Biology is one of the three subjects (the others are mathematics and history) taught in English language if students choose the "E" immersion program at Gymnasium Muttenz. Contents of the course are comparable to regular classes in German (see below) however, the resources used are adapted to the anglophone context. At the moment, our courses are furnished with original textbooks published in the US, the UK and New Zealand.
Mandatory literature for basic and focus class is: Kent, Michael: Advanced Biology (2nd Edition), Oxford University Press, 2013
Cell biology (structure and function of animal and plant cells, tissues, metabolism, differentiation)
Molecular transport across biological membranes (mechanisms of passive transport – diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis - and mechanisms of active transport)
From single- to multi-cellular organisms
Cell cycle in eukaryotes (mitosis)
Introduction to evolutionary concepts
Introduction to ecology using a typical example of an ecosystem
Impact of humans on ecosystems
Botany (structure and function of plants, water transport) and zoology (adaptation of plants to different environments)
Photosynthesis
Cellular respiration and fermentation
The molecules of life (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids)
Digestion and Nutrition (digestive system, composition of food – macronutrients, vitamins, trace elements, fibres – their digestion and absorption)
Blood (gaseous exchange and transport, blood clotting, ABO-blood group system)
Heart and circulation (structure and function of the heart, cardiac cycle, blood pressure, blood vessels)
Respiratory system (structure and function of the lungs)
Neurons (structure, transmission of a nerve impulse, the mammalian nervous system, reflex arches)
Nervous system (development of nervous systems, spinal cord and brain, somatic and autonomic nervous system, sense organs (one example))
Skeletal and muscular system, behavioral biology
Endocrine System (examples of effects of hormones: diabetes, stress response)
Classical and molecular genetics (basic concepts, meiosis, Mendel’s Rules, chromosomal theory of inheritance, protein biosynthesis, mutations)
Immunology (innate and adaptive immune response, vaccination (active and passive immunisation)
Microbiology (structure and reproduction of bacteria and viruses (focus on E.coli and HIV), infectious diseases, antibiotics)
Reproduction and development (gametogenesis, mating and fertilisation in mammals, birth control, implantation and embryonic development, pregnancy, birth)
Hormonal regulation of female reproduction cycle
Prenatal and pre-implantation diagnostics
Cell biology (structure and function of animal and plant cells, tissues, metabolism, differentiation)
The molecules of life (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids)
Molecular transport across biological membranes (mechanisms of passive transport – diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis - and mechanisms of active transport)
From single- to multi-cellular organisms
Cell cycle in eukaryotes (mitosis)
Introduction to evolutionary concepts
Introduction to ecology using a typical example of an ecosystem
Impact of humans on ecosystems
Botany (structure and function of plants, water transport, adaptation of plants to different environments)
Photosynthesis
Cellular respiration and fermentation
Introduction to blood (liquid and solid contents of blood, development and differentiation of blood cells).
Blood (gaseous exchange and transport, blood clotting, ABO-blood group system)
Heart and circulation (structure and function of the heart, cardiac cycle, blood pressure, blood vessels)
Respiratory system (structure and function of the lungs)
Digestion and Nutrition (digestive system, composition of food – macronutrients, vitamins, trace elements, fibres – their digestion and absorption)
Excretion - kidney structure and function
Introduction to ecology using a typical example of an ecosystem
Impact of humans on ecosystems
Microbiology (structure and reproduction of bacteria and viruses (focus on E.coli and HIV), infectious diseases, antibiotics)
Neurons (structure, transmission of a nerve impulse, synapses and the mammalian nervous system, animal senses, reflex arches)
Nervous system (development of nervous systems, spinal cord and brain, somatic and autonomic nervous system)
Endocrine System (examples of effects of hormones: diabetes, stress response)
Sense organs (with selected examples)
Behavioral biology
Evolution (theories & evidences of evolution, natural selection, speciation, artificial selection, human evolution)
Taxonomy (systematics) of plants and animals
Classical and molecular genetics (basic concepts, meiosis, Mendel’s Rules, chromosomal theory of inheritance, protein biosynthesis, mutations)
Immunology (innate and adaptive immune response, vaccination (active and passive immunization), ABO-blood group system)
Reproduction and development (gametogenesis, mammalian reproductive cycles, mating and fertilisation in mammals, birth control, implantation and embryonic development, pregnancy, the placenta and birth)
Hormonal regulation of female reproduction cycle
Prenatal and pre-implantation diagnostics