A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
This bundle of 6 lessons covers a lot of the content in Module 6.1.3 (Manipulating genomes) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and includes an end of module revision lesson. The topics covered within these lessons include:
The principles of DNA sequencing
The development of new DNA sequencing techniques
The principles of the PCR and its applications
The principles and uses of electrophoresis to separate DNA fragments and proteins
The principles and techniques of genetic engineering
6.1.3 REVISION
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This fully-resourced lesson looks at the coordination and control of heart rate by the cardiovascular centre in the medulla oblongata. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 6.1.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should know the roles and locations of the sensory receptors and the roles of the autonomic nervous system and effectors in the control of heart rate.
This lesson begins with a prior knowledge check where students have to identify and correct any errors in a passage about the conduction system of the heart. This allows the SAN to be recalled as this structure play an important role as the effector in this control system. Moving forwards, the three key parts of a control system are recalled as the next part of the lesson will specifically look at the range of sensory receptors, the coordination centre and the effector. Students are introduced to chemoreceptors and baroreceptors and time is taken to ensure that the understanding of the stimuli detected by these receptors is complete and that they recognise the result is the conduction of an impulse along a neurone to the brain. A quick quiz is used to introduce the medulla oblongata as the location of the cardiovascular centre. The communication between this centre and the SAN through the autonomic nervous system can be poorly understood so detailed explanations are provided and the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions compared. The final task challenges the students to demonstrate and apply their understanding by writing a detailed description of the control and this task has been differentiated three ways to allow differing abilities to access the work
This lesson has been written to tie in with the previous lesson on the conducting system of the heart which is also detailed in specification point 6.1.3
This is a fully-resourced lesson which uses exam-style questions, quiz competitions, quick tasks and discussion points to challenge students on their understanding of topics B1 - B5, that will assessed on PAPER 1. It has been specifically designed for students on the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science course who will be taking the FOUNDATION TIER examinations but is also suitable for students taking the higher tier who need to ensure that the fundamentals are known and understood.
The lesson has been written to take place at the local hospital where the students have to visit numerous wards and clinics and the on-site pharmacy so that the following sub-topics can be covered:
Cancer as the result of uncontrolled cell division
The production of gametes by meiosis
Mitosis and the cell cycle
Sex determination
The difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases
The pathogens that spread communicable diseases
Identification of communicable diseases
Treating bacterial infections with antibiotics
Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
Vaccinations
Genetic terminology
Genetic diagrams
Structures involved in a nervous reaction
A Reflex arc
Risk factors
Chemical and physical defences
Osmosis and percentage gain and loss
Fossils as evidence for human evolution
In order to maintain challenge whilst ensuring that all abilities can access the questions, the majority of the tasks have been differentiated and students can ask for assistance sheets when they are unable to begin a question. Step-by-step guides have also been written into the lesson to walk students through some of the more difficult concepts such as genetic diagrams and evolution by natural selection.
Due to the extensiveness of this revision lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 teaching hours to complete the tasks and therefore this can be used at different points throughout the duration of the course as well as acting as a final revision before the PAPER 1 exam.
This engaging lesson explains why coenzymes, cofactors and prosthetic groups are needed in some enzyme-controlled reactions. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been primarily designed to cover point 2.1.4 (e) of the OCR A-level Biology specification but can also be used as a revision lesson for the roles of ions as was covered back in module 2.1.2.
The lesson begins with an introduction of the description of a cofactor and students will learn that some are permanently bound to the enzyme whilst others only form temporary associations. A quick quiz competition runs over the course of the lesson and is used to introduce prosthetic groups, mineral ion cofactors and organic coenzymes and zinc ions with carbonic anhydrase, chloride ions with amylase and NAD are used as examples of each type. The lesson has been planned to make links to related topics such as cations, anions, transport of carbon dioxide and respiration which will test students on their prior knowledge as well as prepare them for these topics in modules 3 and 5.
