Higher Biology

&Environmental Science

Assignment

The Assignment

• You will have to investigate a relevant topic in biology/environmental science and communicate your research findings in a report. This must relate to a key area of the Higher Biology/Environmental Science Course.

• Worth 20 marks out of a total of 120 marks (the final exam is worth 100 marks),

• Marked by the SQA.

The Assignment consists of 2 stages:

Research Stage

• Select sufficient sources of information/data that:

- are relevant:- are reliable:-have similar/different perspectives:

• Information/data could include raw data from an experiment/practical activity, extracted tables, graphs, diagrams and text.

• Record the sources you have used with enough detail to allow someone else to find them again. If one of the sources is an experiment/practical activity, then you need to record the title and the aim.

Communication Stage

• You need to write a report under exam conditions.

• You can only use information/data that you

have collected from your research. This may include, for example: statistical, graphical, numerical or experimental data; data/information from the internet; published articles or extracts; notes taken from a visit or talk; or notes taken from a written or audio-visual source, but it cannot include a prepared draft report.

• As a guide, your report should be 800–1500

words, excluding tables, charts and diagrams.

You will be issued with a detailed guide to help you complete both

stages of the Assignment.......

•USE IT!

Insects

Make a list of positive and negative ways in which insects impact on humans.

Assignment TitlesInsects as a Potential Food

Source.Insects and their Impact on

the Human Population.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004v278

Focus QuestionsInsects as a Potential Food Source

• Could entomophagy address food security issues?

• What is the nutritional value of entomophagy?

• What are the issues surrounding using insects for human consumption?

• What role could insects play in famine relief?

• Could insects be used as a feed source in intensive poultry production?

• Could insects be used as a feed source in intensive fish farming?

• How can edible insect resources be conserved and managed?

Insects and their Impact on the Human Population.

• What impact could climate change have on the incidence of malaria?

• How do insects impact on intensive salmon production?

• How do insects impact on crop yield?

• Could insects be used as pest management in intensive arable agriculture?

Get started………

• Time to get busy.

• Choose a focus question. You may have ideas for focus questions of your own. If so, check that it fits the remit with your teacher.

• Read the ‘Instructions for Candidates’ booklet carefully. You MUST follow the advice given.

• Start your research. Most of this will be done in your own time. Give yourself plenty of time to do this – its important!

Assignment Deadline Dates• The Research

stage should be completed by ?????

• The Communication Stage will be on ??????????????