DP Year 2 Biology

The DP Year 2 (Grade 12) Biology curriculum is the culmination of the two-year course, following the new syllabus (first teaching 2023, first assessment 2025) that is organized around four broad organizing themes: Unity and Diversity, Form and Function, Interaction and Interdependence, and Continuity and Change, each comprising two concepts across four levels of organization (Molecules, Cells, Organisms and Ecosystems) . In the final year, students complete their study of advanced topics including metabolism, cell respiration and photosynthesis, plant biology, genetics and evolution, animal physiology, biodiversity, ecology, and human impacts, with Higher Level (HL) students covering additional depth in areas such as advanced genetics, biotechnology, and virology . The course emphasizes practical, inquiry-based learning through hands-on laboratory investigations, with students finalizing their Internal Assessment (IA)—an individual scientific investigation—which accounts for 20% of the final grade . External assessment consists of two examination papers: Paper 1 (multiple choice and data-based questions) and Paper 2 (data-based, short answer, and extended-response questions), with the revised criteria placing greater emphasis on higher-order thinking skills including data analysis, evaluation, and the Nature of Science (NOS) framework.

Subject

BIology

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