ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: jackinthepatch on January 14, 2009, 08:43:31 pm

Title: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 14, 2009, 08:43:31 pm
So who else on here is doing bio 3/4 this year?
I think it will be my favourite subject and the one I will do best in, anyone else looking forward to it?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 14, 2009, 09:48:15 pm
yep im doing it this year! i'm looking forward to it ! :) what hw did you get fr biology?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 14, 2009, 09:58:07 pm
We had to go through the first few chapters of the text, and answer a few questions from it...as well as a few pages of the Biozone question book. Could have been much worse lol. I also just read forward a fair bit, just so I can stay a little bit ahead. How about you?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 14, 2009, 11:44:35 pm
I'm doing it.. Not looking forward to it too much though (not a big fan of biology mainly because of a teacher I had). Should be alright.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 14, 2009, 11:51:45 pm
Yeah the quality of teaching can make or break a subject from my experience. Luckily I've got a really good bio teacher for this year, but unfortunately she's one of my best mates mums, which will be a bit awkward haha.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 14, 2009, 11:57:51 pm
Yeah the quality of teaching can make or break a subject from my experience.

True, though my chemistry teacher was terrible and made me want to rip my hair out every single lesson, and I still love chemistry :D
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 15, 2009, 12:03:06 am
i always had a fetish for biology but i never seemed to find interest in it, maybe because whenever i see my biology teacher along with words like "membrane" and "nucleus" i get turned off.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 15, 2009, 09:08:48 am
LOL. Membrane.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 15, 2009, 10:47:37 am
Yerh im looking forward to it mainly because of my teacher. my homework was to answer q.1-22 of nelsons and we had 3-4 worksheets. and i completed them :) now im making notes and reading further.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: beezy4eva on January 15, 2009, 09:41:05 pm
Nice to see plenty of enthusiatic students for such a fascinating subject  :)
I hope you've all already subscribed to douchys biology podcasts; he covers pretty much all of the topics you will need to know. His enthusiam for biology is also very contagious :)
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 15, 2009, 09:49:06 pm
Ahh thank you for that piece of advice beezy4eva, I'll subscribe very soon. By the way, I think I know who I'll turn to if I have any troubles with bio lol, very nice work on the 50!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 16, 2009, 04:33:51 pm
ACTUALLY I'M TAKING BIO 09' YAYAYUAYAYAYAY
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 27, 2009, 12:20:41 pm
ACTUALLY I'M TAKING BIO 09' YAYAYUAYAYAYAY

Haha yay we've recruited another person. What did ya drop for it?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 27, 2009, 01:31:57 pm
ACTUALLY I'M TAKING BIO 09' YAYAYUAYAYAYAY

Haha yay we've recruited another person. What did ya drop for it?
amm first it was chem than i decided to drop spec instead.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 27, 2009, 01:36:25 pm
Sick. Yeah keeping chem will help with bio this year I'd reckon. Hope so anyway lol.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 27, 2009, 01:37:36 pm
lol yee goodluck with it all this yearm even though i can tell you'll get 99.xx, especially with the 50 powah.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 27, 2009, 02:28:15 pm
Lol cheers mate. Good luck to you too. Your legal score was pretty bloody good tho, you beat everyone who did legal at my school lol. Btw dunno about 99 lol, I'll try my best haha. You'd be hoping for a high ENTER too yeah?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 27, 2009, 02:33:50 pm
mmm hopfully over 95 but you know, we'll see how everything pans out. class of '09 ftw! =p
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 27, 2009, 02:35:53 pm
class of '09 ftw! =p

Haha shit yea.

Well good luck mate, no doubt we'll be on these forums together a fair bit over the year lol.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 27, 2009, 02:38:01 pm
class of '09 ftw! =p

Haha shit yea.

Well good luck mate, no doubt we'll be on these forums together a fair bit over the year lol.
ahaha thanks man, gluck to you too. yer we will.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 27, 2009, 03:08:24 pm
Nice to see plenty of enthusiatic students for such a fascinating subject  :)
I hope you've all already subscribed to douchys biology podcasts; he covers pretty much all of the topics you will need to know. His enthusiam for biology is also very contagious :)
Hey, is there any other podcast besides mr barlow and douchys? can't seem to find a good one that actually goes through the vce course. Douchy FTW !
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 27, 2009, 04:14:25 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RNteX6HzY
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 27, 2009, 04:18:49 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RNteX6HzY

LOL
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: beezy4eva on January 27, 2009, 06:41:29 pm
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iCL6d0OwKt8
Best bio video of all time
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 28, 2009, 01:14:36 am
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iCL6d0OwKt8
Best bio video of all time

Double lol.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 30, 2009, 11:20:35 pm
nice vids.
Schols in 2 days .. arghh. At least i've finished my biology homework :), but i didn't get a chance to read chapter 3.. :(, Hey have you guys done all your biology homework?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on January 30, 2009, 11:32:01 pm
Yep :D

Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 30, 2009, 11:37:15 pm
Not yet. I have a few questions left to do. Hopefully I'll get those done over the weekend. :)
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 12:05:46 am
What textbook are you using cns1511 ?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 02:30:48 pm
What textbook are you using cns1511 ?

