'Tips for teaching Biology for the IB Diploma' Webinar Presentation

The New IB Biology Specification

Changes and Challenges

About me and the team

Coursebook - Author

Science communicator in education, at the Natural History Museum, University of Hong Kong, in the Middle East and in the UK

Experienced former lead teacher at a top IB school in the UK

Teacher trainer

Work book - written by an IB teacher with 15 years experience who has worked at international schools in the UK and Singapore Teachers Resources - compiled by an IB teacher with 10 years experience who is currently working in the UK.

Aims of this webinar

To summarise the changes to the new IB syllabus for first examinations in 2025

To outline how Cambridge University Press resources support syllabus changes

To discuss how using Cambridge resources can enhance learning for students as they study the course

To provide an opportunity for you to ask questions

KEY CHANGES TO THE SYLLABUS FOR IB BIOLOGY

Support from CUP resources

Key changes

There are no Options in the new syllabus

The approach should be more conceptual; there should be less content to cover

The content is now arranged in 40 topics in 16 ‘nodes’ known as the Roadmap

The sequence of teaching these topics is fluid and can be selected by teachers to suit their students and personal interests.

What’s new or more important?

• Membrane transport

• Chemical and neural signalling

• Water potential (HL)

• Defence against disease

• Conservation of biodiversity

• Stability and Change in ecosystems

• Climate Change

• IA can be a collaborative project

• No ‘personal engagement’ mark

• No specific ICT requirements in IA

• Use of statistics is tba

Options – although some topics are in the Core e.g., muscle structure and function

Digestive system

Detailed structure of the kidney

Monoclonal antibodies

Cloning and gene transfer

Human Genome Project

Applications such as stem cells use for human insulin production

New syllabus roadmap

The syllabusaims to integrate concepts, content and Nature of Science

Themes

Levels of Organisation

Molecules Cells

Organisms Ecosystems

Unity and Diversity

Water

Nucleic Acids

Origins of cells

Diversity

Form and Function

Carbohydrates

Lipids

Proteins

Cell structure

Viruses

Classification & cladistics

Evolution & speciation

Conservation of biodiversity

Interaction and Interdependence

Enzymes and metabolism

Cell respiration

Photosynthesis

Membranes & transport

Organelles & compartmentalisation

Chemical signalling

Neural signalling

Gas exchange

Transport

Muscles & motility

Integration of systems

Defence against disease

Adaptations to environment

Ecological niches

Populations & communities

Transfer of energy & matter

Continuity and Change

DNA replication

Protein synthesis

Mutations and gene editing

Cell & nuclear division

Gene expression

Water potential

Reproduction

Inheritance

Homeostasis

Natural selection

Stability & change

Climate change

Select a route through the content to suit your students and your own interests and instincts

Coursebook Chapter Organisation

Chapter 1 A1.1, A1.2, B1.1, B1.2 – Molecules and Water

Chapter 2 C1.1, C1.2, C1.3 - Metabolism, Respiration and Photosynthesis

Chapter 3 D1.1, D1.2, D,1.3 – DNA, Protein synthesis and Genetics

Chapter 4 D1.3 D2.3 - Gene expression

New syllabus roadmap

Chapters in the Coursebook

What’s new?

Species used as examples in the new syllabus

Bonobos

John Endler’s guppies

NEW EXAMPLES

Spruce bark beetles, Indonesian rainforest, Coral reefs and Cyclical succession are a few of the new examples that must be covered in the new course. All are included in the Coursebook

Some Features of the Coursebook

COURSE CONTENT, CROSS REFERENCED WITH ALL TOPICS

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES A SUMMARY OF WHAT IS INCLUDED IN EACH SECTION

NATURE OF SCIENCE

HOW WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO ABOUT SCIENCE

SCIENCE IN CONTEXT FEATURE – HOW CONTENTIS APPLIEDIN THE REAL WORLD

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS – USEFUL SHORT QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS’ SELF ASSESSMENT

CONTENT CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS’ SELF ASSESSMENT

EXAM STYLE QUESTIONS

– FORHOMEWORK OR EXAM PREPARATION

LINKING QUESTIONS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO MAKE LINKS BETWEEN DIFFERENTSECTIONS OF THE COURSE.

