This lesson describes the structure of a cholinergic synapse and outlines the role of these connections in the nervous system. The fully-resourced lesson has been designed to cover the content of point (9) of topic 15.1 of the CIE A-level biology specification (for assessment in 2025-27). The majority of the lesson uses the cholinergic synapse as the example but other neurotransmitters are considered at the end of the lesson to provide the students with a wider view of this topic.
One of the tasks near the beginning of the lesson challenges students to identify 3 terms from a WALL of key terms that could follow synaptic, having been introduced to the synaptic cleft on the previous slide. Not only will this challenge their prior knowledge from lessons earlier in topic 15 but it will also lead to the discovery of four of the structures that are found in a synapse. Moving forwards, students are introduced to acetylcholine as the neurotransmitter involved at cholinergic synapses and they will start to add labels to the structures found in the pre-synaptic bulb. Time is taken to focus on certain structures such as the voltage gated channels as these types of channel were met previously when looking at the depolarisation of a neurone. There is plenty of challenge and discovery as students are pushed to explain why organelles like mitochondria would be found in large numbers in the bulb. With this process being a cascade of events, a bullet point format is used to ensure that the key content is taken in by the students and again key points like exocytosis and the action of acetylcholinesterase are discussed further. The final part of the lesson challenges the application aspect of the subject as students are introduced to unfamiliar situations in terms of synapses with new drugs like MDMA and are asked to work out and explain how these affect the nervous transmission.
Understanding checks and prior knowledge checks are included throughout the lesson so that students can not only assess their progress against the current topic but also see whether they can make links to earlier topics.
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Topic 15: Control and coordination (CIE A-level biology)
These 12 lessons cover points 15.1 (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 & 12) and 15.2 (1, 2 & 3) from topic 15 of CIE A-level biology specification (for assessment in 2025 - 27). This topic is titled control and coordination and concerns comparisons between the endocrine and nervous system in mammals, and then the key structure of the nervous system before looking at this control in plants. Each lesson has been extensively planned and contains a wide range of engaging activities and tasks, interspersed with current and prior knowledge checks. The sensory, motor & intermediate neurones and cholinergic synapses lessons have been shared for free, if you want to download first to get an idea for the quality of these lessons.
£23.00
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Topic 15.1: Control and coordination in mammals (CIE A-level Biology)
This bundle contains 9 fully-resourced and detailed lessons that have been designed to cover the content of topic 15.1 of the CIE A-level Biology specification (for assessment in 2025-27) which concerns the control and coordination in mammals. The wide range of activities included in each lesson will engage the students whilst the detailed content is covered and the understanding and prior knowledge checks allow them to assess their progress on the current topic as well as challenging them to make links to other related topics. Many of the tasks are differentiated to allow differing abilities to access the work and be challenged. Topic 15.1 specification points 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are covered by these lessons If you want to see the quality of the lessons before purchasing then download the lessons on sensory, morot and intermediate neurones and the structure and role of the cholinergic synapse as these have been shared for free.
£20.00
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excellent !
Great AFL an resource for a tricky topic. Presents information well.
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