WAEC Biology Syllabus

i. Living and non-living things

ii. Classification of living things into Kingdoms: Monera, Protoctista (Protista), Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.

iii. Differences between plants and animals

i. Cell (single-celled organisms): Amoeba, Euglena, Paramecium

ii. Tissue: Hydra

iii. Organ (storage organ) bulb, rhizome and heart.

iv. System/Organ System: In mammals, flowering plants – reproductive, excretory systems, etc.

v. The complexity of organization in higher organisms: advantages and disadvantages.

FORMS IN WHICH LIVING CELLS EXIST.

i. Single and free-living: Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena, and 
Chlamydomonas

ii. Colony: Volvox

iii. Filament: Spirogyra

iv. Part of a living organism: Cheek cells, onion root tip cells and epidermis of fleshy leaves.

 i. Cell structure and functions of cell components

ii. Similarities and differences between plant and animal cells

iii. The Cell and its environment: Physical and Biophysical processes; 
(a) diffusion 
(b) osmosis 
(c) active transport

iv. Properties and functions of the living cell; 
(a) Nutrition 
(i) Autotrophic (photosynthesis) 
(ii) Heterotrophic (holozoic)

Definition and processes of:

i. aerobic respiration

ii. anaerobic respiration

iii. energy release

EXCRETION 

i. Excretion in single-celled aquatic organisms. Diffusion by body surface and by the contractile vacuole.

ii. Waste products of metabolism

i. Basis of growth – cell division (mitosis), enlargement and differentiation.

ii. Aspects of growth: Increase in dry weight, irreversible increase in size and length and increase in the number of cells

iii. Regions of the fastest growth in plants

iv. Influence of growth hormones and auxins

v. Growth curvatures (Tropisms)

vi. Development: Enlargement and differentiation

vii. Movement

a) Organelles for movement: cilia and flagella

b) Cyclosis

Types of reproduction.

i. Asexual: fission, budding and vegetative propagation.

ii. Sexual: Conjugation, formation of male and female gametes (gametogenesis), a fusion of gametes fertilization)

Biological significance.

i. Skeletal materials, e.g. bone

ii. Cartilage and chitin

iii. Types of skeleton

iv. The exoskeleton, endoskeleton and hydrostatic skeleton.

v. Bones of the vertebral

vi. Column, girdles and long bones of the appendicular skeleton.

vii. Mechanism of support in animals.

viii. Functions of the skeleton in animals:
Protection, support, locomotion and respiratory movement.

i. Main features of supporting tissues in plants

ii. Functions of supporting tissues in plants: strength, rigidity (resistance against the forces of the wind and water), flexibility and resilience

i. Need for transport

a) surface area/volume ratio

b) substances have to move greater distances.

ii. Transport in animals

a) Structure of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries.

b) Composition and function of blood and lymph.

c) Materials for transport: excretory products, gases, digested food, and other nutrients

iii. Transport in plants

a) Uptake and movement of water and mineral salts in plants.

iv. Movement of water to the apex of trees and herbs

i. Body surface: cutaneous, gills and lungs

ii. Mechanisms of gaseous exchange in fish, toads, mammals and plants.

i. Excretory Systems and Mechanisms

ii. Types of excretory systems: Kidney, stomata and lenticels

iii. Characteristics of excretory organs in these systems should be studied.

iv. Candidates should observe, draw and label the excretory organs of a small mammal (e.g. rat)

v. Explanation of the concept of excretion in plants. Plant excretory products (water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, alkaloids, tannins, gums, resins and acids) should be mentioned.

i. Kidney: Structure and functions

ii. Liver

iii. Functions of the liver

iv. The skin: Structure and function

 i. Animal hormones: Site of secretion, functions and effects of over and under-secretion

ii. Plant hormones

i. The central nervous system

a) Components of the central nervous system

b) Parts of the brain and their functions; cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus and their functions

c) Structure and function of the Spinal Cord.

ii. Peripheral Nervous System.

a) Somatic Nervous System

b) Autonomic nervous system

c) Structure and functions of the neurone

d) Classification of neurones

iii. Types of nervous actions

a) The reflex arc

b) Reflex and voluntary actions

c) Differences between reflex and voluntary actions.

