A’ LEVEL BIOLOGY CONTENT OUTLINE.

SENIOR FIVE

TERM ONE

A) Cell biology

1. Cell structure and microscopy

2. Diversity of specialised cells and tissues
3. Chromosomes
4. Cell division and chromosome concept
5. Protein synthesis

B) Chemicals of life

1. Acids, bases and salts

2. Water
3. Structure of carbohydrates
4. Structure of lipids
5. Structure of proteins
6. Vitamins
7. Enzymes

TERM TWO

C) Cell physiology
1. Movement in and out of cells
D) Levels of organisation and diversity of life
1. Diversity of living things
2. Viruses (Akaryotae)
3. Kingdom Monera
4. Kingdom Protoctista
5. Kingdom Fungi
6. Kingdom Plantae
7. Kingdom Animalia
E) Ecology
1. Components of the environment
2. Concept of ecosystem
3. Population and natural resources
4. Interdependence
5. Effects of Human (Anthropogenic ) activities on Ecosystems

TERM THREE

F) Inheritance and evolution

1. Genetics
2. Chromosomes and genes
3. Variation
4. Population genetics
5. Origin of life
6. Mechanism of evolution
 7. Evidence of evolution
8. Selection and speciation
G) Transport
1. Necessity for transport system
2. Water as a medium in plants and animals
3. Circulatory systems in animals
4. Defence against diseases
5. Vascular system of flowering plants

SENIOR SIX

TERM ONE.

H) Nutrition
1. Autotrophic nutrition
2. Heterotrophism
I) Gaseous exchange
1. Principles of gaseous exchange systems
2. Gaseous exchange in plants
3. Gaseous exchange in animals
J) Respiration
1. Respiration
K) Homeostasis
1. General principles of homeostasis
2. Regulation of glucose
3. Regulation of respiratory gases
4. Temperature regulation
5. Excretion
6. Osmoregulation

TERM TWO

L) Coordination
1. Concepts of reception and response in plants.
2. Plant hormones
3. Response and behaviour in animals
4. General principles of reception and response in animals
5. Nervous coordination in animals
6. Hormonal coordination in animals

TERM THREE

M) Support and movement

1. Support systems in plants and animals
2. Muscles
3. Movement/ locomotion
4. Reproduction, growth and development
5. Asexual reproduction
6. Sexual reproduction in animals
7. Sexual reproduction in lower organisms and plants
8. Growth and development.
INTRODUCTION
This teaching syllabus emphasises understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and
evaluation of biology concepts relating them to daily experiences. This necessitates use of
a variety of teaching method like experiments, projects through investigation, surveys, field
studies, discussions, research, etc. It is expected to promote learning by providing a guide
that requires use of challenging tasks. This encourages discovery, creativity, critical
thinking, and team work among learners.
The syllabus ensures that accurate facts, concepts and knowledge are presented to the
learners to allow problem- solving with regard to new biological situations in the
communities for sustainable development.
The teaching syllabus is divided into 14 topics. Each is sub-divided into sub-topics,
arranged in a chronological sequence that presents concepts in a logical way, but not
restricting the teaching procedures, and specific objectives.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course the learners should be able to:
i) Develop an interest in learning biological trends of environment and communities.
ii) Apply biological knowledge in their day to day life and have the ability to use
biological concepts to solve problems
iii) Communicate or disseminate accurate biological facts
iv) Develop the ability to design and carry out practical investigations, interpret data
and write logical, precise and clear reports
v) use available resources, local materials and facilities to carry out project work/
research to obtain information
vi) Relate various concepts and explain their relationship to aspects in the
environment.
vii) Relate scientific information to prior experiences.
viii) Appreciate the ways by which human beings influence the natural trends of
environment and communities