This lesson describes the structure and ultrastructure of plant cells to allow students to compare this structure against animal cell structure. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 4.1 (i) & (ii) in unit 2 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and also describes the functions of the cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplast, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella
The lesson begins with a task called REVERSE GUESS WHO which will challenge the students to recognise a particular organelle from a description of its function. This will remind students that plant cells are eukaryotic and therefore contain a cell-surface membrane, a nucleus (+ nucleolus), a mitochondria, a Golgi apparatus, ribosomes and rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum like the animal cells. Moving forwards, the next part of the lesson focuses on the relationship between the structure and function of the vacuole, chloroplast, plasmodesmata and cellulose cell wall. When considering the vacuole, key structures such as the tonoplast are described as well as critical functions including the maintenance of turgor pressure. A detailed knowledge of the structure of the chloroplast at this early stage of their A-level studies will increase the likelihood of a clear understanding of photosynthesis when covered in topic 5. For this reason, time is taken to consider the light-dependent and light-independent reactions and to explain how these stages are linked. Students will learn that chloroplasts and amyloplasts can contain stores of starch so an opportunity is taken to challenge them on their knowledge of this polysaccharide as it was covered in topic 1. The final task challenges them to recognise descriptions of the cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplasts, vacuole, tonoplast and plasmodesmata which will leave 2 remaining which describe the pits and middle lamella.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the meaning of the terms stem cell, pluripotency and totipotency. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover points 3.11 (i) and (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and therefore this lesson also contains discussion periods where the topic is the decisions that the scientific community have to make about the use of stem cells in medical therapies.
The lesson begins with a knowledge recall of the structure of eukaryotic cells and the students have to use the first letters of each of the four answers to reveal the key term, stem cell. Time is then taken to consider the meaning of cellular differentiation, and this leads into the key idea that not all stem cells are equal when it comes to the number of cell types that they have the potential to differentiate into. A quick quiz round introduces the five degrees of potency, and then the students are challenged to use their understanding of terminology to place totipotency, pluripotency, multipotency, oligopotency and unipotency in the correct places on the potency continuum. Although the latter three do not have to be specifically known based on the content of specification point 3.11 (i), an understanding of their meaning was deemed helpful when planning the lesson as it should assist with the retention of knowledge about totipotency and pluripotency. These two highest degrees of potency are the main focus of the lesson, and key details are emphasised such as the ability of totipotent cells to differentiate into any extra-embroyonic cell, which the pluripotent cells are unable to do. The morula, and inner cell mass and trophoblast of the blastocyst are used to demonstrate these differences in potency. The final part of the lesson discusses the decisions that the scientific community have to make about the use of embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and also foetal stem cells which allows for a link to chorionic villus sampling from topic 2.
There is also a Maths in a Biology context question included in the lesson (when introducing the morula) to ensure that students continue to be prepared for the numerous calculations that they will have to tackle in the terminal exams. This resource has been differentiated two ways to allow students of differing abilities to access the work
This lesson describes the meaning of biodiversity, explains how it relates to a range of habitats, and describes how to calculate an index of diversity. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets are part of the first in a series of 2 lessons that have been designed to cover the content of topic 4.6 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. The second lesson describes the balance between conservation and farming.
A quiz competition called BIOLOGICAL TERMINOLOGY SNAP runs over the course of the lesson and this will engage the students whilst challenging them to recognise species, population, biodiversity, community and natural selection from their respective definitions. Once biodiversity as the variety of living organisms in a habitat is revealed, the students will learn that this can relate to a range of habitats, from those in the local area to the Earth. When considering the biodiversity of a local habitat, the need for sampling is discussed and some key details are provided to initially prepare the students for these lessons in topic 7. Moving forwards, the students will learn that it is possible to measure biodiversity within a habitat, within a species and within different habitats so that they can be compared. Species richness as a measure of the number of different species in a community is met and a biological example in the rainforests of Madagascar is used to increase its relevance. The students are introduced to an unfamiliar formula that calculates the heterozygosity index and are challenged to apply their knowledge to this situation, as well as linking a low H value to natural selection. The rest of the lesson focuses on the index of diversity and a 3-step guide is used to walk students through each part of the calculation. This is done in combination with a worked example to allow students to visualise how the formula should be applied to actual figures. Using the method, they will then calculate a value of d for a comparable habitat to allow the two values to be considered and the significance of a higher value is explained. All of the exam-style questions have mark schemes embedded in the PowerPoint to allow students to continuously assess their progress and understanding.
