South Sudan Secondary 4 Biology Syllabus

Unit 1: Biochemistry of Photosynthesis and Respiration

• Necessity of chlorophyll, light energy, and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis: Investigate the role of chlorophyll in capturing light energy, the importance of light as an energy source, and the role of carbon dioxide in the formation of carbohydrates.
• Limiting factors of photosynthesis: Explore factors that limit the rate of photosynthesis, such as light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, and temperature.
• Internal structure of the leaf and its adaptation to photosynthesis: Examine the internal structure of a leaf, including the palisade mesophyll, spongy mesophyll, and vascular bundles, and how these structures facilitate photosynthesis.
• Importance of photosynthesis: Discuss the significance of photosynthesis in providing energy for ecosystems, producing oxygen, and regulating atmospheric gases.
• The process of photosynthesis: Describe the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, including the role of chlorophyll, ATP, and NADPH.
• Chemical compounds which constitute living organisms: Identify the major chemical compounds found in living organisms, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Respiration: Define respiration and differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
• Respiratory system in animals: Describe the structure and function of respiratory systems in various animals, including humans, fish, and insects.
• Gaseous exchange in plants: Explain how plants exchange gases through stomata and other structures.

Unit 2: Reproduction and Growth in Plants and Animals

• Asexual reproduction: Describe asexual reproduction methods in lower organisms (binary fission, budding, spore formation) and plants (vegetative propagation).
• Sexual reproduction in plants: Explain the structure of flowers, pollination, fertilization, fruit and seed formation, and dispersal.
• Sexual reproduction in animals: Describe sexual reproduction in fish, amphibians, insects, birds, and humans, including gamete formation, fertilization, and embryonic development.
• Menstrual cycle and sex hormones: Explain the menstrual cycle in human females and the role of sex hormones in reproduction and development.
• Cell division: Describe mitosis and meiosis, and their significance in growth, repair, and reproduction.
• Growth and development in plants and animals: Explain primary and secondary growth in plants and different types of growth in animals.

Unit 3: Coordination in Plants and Animals

• Coordination in plants: Investigate chemical coordination in plants, including the role of plant hormones like auxins.
• Coordination in animals: Describe the structure and function of the nervous system in vertebrates, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
• Chemical coordination in animals: Explain the endocrine system and the role of hormones in regulating various physiological processes.

Unit 4: Homeostasis in Plants and Animals

• Homeostasis: Define homeostasis and explain its importance in maintaining a stable internal environment.
• Homeostasis in plants: Describe how plants maintain water balance and regulate gas exchange.
• Homeostasis in animals: Explain thermoregulation, osmoregulation, and excretion in animals, including the role of the skin and kidneys.

Unit 5: Genetics and Inheritance

• Inheritance: Define inheritance and explain Mendel's laws of inheritance.
• Genetic material: Describe the structure and function of DNA and RNA.
• Sex determination and sex linkage: Explain sex determination in humans and the concept of sex-linked inheritance.
• Variations and mutations: Describe continuous and discontinuous variations, and the role of mutations in creating genetic diversity.
• Genetic engineering: Discuss the principles and applications of genetic engineering.

Unit 6: Adaptation and Evolution

• Evolution: Explain the theories of the origin of life and the evidence for evolution.
• Natural selection: Describe the process of natural selection and its role in adaptation.
• Adaptations: Discuss different types of adaptations in plants and animals.

Unit 7: Support and Movement in Plants and Animals

• Support and movement in plants: Explain how plants achieve support through turgor pressure, cell walls, and specialized tissues.
• Support and movement in animals: Describe the different types of skeletons (exoskeleton, endoskeleton, hydrostatic skeleton) and how muscles and joints facilitate movement.
• Mammalian skeleton: Examine the structure and function of the mammalian skeleton, including the axial and appendicular skeleton.