Tamil Nadu HSE First Year Zoology study plan

List the five-kingdom classification and compare the criteria used for each kingdom.

Identify at least 15 animal phyla and state one diagnostic feature for each.

Describe the salient features of Porifera, Coelenterata, Ctenophora, and Platyhelminthes with examples.

Explain the terms coelom, segmentation, and symmetry with suitable animal examples.

Create a table summarising phyla, symmetry, coelom type, and examples for the first five phyla.

Differentiate between Aschelminthes, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Echinodermata using body plan and larval features.

Outline the distinguishing characters of Hemichordata and Chordata, including the three subphyla.

Compare the classes of vertebrates (cyclostomes, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) on skin, heart, and excretion.

Draw a labelled diagram of a typical vertebrate heart showing chambers and circulation.

Answer 20 multiple-choice questions on animal diversity within 25 minutes, scoring at least 80%.

Describe the four basic tissue types (epithelial, connective, muscular, nervous) with their functions and locations.

Explain the structure and functions of the skin, including its role in thermoregulation.

Compare the three types of muscle tissue on structure, location, and control.

Identify the major bones of the human skeleton and classify them by shape.

Label a diagram of the digestive system and trace the path of food from mouth to anus.

Explain the mechanical and chemical digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, naming the enzymes and sites.

Describe the role of bile, pancreatic juice, and intestinal juice in digestion and absorption.

Outline the structure of the respiratory system and the mechanism of breathing.

Explain gas exchange at the alveoli and the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood.

Compare the structure and function of arteries, veins, and capillaries, and describe the cardiac cycle.

Describe the structure and function of the nephron and the process of urine formation.

Explain osmoregulation in freshwater and marine fishes with examples.

Identify the types of joints and the movements they allow.

Describe the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction.

Compare the axial and appendicular skeleton and list the bones of each.

Explain the structure of a neuron and the generation and conduction of a nerve impulse.

Describe the organisation of the human brain and the functions of its major parts.

Outline the reflex arc and its components with an example.

List the major endocrine glands, their hormones, and the effects of hypo- and hyper-secretion.

Compare nervous and endocrine coordination in terms of speed, duration, and mode of transmission.

Describe the structure of the male and female reproductive systems and the process of gametogenesis.

Outline the menstrual cycle and its hormonal control.

Explain fertilisation, cleavage, and the stages of early embryonic development up to gastrulation.

Define the types of placenta and describe their functions.

Summarise the major events of human development from zygote to birth.

Explain Mendelian inheritance, including the laws of segregation and independent assortment, with worked examples.

Solve genetics problems involving monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.

Describe the evidence for evolution from palaeontology, comparative anatomy, and embryology.

Explain natural selection and speciation using the Darwinian theory.

Answer a 30-question mixed-topic test covering all domains, scoring at least 75%.