This detailed lesson describes each of the 4 stages of aerobic respiration and explains how this cellular reaction yields ATP and generates heat. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover points 5.1 (i) and (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specificaiton and acts as a clear introduction for the upcoming lessons where the finer details of glycolysis, the Link reaction and Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation are described
The lesson begins with an introduction to glycolysis and students will learn how this first stage of aerobic respiration is also the first stage when oxygen is not present. This stage involves 10 reactions and an opportunity is taken to explain how each of these reactions is catalysed by a different, specific intracellular enzyme. A version of “GUESS WHO” challenges students to use a series of structural clues to whittle the 6 organelles down to just the mitochondrion so that they can learn how the other three stages take place inside this organelle. Moving forwards, the key components of the organelle are identified on a diagram. Students are introduced to the stages of respiration so that they can make a link to the parts of the cell and the mitochondria where each stage occurs. Students will learn that the presence of decarboxylase and dehydrogenase enzymes in the matrix along with coenzymes and oxaloacetate allows the link reaction and the Krebs cycle to run and that these stages produce the waste product of carbon dioxide. Finally, time is taken to introduce the electron transport chain and the enzyme, ATP synthase, so that students can begin to understand how the flow of protons across the inner membrane results in the production of ATP and the the formation of water when oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor.
This lesson bundle contains 5 fully-resourced lessons which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the content of module 5.2.1 of the OCR-A-level Biology A specification in the depth of detail required to support them to answer assessment questions on this topic of PHOTOSYNTHESIS confidently. This cellular reaction can be poorly understood by students so intricate planning has gone into the design of the lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources to ensure that key details are embedded and reinforced throughout and that knowledge acquired in previous lessons is regularly checked.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
The structure of the chloroplasts and the two main stages of photosynthesis
The light-dependent stage of photosynthesis
The fixation of carbon dioxide and the light-independent stage of photosynthesis
The uses of triose phosphate
Factors affecting photosynthesis
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, then download the “uses of triose phosphate” lesson as this has been shared for free
This lesson bundle contains 4 detailed lesson PowerPoints, which along with their accompanying resources have been designed to cover the majority of the content in module 2.1.6 of the OCR A-level Biology A specification.
The lessons have been planned at length and include exam-style questions that will challenge the students on their current understanding, prior knowledge checks to encourage students to make links to previously covered topics, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions to introduce memorable terms and values.
The following specification points are covered by the resources in this bundle:
The cell cycle
How the cell cycle is regulated
The main stages of mitosis
The significance of mitosis in life cycles
The significance of meiosis in life cycles
The main stages of meiosis
How cells of multicellular organisms are specialised for particular functions
The organisation of cells into tissues, organs and organ systems
Stem cells as a renewing source of undifferentiated cells
The production of erythrocytes and neutrophils derived from stem cells in bone marrow
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the cell specialisation and organisation lesson as this has been uploaded for free
This lesson describes the gross structure of the human gas exchange system and the functions of the structural components like goblet cells. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 9.1 (a & c) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and has been specifically planned to prepare students for an upcoming lesson where the gas exchange between the alveoli and the blood is described.