Nelson Biology
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 31, 2009, 02:43:31 pm
What textbook are you using cns1511 ?

Nelson Biology
oh i'm using that as well.

  may i ask, what is everyone up to, in terms of chapters. I've completed 1.5 chapters thus far.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 03:11:07 pm
I've read 4 chapters, but I've only done about 10 questions so far.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 04:07:35 pm
ohh i was intending to read 4 chapters (AOS1) this holiday but i accomplished only 3 chapters. yes i remeber saying i haven't read chapter 3 but now i have (read it today) :). About questions i done up to question 22. BTW im also using Nelsons textbook for biology ;). Have you guys bought studyguides ?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 31, 2009, 04:13:53 pm
ohh i was intending to read 4 chapters (AOS1) this holiday but i accomplished only 3 chapters. yes i remeber saying i haven't read chapter 3 but now i have (read it today) :). About questions i done up to question 22. BTW im also using Nelsons textbook for biology ;). Have you guys bought studyguides ?
i've bought amm some book with all prac exams. i've done 2 prac exams so far.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 04:20:13 pm

wow 2 prac exams already? wow.. today i looked over my checkpoints book and done some questions in it, seems quite good :) i love the topics in biology for unit 3 so far, i find it interesting :). Yeps i bought some prac exam books as well, like neap and A+, also got one studyguide.

Hey, how did you manage to do 2 prac exams? did you learn all of unit 3 already?.. i feel left behind :| sighs..
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: hard on January 31, 2009, 04:35:30 pm

wow 2 prac exams already? wow.. today i looked over my checkpoints book and done some questions in it, seems quite good :) i love the topics in biology for unit 3 so far, i find it interesting :). Yeps i bought some prac exam books as well, like neap and A+, also got one studyguide.

Hey, how did you manage to do 2 prac exams? did you learn all of unit 3 already?.. i feel left behind :| sighs..


amm well not completely but most of the MC and some SA q's in two prac exams. The q's that i couldn't do cause they are a bit later on in the course i left out. Out of the two exams, i got 15 and 16 q's right out of 25 i think it is in MC and i did i think 4 out of 6 SA, so yer still got work to do. but anyway, you'll have time for prac exams so dw.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: lacoste on January 31, 2009, 04:43:39 pm
Good Luck 09'ers for BIOLOGY,

remember to get the free douchy podcasts; its good on trains or when your tired. he makes funny jokes too, biological jokes.

its good to see so many ppl starting biol already.

Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: lacoste on January 31, 2009, 04:50:16 pm
Does anyone want to know what i thought was hardest in unit 3?



or will this ruin your learning of biology ie, you don't want an opinion until you finish the unit or else you feel uncomfortable?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 05:16:31 pm
Does anyone want to know what i thought was hardest in unit 3?



or will this ruin your learning of biology ie, you don't want an opinion until you finish the unit or else you feel uncomfortable?

I'd like to know your opinion, and why you thought it was the most difficult. :)
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 05:19:11 pm
Have you guys bought studyguides ?

Not for biology. I might borrow one closer to exams if I think I need them. But for now I'll stick to free practice exams. :P
How much did your studyquides cost?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 05:42:44 pm
Does anyone want to know what i thought was hardest in unit 3?



or will this ruin your learning of biology ie, you don't want an opinion until you finish the unit or else you feel uncomfortable?
yep i would like to know too :)

Have you guys bought studyguides ?

How much did your studyquides cost?

Well i bought it for really cheap off some people in this forum that done biology last year..  I didn't like the idea of paying $20+ on a studyguide. so yeh just ask around this forum, pretty sure soem bio 08'ers have some.

Also im not sure about checkpoints 2009. Do they have the past exams from 2000 to 2008, meaning every single question from those exams but broken up in different sections? or do they pick out certain questiosn from those exams ?

someone please help me clarify this

Thanks
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 05:48:54 pm
Also im not sure about checkpoints 2009. Do they have the past exams from 2000 to 2008, meaning every single question from those exams but broken up in different sections? or do they pick out certain questiosn from those exams ?

someone please help me clarify this

Thanks

I'm pretty sure they just select some of the questions from each exam, then put them into the categories/AoS.
Not entirely sure though..
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: lacoste on January 31, 2009, 06:17:53 pm
Yehs. I think they do select specific questions from VCAA to add in Checkpts.

I thought that learning the chemical process in Photosynthesis was most difficult, you have to learn the INPUTS AND OUTPUTS and not to get it confused with Respiration, I think I also went to study the actual Chemistry of Biology part of Photosynthesis which was NOT even useful, but a waste of time. Had to learn the hard way!

Just know the equation and understand the inputs and outputs.