Learning Objectives and Guiding Questions

Nature of Science - Margin of error

Test your understanding questionsuseful short answer questions for students’ self assessment useful short questions for students’ self assessment

Exam tips

Useful pointers for students

If you are asked to make comparisons in an exam question, use a table to organise your information clearly and neatly. Remember to use terms such as ‘whereas’ or ‘on the other hand’ as you compare in any written answers

EXAM TIP

Make sure you can draw a molecular diagram to show how a peptide bond is formed between two amino acids. Remember that it is a condensation reaction,so water is produced.

Science in context feature

How Science is applied in the real world

The summary checklists are followed by ‘I can’ statements which correspond to the learning intentionsat the beginning of the chapter. Students can rate how confident they are for each of these statements and revisit any topics that they rated “Needs more work”

Links

At the end of each section – some suggestions, many others are possible

Reflection – use these boxes to ask your students to look back on the topics in the chapter and see how well they understand them.

Encourage them to reflect on and evaluate their own learning

Could I summarise the effect that humans have had on ecological relationshipsand the survival of organisms? Which factors would I describe first to a classmate?

More resources from the digital edition (comes with the book)

▪ Mock specimen papers with mark schemes

▪ Exam style questions and answers

▪ Data based questions

▪ Answers to all questions

▪ Guide to the IA and examinations

Assessment

Main changes and challenges

STANDARD LEVEL Assessment

External assessment (3 hours) 80%

Paper 1 (1 hour and 30 minutes) 36%

• Paper 1A—Multiple-choice questions

• Paper 1B—Data-basedquestions(four questions that are syllabus related, addressing all themes)

• (Total 55 marks)

Paper 2 (1 hour and 30 minutes) 44%

• Section A—Data-based and short answer questions Section B—Extended-responsequestions (Total 50 marks)

Internal assessment(10 hours) 20%

• The internal assessment consists of one task: the scientific investigation.

• This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.

• (Total 24 marks)

HIGHER LEVEL ASSESSMENT

External assessment (4 hours 30 minutes)– 80%

Paper 1 (2 hours) 36%

• Paper 1A—Multiple-choice questions

• Paper 1B—Data-basedquestions(four questions that are syllabus related, addressing all themes)

• (Total 75 marks)

Paper 2 (2 hour and 30 minutes) 44%

• Section A—Data-based and short answer questions Section B—Extended-responsequestions (Total 80 marks)

Internal assessment(10 hours) 20%

• The internal assessment consists of one task: the scientific investigation.

• This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.

• (Total 24 marks)

Questions about assessment

Some responses

We are assured that the number of hours in the syllabusguide is not an indication ofthe level of importance a topic will have in the exams.

Also, that the approximatemultiplechoice question allocation is 7 questions per assessment objective for SL and 10 questions for HL.

Even though ‘linking’ is important, there will only occasionallybe linking across themes or concepts in the examination papers. In the specimen papers you will see that linkingis not required to answer questions.

Tips for Teaching

Nature of Science

Aspects of Nature of Science

Evidence Observations Hypotheses

Patterns and trends

Measurements

Experiments

Theories

Science as a shared endeavour

Global impact of science

Nature of Science – an example

Gathering evidence – using the correct equipment and techniques for measurements

Hypotheses

ASK A QUESTION GATHER INFORMATION TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION

WRITE A DRAFT

HYPOTHESIS CARRY OUT EXPERIMENT REVISE YOUR HYPOTHESIS

Nature of Science –

How a hypothesis develops

Examples can be found in the Teachers Resources and Digital Content

Science as a shared endeavour and its global impact

Teachers Resources

How these support your teaching

Teachers Resources - Planning

Teaching plans with Content, Timings and Resources

Misconception How to identify How to overcome

Students might describe a molecule of DNA as a strand of DNA.

This often occurs when students describesemiconservative replication, so ask studentto do this

Ask students to describe the shape of DNA or ask them to define the term double helix. Review the key differences between RNA and DNA. Both exercises highlightDNA as a double-stranded molecule.

TEACHERS RESOURCES - Supporting

Common misconceptions lists in the teacher’s resource help you identify and overcome the challenges posed by misunderstandings

Some students use the words unwindingand separating interchangeablywhen describingthe role of DNA helicase.

Ask students to outline the role of DNA helicase.

Students who only use one of unwind orseparate are likely to think thesemean the same thing.

The unwindingand separatingof DNA strands can be simply modelled with two pieces of intertwined string.

Teachers Resources – Ideas and activities

Starter ideas

1. Complementary base pairing memory aids (10 minutes)

Resources:Adiagram of the structure of DNA that depicts complementary base pairing, which includes the names of the four bases: adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine (see PowerPoint 2, slide 23).

