X-SMALL
SMALL
MEDIUM
LARGE
EXTRA LARGE
EXTRA EXTRA LARGE
×

Information on "E-Classes" (English Immersion)

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

Core content of each school year, basic course

1st year/ 2nd year / 3rd year

1st year core contents

  • 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)

2nd year core contents

  • 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)

3rd year core contents

  • 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

Core Content of each school year, focus course

1st year/ 2nd year / 3rd year / 4th year

1st year core contents

  • 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).

2nd year core contents

  • 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)

3rd year core contents

  • 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

4th year core contents

  • 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