Grade 10 Biology

By the end of this section you should be able to:

• Define biotechnology.

 • Discuss the significance of biotechnology.

• Explain some of the traditional uses

of biotechnology, for example, in

preparing bread, yoghurt, cheese and beer.

• Identify new applications of

biotechnology in agriculture,

 food production, medicine and energy

production.

By the end of this section you should be able to:

 • Define heredity and compare mitosis and meiosis.

 • Define chromosome, DNA and genes.

• Describe the structure of chromosomes and list the components of DNA.

• Describe the work of Gregor Mendel on garden peas and relate his experiments to the principle of inheritance. 

• Demonstrate the principle of inheritance using beads

• Describe the methods, importance and examples of breeding farm animals and crops. 

• Describe methods of breeding farm animals and crops. 

• Explain the importance of selective breeding for society

• Explain the difference between selective breeding and cross-breeding.

• Give examples of selective breeding from your own experience.

By the end of this section you should be able to:

• Name the parts of the nervous system.

• Explain the structures and functions of the human nervous system.

• List the three types of neurons, indicate their structures and explain their

functions.

• Describe an action potential and the passage of a nerve impulse along a

neuron with examples. • Describe a synapse and how an action potential crosses it. • Describe neurotransmitters with examples. • Explain how the brain is protected and compare the functions of the fore,

mid and hind brain. • Describe the reflex arc, mention the structures involved and compare

simple and conditioned reflexes. • Demonstrate at least two examples of reflex actions such as knee jerks

and blinking. • Define substance abuse, explain its effects, its status in Ethiopia and

possible preventative measures. • Give examples of drugs abused in the locality. • Express willingness to conform to a drug-free lifestyle.

• Indicate the structures of the human eye, ear, skin, tongue and nose using diagrams or models, and describe their functions and methods of caring for them.

• Show the structures of the eye using a sheep’s or cow’s eye. • Describe image formation and accommodation. • Demonstrate the blind spot. • List common eye defects in humans and explain their causes and the

available corrective measures. • Explain how balance is maintained by the inner ear. • Identify the taste areas of the tongue. • Conduct an experiment to prove that the actual taste of food is a

mixture of taste and smell. • Draw and label the smelling organ. • Draw and label the structure of the skin.

• Define glands as structures that produce hormones or other secretions and distinguish between exocrine and endocrine glands.

 • Locate the position of the main endocrine glands and describe their

functions. • State the cause and treatment of goitre. • State the cause and treatment of diabetes mellitus. • Describe the menstrual cycle and the associated changes.

 • List the different birth control methods and explain how each one works

• Describe female genital mutilation as a harmful traditional practice.

• Describe the symptoms and incubation period of HIV/AIDS. • Explain how AIDS is currently treated. • Demonstrate life skills that will help you prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

• Define homeostasis as maintenance of a constant internal environment  and explain its significance. • Define poikilotherms as organisms whose temperature is governed by the

external temperature. • Define homoiotherms (homeotherms) as organisms with constant body

temperatures. • Explain the physiological methods of temperature regulation in

homoiotherms. • Explain the behavioural methods of temperature regulation in

homoiotherms and poikilotherms. • Label the structures of the kidney. • State the functions of the structures of the kidney. • Explain how the kidney regulates water and ionic balance. • Explain how the skin helps in water and salt balance. • Explain the role of the liver in regulation of the body

By the end of this section you should be able to:

• Label the internal structures of leaves.

• Explain the functions of the internal structures of leaves.

• Use the microscope to study the internal structures of leaves

• Explain the importance of light, chlorophyll and carbon dioxide (CO2) for photosynthesis.

• Demonstrate the importance of light, chlorophyll and carbon dioxide

(CO2

) for photosynthesis with simple experiments.

• Explain how plants convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrate

by describing the light and dark reactions.

• List the various food storage organs of plants with examples.

• Explain the importance of photosynthesis in agriculture.

• Explain that much photosynthesis takes place in water bodies and that

people need to try and make use of this.

• Explain how photosynthesis helps to balance the concentrations of

oxygen (O2

) and carbon dioxide (CO2

) in the atmosphere.

• Explain how deforestation may lead to a CO2 build-up in the atmosphere

and finally to global warming.

• Explain water uptake by the roots.

• Explain the mechanism of water movement in plants.

• Describe transpiration, the factors affecting it and its implications for

agriculture.

• Demonstrate water transport in plants using simple experiments.

• Explain the mechanism of uptake of mineral salts through roots.

• Describe the movement of organic materials in the phloem.

• Demonstrate the processes of germination in dicots and monocots

• List the plant hormones.

• State the functions of the plant hormones.

• Outline the mechanism of action of auxins.

• Explain the effect of removing apical dominance on plant growth.

• Demonstrate how sunlight influences plant growth.

• Name the different types of tropisms in plants.

• Explain the processes of tropism.

By the end of this section you should be able to:

 • Define natural resources. • Define renewable and non-renewable resources.  • Classify natural resources as renewable and non-renewable. • Define conservation as the protection and preservation of our natural

environment.

 • Define biodiversity as the wealth of species in a given place.

• Explain the importance of conserving biodiversity. • Summarise the general methods of conserving biodiversity

• State some uses of vegetation. • Discuss the impact of human activity on natural vegetation. • Discuss how Ethiopian vegetation was affected in history. • List some of the endemic vegetation species in Ethiopia. • Discuss methods of conservation of vegetation. • Narrate how Ethiopian vegetation was affected in history.

• State the uses of wildlife.  • Describe the effects of humans on wildlife and its status in Ethiopia. • List at least five endemic wildlife species of Ethiopia. • Discuss methods of conservation of wildlife and the uses of National Parks of Ethiopia. • List at least five national parks of Ethiopia and mention some of the

common species that exist in each of the National Parks.

• Explain the causes of air pollution. • Explain the effects of air pollution. • Define global warming. • State the causes of global warming. • Explain the methods of preventing global warming.