91156 Life Processes at the Cellular Level - School Use

This resource covers the things you need to know and be able to do for the NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standard 91156 (Biology 2.4) Demonstrate understanding of life processes at the cellular level.  

What you'll learn

In this resource you’ll learn about: 

1. Cell structure and function 

You’ll first explore the structure and function of the different parts of plant and animal cells, and learn what affects them. Understanding the similarities and differences between different types of cells will help you understand the ideas covered in the next four sections. 

2. Movement of materials 

In this section, you’ll extend your knowledge of the structure and function of the cell membrane. You’ll learn how materials such as oxygen, water and glucose move in and out of cells by passive and active transport. You’ll explore how the surface area to volume ratio of a cell is significant in determining its size, shape, and how materials move across its cell membrane. 

3. Enzyme activity 

Next, you’ll learn about the structure of enzymes and their role as biological catalysts. You’ll look at scientific models for how enzymes function and how these models explain the reactions each enzyme catalyses. You’ll also explore some of the many factors that affect enzyme activity, including temperature, pH, substrate concentration, cofactors and inhibitors. 

4. Photosynthesis and respiration 

You’ll build on what you already know about cell organelles, enzymes and the movement of materials to look at photosynthesis and respiration. You’ll learn how these two processes relate to the overall functioning of plant and animal cells and investigate some factors that affect how quickly they occur. 

5. DNA replication and cell division 

Finally, you’ll think about the entire life cycle of a cell, and focus on two specific stages of the cell cycle: DNA replication and mitosis. You’ll revise the structure of DNA and how it’s copied and learn why it needs to be copied before a cell divides into two by mitosis. To finish, you’ll explore some factors that affect how quickly mitosis occurs.

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