Faculty Information

Topics covered in Year 12:

• Genetics and Biotechnology
• Evolution
• Ecology
• Animal Structure and Function
• Plant Structure and Function
• Cell Biology
• Conservation

Topics covered in Year 13:

• Molecular Genetics
• Biotechnology
• Essay on Current Issues - Genetically Modified Organisms
• Mendelian Genetics
• Plant Investigation (internal assessment)
• Animal behaviour and plant responses
• Animal Investigation (internal assessment)
• Evolution
• Human Biological and Cultural Evolution

Year 12:
During the year there will be a test or essay written at the end of each course topic, and four internally asessed achievement standards for NCEA Level 2 Biology.
There will be school examinations in May and September, and in November there will be external examinations standards administered by NZQA (assessing the five external achievement standards).

Year 13:
During the year, tests will be held at the end of each topic. There will also be school examinations in the second and third terms.
Your final mark in the course will be based partly on internal assessments (25%) and partly on your mark in a three-hour externally administered examination held at the end of the year (75%).

Year 12:
Students go on a fieldtrip as part of one of the internal assessments.

Year 13:
Students attend educational sessions at the Auckland Zoo and the Auckland War Memorial Museum as part of the Human Evolution topic.