The lesson is filled with a range of activities such as guided discussion periods, exam-style questions (with markschemes) and quiz competitions and these run alongside the slides containing the detailed A-level Biology content to cover the following features:
The incomplete rings of cartilage, ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium and goblet cells in the trachea
The narrowing airways of the primary, secondary and tertiary bronchi
The elastic fibres and smooth muscle in the terminal and respiratory bronchioles
The pleural cavity and fluid of the lungs
When describing the production of mucus by the goblet cells in the trachea, time is taken to consider cystic fibrosis and the inheritance of this autosomal recessive disorder. Students will be supported in working out genotypes from a pedigree tree to prepare them for topic 16 (Inherited change)
This lesson describes the process of gas exchange between air in the alveoli and the blood. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover point 9.1 (d) of the CIE A-level Biology specification
Gas exchange at the alveoli is a topic that was covered at GCSE so this lesson has been written to challenge the recall of that knowledge and to build on it.
The main focus of the lesson is the type of epithelium found lining the alveoli and students will discover that a single layer of flattened cells known as simple, squamous epithelium acts to reduce the diffusion distance.
The following features of the alveolar epithelium are also covered:
Surface area
Moist lining
Production of surfactant
The maintenance of a steep concentration gradient
As a constant ventilation supply is critical for the maintenance of the steep concentration gradient, the final part of the lesson considers the mechanism of ventilation
This lesson describes why a disease would be deemed to be an autoimmune disease and describes the mechanisms involved in a few examples. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover point 4.1.1 (k) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification, but this lesson can also be used to revise the content of modules 2 and 3 and the previous lessons in 4.1.1 through the range of activities included
The lesson begins with a challenge, where the students have to recognise diseases from descriptions and use the first letters of their names to form the term, autoimmune. In doing so, the students will immediately learn that rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, type I diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis are all examples of autoimmune diseases. The next part of the lesson focuses on the mechanism of these diseases where the immune system cells do not recognise the antigens (self-antigens) on the outside of the healthy cells, and therefore treats them as foreign antigens, resulting in the production of autoantibodies against proteins on these healthy cells and tissues. Key details of the autoimmune diseases stated above and lupus are described and links to previously covered topics as well as to future topics such as the nervous system are made. The students will be challenged by numerous exam-style questions, all of which have mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint to allow for immediate assessment of progress.
This lesson describes the differences between the primary and secondary responses and describes how the structure of antibodies is related to function. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification points 4.1.1 (g), (h) and (i) as detailed in the OCR A-level Biology A specification and emphasises the importance of memory cells.
As memory B cells differentiate into plasma cells that produce antibodies when a specific antigen is re-encountered, it was decided to link the immune responses and antibodies together in one lesson. The lesson begins by checking on the students incoming knowledge to ensure that they recognise that B cells differentiate into plasma cells and memory cells. This was introduced in a previous lesson on the specific immune response and students must be confident in their understanding if the development of immunity is to be understood. A couple of quick quiz competitions are then used to introduce key terms so that the structure of antibodies in terms of polypeptide chains, variable and constant regions and hinge regions are met. Time is taken to focus on the variable region and to explain how the specificity of this for a particular antigen allows neutralisation and agglutination to take place. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the differences between the primary and secondary immune responses and a series of exam-style questions will enable students to understand that the quicker production of a greater concentration of these antibodies in the secondary response is due to the retention of memory cells.
Every one of the lessons included in this bundle is detailed, engaging and fully-resourced, and has been written to cover the content as detailed in topic 4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. The wide range of activities will maintain engagement whilst supporting the explanations of the content to allow the students to build a deep understanding of genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms.