Also, the exam will definitely ask for an experimental analyis [prac], which you have to outline the actual process, don't stress too much about this as you would naturally learn this during the time spent with SAC's. The question last year was worth a whoooooooooping 10 marks or [5 marks on actual exam paper, can't remember] so make a fool-proof way of getting all the points down.

Back to photosynthesis, I wouldn't be worried that much about it as this had only concerned me. But for some, make sure you visualise the process happening in the cell of the plant[note; not all plants photosynthesise], and NOT just memorising notes listed as dot points from the whiteboard/projector.

Best wishes, ask further for more details if you don't quite get it.
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jaja on January 31, 2009, 06:30:38 pm
does anyone have any good books for biol... i've got Neap questions and checkpoints..but taht's it... i want a book that has questions for different chapters...also know any for methods//// thx
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: cns1511 on January 31, 2009, 06:35:40 pm
Yehs. I think they do select specific questions from VCAA to add in Checkpts.

I thought that learning the chemical process in Photosynthesis was most difficult, you have to learn the INPUTS AND OUTPUTS and not to get it confused with Respiration, I think I also went to study the actual Chemistry of Biology part of Photosynthesis which was NOT even useful, but a waste of time. Had to learn the hard way!

Just know the equation and understand the inputs and outputs.

Also, the exam will definitely ask for an experimental analyis [prac], which you have to outline the actual process, don't stress too much about this as you would naturally learn this during the time spent with SAC's. The question last year was worth a whoooooooooping 10 marks or [5 marks on actual exam paper, can't remember] so make a fool-proof way of getting all the points down.

Back to photosynthesis, I wouldn't be worried that much about it as this had only concerned me. But for some, make sure you visualise the process happening in the cell of the plant[note; not all plants photosynthesise], and NOT just memorising notes listed as dot points from the whiteboard/projector.

Best wishes, ask further for more details if you don't quite get it.

Thanks lacoste.
So, there isn't any more knowledge then just the equation, process, inputs and outputs needed?
How about for respiration?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 07:55:09 pm
does anyone have any good books for biol... i've got Neap questions and checkpoints..but taht's it... i want a book that has questions for different chapters...also know any for methods//// thx

Well the books i know of is biozone,leading edge, A+ BIOLnotes and excel
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on January 31, 2009, 11:23:25 pm
okay im going to make a list of all the biology 09'ers so it would be better to help each other and know who is doing the subject (similar to costargh's one.. hehe its a great idea though!)

Hielly
cns1152
hard
jaja
jackinthepatch
nerd
... c'mon theres got to be more!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: nerd on February 01, 2009, 12:17:48 am
I'm doing biol...I can't wait to help/be helped by all of you guys!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: nerd on February 01, 2009, 12:19:23 am
PS. For those interested, I'm using Nature of Bioloy but the workbook we use is the heinemann one (coz it has summaries and better worksheets). also i have the A+ BIOL notes and the jacaranda study cards. i'll probably borrow checkpoints from the library!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on February 01, 2009, 11:25:15 am
ohh omg nerd where did you get the summary cards? and how much do they cost?. Also the heinemann workbook, do they have new editions every year ?

leading edge is also very good !
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: nerd on February 01, 2009, 04:55:38 pm
well, the summary cards i got for free from a friend who did biol last year...no idea where from or how much. sorry!

the heinemann workbook is the same one since he begining of the new study design (since 2006)!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on February 01, 2009, 05:42:24 pm
ohh okay thens. have yo touched on BIOLnotes unit 3? if you did how do you think of it?.. was planning to buy it
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on February 01, 2009, 05:50:32 pm
ohh okay thens. have yo touched on BIOLnotes unit 3? if you did how do you think of it?.. was planning to buy it

If you're talking about the A+ BIOL notes then yeah I would recommend buying it, only 20 bucks...and everything is summarised really well I reckon. Well that's what I felt after reading through some of it anyway. But wait for other people's opinions as well lol :D
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: nerd on February 01, 2009, 06:21:44 pm
I agree with jack! i have A+ biolnotes for unit 3 and after reading through it, it looks quite good!
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on February 01, 2009, 06:37:13 pm
I agree with jack! i have A+ biolnotes for unit 3 and after reading through it, it looks quite good!

Haha that's good, I was hoping that others found them useful too lol :P
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: Hielly on February 01, 2009, 08:42:13 pm
aww now i want to go buy it, still waiting on someone that might sell it to me.. *hopefully*. I only know of 2 study guides, that is leading edge and BIOLnotes? do you guys know of more?
Title: Re: Biology '09!
Post by: jackinthepatch on February 01, 2009, 08:52:30 pm
Yeah naa sorry I don't know of any others sorry. I'll admit that it's a bit different when you're doing 5 year 12 subjects though, because we can't exactly go out purchasing every study guide there is, would be a bit expensive! Lol. That's why I haven't looked around for any others in biology. But since you're only doing the one year 12 subject you'd be better off to have a few different resources, so hopefully someone else can give you some names of study guides.