts, focusing on their active sites, specificity, and the induced-fit model of enzyme action.
Students investigate factors influencing the rate of biochemical reactions, including temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and the mechanisms of enzyme inhibition.
An introduction to ATP as the primary energy currency of the cell, exploring its structure, hydrolysis, and regeneration through phosphorylation.
Students investigate the initial stages of glucose breakdown, including glycolysis in the cytoplasm and the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA in the mitochondria.
An investigation into the aerobic pathways that extract energy from glucose, focusing on the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
Students explore alternative pathways for ATP production in the absence of oxygen, comparing lactic acid and alcoholic fermentation.
02Molecular Genetics
Students delve into the molecular mechanisms of DNA replication, protein synthesis, and the regulation of gene expression.
Students investigate the Calvin cycle, where ATP and NADPH are used to fix carbon dioxide into glucose.
Students analyze the double helix model of DNA, exploring the contributions of Watson, Crick, Franklin, and Wilkins to its discovery.
Students investigate the semi-conservative process of genetic copying, detailing the roles of key enzymes like helicase, DNA polymerase, and ligase.
Students trace the flow of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, focusing on the process of transcription and RNA processing.
Students investigate the process of translation, where mRNA is decoded by ribosomes to synthesize proteins, including the roles of tRNA and the genetic code.
Students examine how prokaryotic cells control gene expression using operons, focusing on the lac and trp operons as examples.
Students explore the complex mechanisms of gene regulation in eukaryotes, including chromatin modification, transcription factors, and post-transcriptional control.
Students examine different types of genetic alterations, including point mutations, frameshift mutations, and chromosomal aberrations, and their potential impacts.
Students explore Mendel's laws of segregation and dominance through monohybrid crosses, predicting inheritance patterns for single traits.
Students extend Mendelian principles to dihybrid crosses, applying the law of independent assortment to predict inheritance patterns for two traits.
Students investigate complex inheritance patterns such as incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, and polygenic inheritance.
Students explore inheritance patterns of genes located on sex chromosomes and learn to analyze human pedigrees to track genetic traits.
03Homeostasis and Internal Regulation
This unit covers the feedback mechanisms that maintain a stable internal environment within the human body.
Students define homeostasis and explore the principles of negative and positive feedback loops using physiological examples.
Students study the major endocrine glands, their secreted hormones, and the general mechanisms of hormone action.
Students investigate specific examples of endocrine regulation, focusing on blood glucose control by insulin and glucagon, and calcium homeostasis.
Students analyze the structure of neurons, the generation and transmission of action potentials, and the role of myelin.
Students investigate synaptic transmission, the release and reception of neurotransmitters, and the effects of various neurotransmitters on target cells.
Students differentiate between the central and peripheral nervous systems, exploring the functions of the brain, spinal cord, and sensory/motor divisions.
Students explore how sensory organs detect stimuli and convert them into nerve impulses, focusing on vision and hearing.
Students investigate the mechanisms of chemoreception (taste and smell) and mechanoreception (touch, pain, temperature) and their integration.
Students investigate the structure of the kidney and the nephron, detailing the processes of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion.
Students analyze how the kidneys maintain water and electrolyte balance, regulate blood pressure, and remove metabolic wastes.
Students explore the body's non-specific defense mechanisms, including physical barriers, phagocytic cells, and the inflammatory response.
Students investigate the specific defense mechanisms of the adaptive immune system, including B cells, T cells, and immunological memory.
04Population Dynamics and Ecology
An exploration of how populations interact within ecosystems and the factors influencing growth and decline.
Students define key population characteristics (density, dispersion, demographics) and explore methods for estimating population size.
Students use mathematical models to predict how populations change over time, comparing exponential and logistic growth patterns.
Students investigate density-dependent and density-independent factors that regulate population size, including competition, predation, disease, and climate.
Students analyze the unique growth curve of the human population, exploring demographic transitions, age structures, and ecological footprint.
Students define ecological communities and explore concepts of species richness, relative abundance, and factors influencing community diversity.
Students examine the ecological consequences of competition and predation, including competitive exclusion, resource partitioning, and predator-prey dynamics.
Students explore symbiotic relationships, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism, and their ecological significance.
Students investigate the flow of energy through trophic levels and the cycling of essential nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) within ecosystems.
Students examine the process of ecological succession (primary and secondary) and the role of natural and anthropogenic disturbances in shaping ecosystems.
Students trace the development of evolutionary theory, from early ideas to Darwin's natural selection and the modern synthesis.
Students explore the principles of natural selection, including variation, inheritance, differential survival, and adaptation.
Students investigate the sources of genetic variation (mutation, recombination) and the concept of a gene pool within a population.
05Evolutionary Biology and Biotechnology
A deep dive into the mechanisms of evolution and the evidence supporting the common descent of life, alongside an analysis of current technologies in genetic engineering and their societal consequences.
Students apply the Hardy-Weinberg principle to calculate allele and genotype frequencies and determine if a population is evolving.
Students examine various lines of evidence supporting evolution, including the fossil record, comparative anatomy, embryology, and molecular biology.
Students investigate the processes of allopatric and sympatric speciation and the role of reproductive isolating mechanisms.
Students explore large-scale evolutionary patterns over geological time, including adaptive radiation, mass extinctions, and punctuated equilibrium.
Students learn to interpret and construct phylogenetic trees and cladograms to represent evolutionary relationships among organisms.
Students examine the fundamental techniques of genetic engineering, including restriction enzymes, plasmids, and gene cloning.
Students investigate the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for DNA amplification and gel electrophoresis for separating DNA fragments.
Students explore the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 system for precise gene editing, including its mechanisms and potential applications.
Students examine the principles of gene therapy for treating genetic disorders and the development of personalized medicine based on individual genetic profiles.
Students evaluate the use of GMOs in agriculture, including their benefits, risks, and societal implications.