Georgia · GaDOESyllabus
Biology syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Georgia Biologysyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
SB1: Cells
Module overview →- How do cell structures and organelles interact as a system to keep a cell alive and in balance?Construct an explanation of how cell structures and organelles (nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplasts, lysosome, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, ribosomes, mitochondria) interact as a system to maintain homeostasis (GSE SB1.a).13 min answer →
- How does a cell move materials across its membrane to maintain homeostasis?Determine the role of cellular transport (diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion, and active transport) across the selectively permeable membrane in maintaining homeostasis (GSE SB1.d).13 min answer →
- How do enzymes speed up the reactions of a cell, and what changes how fast they work?Explain how enzymes (a type of protein) lower activation energy and carry out cellular processes, and how temperature, pH, and substrate fit affect enzyme activity (GSE SB1.c).12 min answer →
- How do photosynthesis and cellular respiration cycle matter and energy through the cell?Explain the roles of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of matter and the flow of energy, including their reactants, products, and how the two processes connect (GSE SB1.e).13 min answer →
- What is the difference between a prokaryotic and a eukaryotic cell, and why does that difference matter?Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the presence or absence of a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles, and explain the advantage of cellular compartmentalization (GSE SB1.a).12 min answer →
- How does the structure of each macromolecule suit the job it does in a cell?Relate the structure of the four macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids), their monomers, and their functions in carrying out cellular processes (GSE SB1.c).12 min answer →
SB5: Ecology
Module overview →- Why does greater biodiversity make an ecosystem more stable?Evaluate the factors that affect biodiversity and the stability of ecosystems, including keystone species, the effects of removing species, and symbiotic relationships (GSE SB5.c).12 min answer →
- How do carbon, nitrogen, and water cycle through an ecosystem so that matter is reused?Analyze the cycling of matter through ecosystems, including the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles, and the roles of photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposers (GSE SB5.b).13 min answer →
- How does energy flow through an ecosystem, and why does so little reach the top?Analyze the flow of energy through ecosystems using food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids, including the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers and the ten percent rule (GSE SB5.b).13 min answer →
- How do ecosystems change over time and recover after a disturbance?Predict the impact of environmental change on the stability of an ecosystem, including ecological succession (primary and secondary) and the effects of natural and human-induced disturbances (GSE SB5.d).12 min answer →
- How do human activities affect ecosystems, and how can we reduce the damage?Evaluate the impact of human activities on ecosystems (habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, climate change) and design solutions to reduce that impact (GSE SB5.c, SB5.e).12 min answer →
- What controls how big a population can grow in an ecosystem?Analyze data on population growth, including exponential and logistic growth, carrying capacity, and limiting factors (density-dependent and density-independent) (GSE SB5.a).12 min answer →
SB6: Theory of Evolution
Module overview →- What lines of evidence support the claim that all living organisms are related by common descent?Construct an argument using valid and reliable sources to support the claim that evidence from comparative morphology (analogous vs. homologous structures), embryology, biochemistry, and genetics supports common descent (GSE SB6.c).13 min answer →
- Besides natural selection, what processes change the allele frequencies of a population?Develop and use mathematical models to support explanations of how undirected genetic changes, including genetic drift and gene flow, alongside natural selection, lead to changes in populations of organisms (GSE SB6.d).13 min answer →
- How does natural selection act on heritable variation to change a population over time?Use mathematical and conceptual models to explain how natural selection acts on heritable variation to change the traits of a population over generations (GSE SB6.d).13 min answer →
- How do new species form, and how does natural selection cause antibiotic and pesticide resistance?Analyze and interpret data to explain patterns in biodiversity that result from speciation, and develop a model to explain how natural selection causes biological resistance such as pesticide and antibiotic resistance (GSE SB6.b, SB6.e).13 min answer →
- How did discoveries in Earth's history, the emergence of new species, and genetics shape our modern understanding of evolution?Construct an explanation of how new understandings of Earth's history, the emergence of new species from pre-existing species, and our understanding of genetics have influenced our understanding of biology (GSE SB6.a).13 min answer →
SB3: Heredity
Module overview →- How do inheritance patterns that are not simple dominant and recessive work?Use mathematical models to predict and explain patterns of inheritance beyond simple dominance, including incomplete dominance, codominance, and multiple alleles (such as ABO blood type) (GSE SB3.b).12 min answer →
- How does meiosis produce gametes and create the genetic variation seen in offspring?Explain the role of meiosis in producing gametes and in generating genetic variation through crossing over and independent assortment (GSE SB3.a).12 min answer →
- How do Mendel's laws and a Punnett square let us predict the genotype and phenotype ratios of a cross?Use Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment, with Punnett squares, to predict the genotype and phenotype ratios and probabilities of monohybrid crosses (GSE SB3.b).13 min answer →
- How do we trace a trait through a family, and why are some traits more common in males?Analyze pedigrees to determine patterns of inheritance, and explain sex-linked inheritance, including why X-linked recessive traits appear more often in males (GSE SB3.b).12 min answer →
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of sexual versus asexual reproduction in different environments?Compare the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction, relating genetic variation to survival in stable versus changing environments (GSE SB3.c).12 min answer →
SB2: Molecular Genetics
Module overview →- How do we use our knowledge of DNA in forensics, medicine, and agriculture, and what concerns does that raise?Describe the uses and ethical considerations of biotechnology in forensics, medicine, and agriculture, including genetic engineering, GMOs, gene therapy, cloning, and DNA fingerprinting (GSE SB2.c).12 min answer →
- How does the structure of DNA and RNA suit their job of storing and carrying genetic information?Describe the structure of DNA and RNA, including the double helix, nucleotides, and complementary base pairing, and compare DNA and RNA (GSE SB2.a).12 min answer →
- How does a cell copy its DNA so that each new cell gets a complete, accurate set?Explain the process of DNA replication, including its semiconservative nature, the role of complementary base pairing, and why accurate copying matters (GSE SB2.a).12 min answer →
- How can a change in DNA lead to a change in an organism's traits?Construct an argument that mutations (changes in DNA sequence and chromosomal alterations) may result in phenotypic variation, and classify gene mutations as beneficial, harmful, or neutral (GSE SB2.b).12 min answer →
- How does the information in a gene get turned into a protein?Explain how genetic information is expressed through transcription (DNA to mRNA) and translation (mRNA to protein), including the roles of mRNA, tRNA, ribosomes, codons, and the genetic code (GSE SB2.a).13 min answer →
SB4: Classification and Phylogeny
Module overview →- How do the organ systems of a body interact to maintain a stable internal environment?Illustrate the organization of interacting systems in multicellular organisms and explain how they maintain homeostasis through feedback, including the levels of organization from cells to organ systems (GSE SB4.a).13 min answer →
- How do cladograms and phylogenetic trees show the evolutionary relationships among organisms?Analyze and interpret cladograms and phylogenetic trees based on shared derived characteristics and common ancestry to determine relationships among groups of organisms (GSE SB4.b).12 min answer →
- How do biologists organize the diversity of life into a system of groups?Explain how organisms are classified using the three domains, the levels of taxonomy, and binomial nomenclature, based on shared characteristics and common ancestry (GSE SB4.a, SB4.b).12 min answer →
- How does a cell grow and divide to maintain the continuity of life?Explain the cell cycle, including interphase and mitosis (PMAT), the role of mitosis and binary fission in growth and reproduction, and how loss of cell-cycle control leads to cancer (GSE SB1.b).12 min answer →
- Are viruses alive? How do they compare with living cells?Compare viruses with living organisms, including their structure and reproduction, and evaluate whether viruses meet the criteria for life (GSE SB4.c).12 min answer →