Uganda Senior Four Curriculum - Biology

This curriculum is designed to equip learners with the knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to appreciate the complexities of the biological world and apply this understanding to real-world situations. The curriculum emphasizes experiential learning and deeper understanding through scientific inquiry and rational thought. Biology is a compulsory subject for all four years of lower secondary school.

Senior One

Diversity of Living Things

• Introduction to Biology: This topic introduces learners to the study of life, exploring the seven characteristics of living organisms and how these processes are manifested in different organisms. Learners also explore the application of biology in everyday life.
• Cells: This topic delves into the cell as the basic unit of life. Learners examine the structure and function of plant and animal cells, specialized cells, and the levels of organization in organisms (cell, tissue, organ, system, organism).
• Classification: Learners are introduced to the concept of classifying organisms based on similarities and differences. The importance of the Latin binomial system (genus and species) is also covered.
• Five Kingdoms: This topic explores the key characteristics of the five kingdoms of living organisms (Monera, Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia), providing examples of organisms from each kingdom. The value of microorganisms in food production is also examined.
• Viruses: This topic covers the characteristics of viruses, comparing them to living organisms. Learners also study the symptoms, transmission, and prevention of specific viruses like HIV, Ebola, Hepatitis, and Cassava Mosaic Virus.
• Insects: Learners study the external features of common insects, construct dichotomous keys, and explore the beneficial and harmful effects of insects on other organisms. Methods of controlling harmful insects are also discussed.
• Flowering Plants: This topic examines the external parts and functions of flowering plants, comparing monocots and dicots. Learners also classify leaves and explore the adaptations of different plant structures to their functions.

Senior Two

• Soil: This theme covers the physical and chemical properties of soil, soil erosion and conservation, and the importance of microorganisms in maintaining soil fertility, including the nitrogen cycle.
• Nutrition in Plants and Animals: This theme explores different nutrition types, nutrient compounds, and their importance to humans. Learners perform food tests, examine the concept of a balanced diet, and study the causes and effects of nutrient deficiency. The major plant mineral nutrients and their roles are also covered. The process of photosynthesis and the adaptations of leaves for this process are also studied. Finally, learners explore nutrition in mammals, including the role of enzymes, types of teeth, oral hygiene, the digestive system, and the absorption and assimilation of nutrients.

Senior Three

• Respiration in Plants and Animals: This theme covers gaseous exchange, the human respiratory system, the dangers of smoking and air pollution, and respiratory diseases. Aerobic and anaerobic respiration are also explored, including their processes, products, and applications.
• Excretion: Learners study the process of excretion in animals, focusing on the human excretory system and the functions of its organs. The causes, symptoms, and treatment of kidney failure are also discussed.
• Coordination in Animals: This theme explores chemical coordination in humans (hormones and endocrine system) and nervous coordination (nervous system, reflex actions, and the effects of drugs and alcohol). Receptor organs (eye and ear) are also examined.
• Locomotion in Animals: Learners study the structure and function of the human skeleton and how muscles interact with the skeleton to produce movement. The causes, effects, and prevention of muscle cramps are also discussed.
• Growth and Development in Plants and Animals: This theme covers growth in plants and animals, seed germination, and development in plants and animals, including metamorphosis and human development from birth to adulthood.

Senior Four

• Reproduction in Organisms: This theme covers asexual reproduction in plants (vegetative reproduction), sexual reproduction in plants (pollination, fertilization, seed and fruit development, and dispersal), and sexual reproduction in humans (reproductive systems, menstrual cycle, fertilization, development, antenatal care, postnatal care, birth control, and reproductive health issues).
• Genetics: This theme explores inheritance, sex determination, sex linkage, variation, and selection. Genetic disorders and the concept of natural selection are also covered. Artificial selection in selective breeding is also examined.
• Inter-relationships: This theme introduces the concept of ecology, food chains and food webs, and associations in biological communities (competition, predator-prey relationships, and symbiosis). The roles of parasites and vectors in disease transmission are also studied.
• Humans and the Natural Environment: This theme focuses on sustainability, natural resources in Uganda, the impact of human activities on ecosystems, and pollution. Strategies for preserving the natural environment are also discussed.