Scholarship Biology

Scholarship Biology

 Course Description

Scholarship Biology provides an exciting opportunity for you to extend and deepen your knowledge and understanding of Biology. The course not only covers and expands your knowledge of the Biology Standards covered in Westlake Girls, but it also provides learning opportunities in all Level 2 and 3 Biology standards examined by the NZQA. The Scholarship Biology examination requires students to write extended essay-style responses to unfamiliar contexts, and so our course aims to develop your critical thinking and improve your ability to plan, process and produce well-considered, structured, and fluent answers.   

The scholarship course takes place outside of normal class time to be determined by the staff and students involved. It is imperative students attend regularly to extend both their biological knowledge and skill in producing scholarship-level responses. 

Scholarship Biology Exam Date: Monday 13th November at 2pm

Format of the assessment

There will be three questions: The questions will require an analysis of biological contexts and the use of ecological, genetic, and evolutionary concepts (found throughout the Level 2 and 3 curriculum) to integrate biological knowledge and skills into an extended answer. Resource or stimulus material will be provided for each question, and candidates are expected to integrate this into each answer. 

Biology Scholarship candidates must demonstrate:

• analysis and critical thinking through considering the biological evidence and making well-reasoned, justified judgements.
• integration, synthesis and application of highly developed knowledge, skills and understanding to complex situations by selecting, organising and applying relevant biological concepts to develop reasoned responses to a wide range of biological contexts.
• logical development, precision and clarity of ideas through organising relevant evidence into a coherent answer presented as a well written discussion using biological terms appropriately.
• perception and insight reflected by using independent thought drawing from both the biological material provided and beyond to provide an in-depth response.
• sophisticated integration and abstraction through planning, processing, linking, and applying relevant biological concepts to present a comprehensive discussion. 
• independent reflection and extrapolation by identification and analysis of information from both material provided and beyond to make an informed judgement about a biological context with consideration of possible consequences.
• convincing communication reflected in planning and presenting a fully integrated, fluent, coherent, relevant discussion.