d) Conditioned reflex and its role in the behaviour

i. Structure and function of the

a) Eye

b) Ear

 i. The reproductive system of mammals
a) Structure and function of male and female reproductive systems.
b) Differences between male and female reproductive organs.
c) Structure of the gametes (sperm and ovum)
d) Fertilization, development of the embryo and birth.
e) Birth control

ii. Metamorphosis in insects, life histories of butterfly and cockroach

iii. Comparison of reproduction in fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammal

iv. Reproduction in flowering plants
a) Arrangements of floral parts of a named insect-pollinated flower and a named wind-pollinated flower.
b) Structure and function of the male and female parts of a flower.

v. Pollination in Plants
a) Types of pollination
b) Features of cross-pollinated and self-pollinated flowers
c) Agents of Pollination

vi. Process of development of zygote in flowering plants
a) Fertilization
b) Types of fruits (classification).
c) Structure of fruits

vii. Dispersal of fruits and seeds: Agents of dispersal

1. Plant Nutrition

i. Photosynthesis:

Process of photosynthesis and its chemical equation

Light and dark reactions

Materials and conditions necessary for photosynthesis

Evidence of photosynthesis

ii. Mineral requirement of plants

Mineral nutrition: Macro and micro-nutrients

Soil and atmosphere as sources of mineral elements

2. Animal Nutrition

i. Food substances; classes and sources

ii. A balanced diet and its importance

iii. Digestive enzymes: Classes, characteristics and functions

iv. Modes of Nutrition

a) Autotrophic: Photosynthesis,

b) Heterotrophic: holozoic, parasitic, symbiotic and saprophytic

v. Alimentary System: Alimentary tract of different animals

vi. Dental Formula

vii. Feeding in protozoa and mammals

 i. Ecosystem: Components of the ecosystem and sizes
a) Ecological components: environment, biosphere, habitat, population, biotic community and ecosystem
b) Components of the ecosystem: Biotic and abiotic

ii. Ecological factors: Ecological factors in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

iii. Simple Measurement of Ecological Factors.
a) Physical factors: Climatic, topographic and gaseous.
b) Edaphic factors: Chemical and physical composition, moisture content and soil texture

iv. Food webs and trophic levels
a) Autotrophs and Heterotrophs
• Producers: autotrophs
• Consumers: heterotrophs
• Decomposers
b) The trophic levels energy relationship
• Food chain
• Food web

v. Energy flow
a) Food/Energy relationship in the aquatic and terrestrial environment.
b) Pyramid of energy and the Pyramid of numbers.

vi. Decomposition in nature
a) Decomposers: (micro and macro-decomposers)
b) Gaseous products
c) Role of decomposers

vii. Ecological Management:
a) Biological Associations
b) Type of associations: Parasitism, symbiosis, commensalism and saprophytism.
c) Adaptation of organisms to habitats.

viii. Pollution of the atmosphere
a) Nature, names, sources and effects of air pollutants
b) Effect of noise

ix. Water and Soil Pollution
a) Type and effects of pollutants

x. Ecology of population
a) Ecological succession
• Structural changes in species composition, variety or diversity and increase in numbers.
• General characteristics and outcomes of succession
b) Primary succession
c) Succession in terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
d) Secondary succession, the climax of the succession: characteristic of a stable ecosystem

xi. Factors that affect the population size: natality, mortality, emigration, immigration, food shortage, predation, competition and diseases.

xii. Preservation and storage of foods

xiii. The life of selected insects;
a) Weevils and cotton strainers
b) Control of pests

xiv. Microorganisms: Man and health
a) Carriers of microorganisms
b) Microorganisms in action
• Beneficial effects in nature, medicine and industries.
• Harmful effects of micro-organisms, diseases caused by microorganisms: cholera, measles, malaria and ringworm
c) Towards Better Health
• Methods of .controlling harmful microorganisms: high temperature, antibiotics, antiseptics, high salinity and dehydration.
• Ways of controlling the vectors
d) Public Health: The importance of the following towards the maintenance of good health practices:
• Refuse and sewage disposal.
• Immunization, vaccination and inoculation (control of diseases)