The following 17 lessons covering the 7 sub-topics are included in this bundle:
4.1: DNA, genes and chromosomes
DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Genes
4.2: DNA and protein synthesis
Genome, proteome and the structure of RNA
Transcription and splicing
Translation
4.3: Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
The genetic code
Gene mutations
Chromosome mutations
Meiosis
4.4: Genetic diversity and adaptation
Genetic diversity
Natural selection
Directional and stabilising selection
Adaptations
4.5: Species and taxonomy
Species and taxonomy
4.6: Biodiversity within a community
Biodiversity within a community
Calculating an index of diversity
The balance between conservation and farming
4.7: Investigating diversity
Investigating diversity
Interpreting mean values and the standard deviation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, structure of RNA, gene mutations, natural selection and standard deviation lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This bundle contains 13 detailed lesson PowerPoints, which together with their accompanying resources, have been planned to include a wide variety of tasks that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the content of topic 3 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification. The voice of the genome topic content includes key biological concepts such as eukaryotic cells, cell division and genetics and the following specification points are covered by these lessons:
All living organisms are made of cells, sharing common features
The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the role of the organelles
The role of the rER and the Golgi body in protein transport
The relationship between the features of the mammalian gametes and their functions
The loci is the location of a gene on a chromosome
The linkage of genes on a chromosome and sex linkage
The role of meiosis in ensuring genetic variation
The role of mitosis and the cell cycle
The meaning of the terms stem cell, pluripotency and totipotency
The decisions about the use of stem cells in medical therapies
The specialisation of cells through differential gene expression
Understand how the cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into systems
Phenotype is the interaction between genotype and the environment
Epigenetic changes can modify the activation of certain genes
Some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci as well as the environment and this gives rise to continuous variation
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle, then download the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, mitosis and the cell cycle and gene expression lessons as these have been uploaded for free
All 9 of the lessons included in this bundle are fully resourced and have been designed to cover the detailed content of module 5.2.2 (Respiration) of the OCR A-Level Biology A specification.
The following specification points are covered by this bundle of lessons:
The need for cellular respiration
The structure of the mitochondrion
The process and site of glycolysis
The link reaction and its site in the cell
The process and site of the Krebs cycle
The importance of coenzymes in cellular respiration
The process and site of oxidative phosphorylation
The chemiosmotic theory
The process of anaerobic respiration in eukaryotes
The difference in the relative energy values of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
The use and interpretation of the respiratory quotient
All of the lessons are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks so that students can assess their understanding of the current topic as well as prior knowledge checks to enable links between topics and modules to be seen
It is estimated that these lessons will cover in excess of a month’s A-level Biology teaching time
This is a fully-resourced lesson that covers the details of specification point 5.1.2 (e) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply an understanding of the effects of kidney failure and its potential treatments. This lesson consists of an engaging PowerPoint (55 slides) and associated differentiated worksheets that look at the diagnosis of a number of different kidney-related conditions and the potential treatments for kidney failure. This lesson is designed to get the students to take on the numerous roles of a doctor who works in the renal ward which include testing, diagnosis and treatment. Having obtained measurements by GFR and results by taking urine samples, hey are challenged to use their knowledge of the function of the kidney to study urine samples (and the accompanying GP’s notes) to diagnose one of four conditions. They then have to write a letter to the patient to explain how they made this diagnosis, again focusing on their knowledge of the structure and functions of the Bowman’s capsule and PCT. The rest of the lesson focuses on haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplant. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding and there are a number of homework activities included in the lesson.
This lesson is designed for A-level students who are studying the OCR A-level Biology specification and ties in nicely with the other uploaded lessons on this organ which include the structure and function of the nephron, ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption and osmoregulation.
A fully resourced revision lesson which uses a range of exam questions (with explained answers), quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within module 6.3.1 (Ecosystems) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification.
The topics tested within this lesson include:
Ecosystems
Transfer of biomass
Recycling within ecosystems
Succession
Studying ecosystems
Student will enjoy the range of tasks and quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise any areas which require further attention
An engaging lesson presentation (63 slides) and associated worksheets that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within the Biology unit B7 (Ecology) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification (specification unit B4.7).
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Communities
Abiotic factors
Biotic factors
Levels of organisation
Recycling materials
Deforestation
Global warming
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “Number CRAZY" whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention