Investigate biological material at the microscopic level
You'll carry out a practical investigation where you prepare biological samples (two different plant tissues and one single-celled organism) for viewing under a microscope, carefully observe and draw what you see, and then explain how the specialised features you observe help those cells do their job. This is a hands-on standard that tests both your practical lab skills and your ability to understand cell biology at a deeper level.
You prepare samples, observe them under the microscope, produce a biological drawing with mostly correct conventions, identify the specialised features present, and state what those features do for the cell.
Your drawing is accurate with only minor errors that don't affect the overall representation, and you explain the relationship between each specialised feature and the cell's function with clear reasoning.
Your drawings are highly accurate with careful attention to detail and proportions, and you give thorough explanations of exactly how or why the observed specialised features enable the cells to carry out their specific functions effectively.
Standards typically taken alongside or after this one. Same subject, grouped by level.