SCOPE AND DEPTH

Topic Sub- Topic Periods

1. Cell biology a) Cell structure 3
b) Diversity of specialised cells and tissues
c) Chromosomes
d) Cell division
e) Protein synthesis
2. Chemicals of life a) Acids, bases and salts 46
b) Water
c) Structure of carbohydrates
d) Structure of lipids
e) Structure of proteins
f) Vitamins
g) enzymes
3. Cell physiology a) Movement in and out of cells 18
4. Levels of a) Diversity of living things 56
organisation and b) Virus (Akaryotae)
diversity of life c) Kingdom Monera
d) Kingdom protoctista
e) Kingdom fungi
 f) Kingdom Plantae
g) Kingdom Animalia
5. Ecology a) Components of environment 31
b) Concepts of ecosystem
c) Population and natural resources
d) Interdependence
e) Effects of (anthropogenic) activities on
ecosystems.
6. Inheritance and a) Genetics 34
evolution b) Chromosomes and genes
c) Variations
d) Population genetics
e) Origin of life
f) Mechanism of evolution
g) Evidence of evolution
h) Selection and speciation.
7. Transport a) Necessity for transport systems 36
b) Water as a medium of transport for
plants and animals
c) Circulatory systems in animas
d) Defence against diseases
e) Vascular system of flowering plants
8. Nutrition a) Autotrophic nutrition 42
b) Heterotrophism
 Holozoic nutrition
 Saprophytism
 Mutualism
 Parasitism
9. Gaseous a) Principles of gaseous exchange 24
exchange systems
b) Gaseous exchange in plants
c) Gaseous exchange in animals.
10. Respiration a) Respiration 08
11. Homeostasis a) General principles of homeostasis 28
b) Regulation of glucose
c) Regulation of carbon dioxide
d) Temperature regulation
e) Excretion
f) Osmoregulation
12. Coordination a) Concepts of reception and response 56
in plants
b) Plant hormones
c) Response and behaviour in animals
d) General principles of reception and
response in animals
e) Nervous coordination in animals
f) Hormonal coordination in animals
13. Support and a) Support systems in plants and 31
movement animals
b) Support systems in organisms
(Practical)
 c) Muscles
d) Movement/ locomotion
14. Reproduction, a) Asexual reproduction 48
growth and b) Sexual reproduction in animals
development. c) Sexual reproduction in lower
organisms and plants
d) Growth and development
NOTE

 A period is 40 minutes of teaching.

 A term has 10 weeks of effective teaching.
 There are 12 periods per week for teaching biology
 8 periods for theory and 4 for practical

MODE OF ASSESSMENT

Formative (continuous assessment)

Should be carried out during the teaching- learning process. The assessment reflects acquisition of
the following testable competences or learning outcomes.

a) Knowledge of;
 Common principles and generalisation identified in the syllabus
 Trends and sequences of phenomena
 Classification and categorising
 Investigation, procedures and techniques or methods to acquire data
 Conventions and presenting facts accurately
 Ways and means of defining terms, and specifics
b) Comprehension: Ability to:
 Translate facts and communicate knowledge accurately in a correct language.
 Interpret and explain concepts
 Extrapolate, describe and determine implications, and effects of a phenomenon.
c) Application:
 Ability to use abstract knowledge or situation to solve a problem
d) Analysis of:
 Scientific information
 Relationship and interaction of principles/ concepts
 Principles, systematic arrangement/ organisation and structure or information
provided.
 Derive/ make deductions from the data provided
e) Synthesis ability to:
 Develop ideas from experiences/ knowledge.
 Plan/ propose a set of work / activities basing on situation or information provided.
 Derive/ make deductions from the data provided.
f) Evaluation of:
 Terms and logical communication of knowledge
 Judgement of external criteria/ materials/ information
 Evidence, accuracy and consistency of information
g) Affective and practical abilities to be developed include:
 Application of knowledge to practical situations
  Manipulation of the apparatus, performing experiments and integrating with theory
 Making and recording observation accurately
 Demonstrating understanding of observations
 Presentation of data in an appropriate form or selected format
 Drawing conclusion from observation made or responses
 Assessing suitability of procedure, experiment and observations made in support of
the conclusion
 Making drawing of natural structures accurately

Summative assessment

UNEB will administer a biology principal subject examination at the end of the second year of study.
Test blue print for the examination is based on the curriculum content specification. It will also
provide examination regulations

Examination format

3 papers; paper one and two are theory while three is practical.

1. Paper 1
 Takes 2hrs and 30 minutes.
 Consist of 2 sections: A and B
 Section A contain 40 compulsory multiple choice questions based on any part of the
teaching syllabus.
 Section B contain 6 compulsory short structured answer questions also based on any part of
the syllabus
 Total: 100 marks
2. Paper 2
 Takes 2hrs and 30minutes
 Two sections A and B. Six questions set as follows:
 Section A, one compulsory question from any major topic (40 marks)
 Section B, Five questions; candidates will answer only three questions in this section. Each
question carries 20 marks
 Total 100%
3. Paper 3
 Takes 3hrs and 15 minutes.
 Has 3 compulsory questions
 Candidates will be required to answer all questions
 Total 100%