Description and purpose: The purpose of this starter is to help studentsremember complementary base pairing. Tell students to work in pairs or threesto invent as many memorable ways as possible of remembering which bases pair with which, e.g. Apple Tart, Chocolate Gateau. Students could share their favourite ideas with the class and the most popular ones could be displayed in the classroom to refer to in subsequent activities.

Teachers’ resourcesIdeas and Activities

Mainteachingideas

1. Gel electrophoresis(60 minutes)

Resources:Various,dependingon kit bought (see description below).

Description:The purposeof this activity is for studentsto carry out a gel electrophoresispractical,to visualise and understandtheprocess.Gel electrophoresiskits for schools can bebought onlinealthoughcan be expensive.Alternatively, 'homemade' kits can be createdusing householdmaterials. There are some onlinewebsites and videos outliningpossible materials and instructionsfor use orthosedescribed in the journal'Biochemistry and MolecularBiology Education',Vol. 40,No. 3, pp.198-203,2012,couldbeused.Whilst waiting for theelectrophoresisgel to run,studentscouldcomplete question2 in theWorkbook.

Resources contain ideas to support students who struggle with technical terms or who are working in a second language.

Teachers Resources -

Vocabulary support

Challenging technical vocabulary: e.g. subtle difference in subject specific terminology ‘intra- and inter-specific competition’

Activities such as word games and other suggestions for reinforcement are included in the Teachers Resources

Teachers’ resources –plenary ideas

Plenaryideas

1. IVF role play (15minutes)

Resources:N/A.

Descriptionandpurpose:Thepurposeofthis activity is to help students consolidatetheir understandingofhormonetherapyandIVF. Splitthe class in half.Ask one-halfofthe studentsto imagine they are a doctor explainingthe processofIVF to a couplewhohaverecentlyhad difficultyconceiving.Askthe otherhalf ofthe class to imagine they are the couplespeakingto the doctor.Give students5 minutes

2. Plantreproductionmindmap(10minutes)

Resources:A3paper,writingmaterials, PowerPoint8, slide 25 , sticky notes.

Descriptionandpurpose:Thisactivity helpsstudentsto create a visual summaryofthe topic ofplantreproductionanddrawconnections betweendifferentstages of plantreproduction.Studentsshouldeachhave a piece ofA3 paperandwrite 'plantreproduction'inthe middle.They shouldthenuse the wordsonthe PowerPoint.

Teachers

Resources -

Assessment

• End of Topic tests for each chapter, as well as exam-style questions in the Coursebook

• Workbook exercises with questions in all the different exam styles for self or teacher assessment

• Digital Material with more exam-stylequestions and answers

Workbook

A few sample questions

Implementing enquiry-based learning

Tools to teach with

Inquiry Based Learning is the heart of IB pedagogy

IB emphasizes the students’ central role in the learning process in which they are encouraged to explore, ask questions and share ideas instead of simply memorizing facts

The teacher’s role is to support students in their learning and to engage them by triggering their curiosity

Building Brighter Futures Together

Practical Tools

The IB proposes three main tools to assist with practical teaching and preparation for the internally assessed scientific investigation. These are essential to develop your students’ skills.

1. Experimental Techniques – in Coursebook and Teachers Resources

2. Applying technology to generate or present data –references in Teachers resources

3. Mathematics

‘Tools’ to teach with – two examples

Tool 1-

Measuring

Tool 2-

Applying technology

Tool 3 -

Maths

C1.2.6 Students should make measurements allowingfor the determination of the rate of cell respiration. They should be able to calculatethe rate of cellular respiration from raw data or secondary data

1. Measuring mass and time accurately

2. Showing data in a graph

3. Calculatingrate

B4.1.4 Students should use transect data to correlate distribution of plant or animal species with abioticdata

3. Understand direct and inverse proportionalitybetween variables.Using random/systematicsampling. Also Tool 1. Making careful observations

How the Cambridge Resources support your teaching

The coursebookcovers all the required material and includes activities and support material for both students and teachers.

The coursebook has content objectives which are linked to the Teachers Resourcesto help you prepare new lessons and understand the changes

The Workbook provides activities and extensive banks of questions for both teachers and students to use as support and for exam preparation.

Online digital material provides answers to all the questions in the coursebook as well as detailed information on preparing for the Internal Assessment.

Building Brighter Futures Together

Building Brighter Futures Together