A’ LEVEL CHEMISTRY CONTENT OUTLINE

Part 1: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

SENIOR FIVE

TERM ONE

A) Matter
1. Atoms, molecules and ions
2. Mole concept
3. Measurements of concentration and introduction to volumetric analysis
 4. Empirical formula and molecular formula and percentage composition by mass
5. Oxidation- reduction (Redox) reactions
6. Stoichiometry: quantitative reactions in reactions
7. Redox titrations
8. Physical states of matter
9. Gaseous states of matter
10. Liquid states of matter
11. Solid states of matter
B) Atomic structure and periodic table
1. Fundamental particles of an atom and radioactivity
2. Electronic structure of atoms
3. The periodic table

TERM THREE

C) Structure and bonding

1. Chemical bonding
2. Structures: Drawing Lewis structures of molecules and polyatomic ions
3. Shapes of molecules
D) Thermochemistry (Chemical energetics)
1. Chemical energy
2. Types of heats of reactions
3. Calorimetry
4. Types of enthalpy changes
E) Physical equilibria
1. Systems, phases and components
 Component system ( Types of component systems)
 Types of solutions
 Colligative properties
F) Chemical equilibria
1. The concept of chemical equilibria
2. Comparison between Kc and Kp
3. Factors affecting the position of equilibrium in accordance with Le’ Chatelier’s principle
4. Applications of factors on industrial processes

SENIOR SIX

TERM TWO

G) Ionic equilibria
1. Acids, bases and salts
2. Hydrolysis of salts
3. Buffer solutions
4. Acid – base titrations
5. Solubility equilibria
H) Chemical kinetics
1. Simple rate equations
2. Factors affecting rates of reactions
I) Electrochemistry
1. Electrolysis
 2. Conductance and its measurements
3. Electrochemical cells

Part 2: INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

SENIOR FIVE

TERM ONE

J) Third short period of the periodic table

1. Trends in atomic and physical properties of the elements
2. Chemical reaction of the elements
3. Compounds of the elements

TERM TWO

K) The chemistry of group II elements (Alkaline earth metals)

1. Trends in physical properties of elements of group II
2. Chemical reactions of group II elements
3. Compounds of group II elements

TERM THREE

L) The chemistry of group IV elements

1. Trends in physical properties of group IV elements
2. Chemical reaction of the elements
3. Compounds of the group IV elements

SENIOR SIX

TERM ONE

M) The chemistry of group VII elements

1. Trends in physical properties of the elements
2. Chemical reactions of the elements of group II of periodic table
3. Compounds of the elements

TERM TWO

N) The chemistry of the d- block transition elements

1. The d- block transition elements
2. Chemical properties of the elements and their compounds

Part 3: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

SENIOR FIVE

TERM ONE

O) Introduction to organic chemistry

1. Introduction
P) Hydrocarbons ( Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes)
1. Introduction to alkanes and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties and uses of alkanes
3. Introduction to alkenes and their physical properties
 4. Chemical properties and uses of alkenes

TERM TWO

5. Introduction to alkynes and their physical properties

6. Chemical properties and uses of alkynes
Q) Halogen compounds

General objective

1. Introduction to halogen compounds and their physical properties

2. Chemical properties and uses of halogen compounds
R) Benzene and methyl benzene
1. Introduction to benzene and its physical properties
2. Chemical properties of benzene
3. Introduction to methyl benzene
4. Physical properties of methyl benzene

TERM THREE

S) Alcohols and phenols

1. Introduction to alcohols and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties of alcohols
3. Introduction to phenols and its physical properties
4. Chemical properties of phenols

SENIOR SIX

TERM ONE

T) Carbonyl compounds (Ketones and Aldehydes)

1. Introduction to carbonyl compounds and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties and uses of carbonyl compounds
U) Carboxylic (Alkanoic) acid
1. Introduction to carboxylic acids and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties and uses of carboxylic acids
3. Soaps and soap[less detergents
V) Esters
1. Introduction to esters and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties and uses of esters

TERM TWO

W) Amines
1. Introduction to amines and their physical properties
2. Chemical properties and use of amines
X) Polymers and polymerisation
1. Introduction to polymers
2. Rubber
3. Fibres
4. Plastics

INTRODUCTION
This syllabus is designed to build the chemistry of O’ level. Knowledge beyond that required
for UCE is not expected unless specifically mentioned in topics in the UACE syllabus. The
syllabus is broadly divided into three section A, B and C. Each of the sections is divided into
several topics and sub- topics which are arranged in a sequence that presents terms,
concepts and procedures which should be learned before those that build on, extend or
apply the knowledge gained.