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 lesson outlines the need for energy in living organisms, and describes how ATP is formed by phosphorylation in respiration and photosynthesis. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover points 12.1 (a, b, c & e) of the CIE A-level Biology specification but can be used as a revision of topics 1, 4 and 6 as the students knowledge of cell structure, membrane transport and ATP is constantly challenged.
As this is the first lesson in topic 12 (respiration), it has been specifically planned to act as an introduction to this cellular reaction and provides important details about glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation that will support the students to make significant progress when these stages are covered during individual lessons. Photophosphorylation is also introduced so students are prepared for the light-dependent reaction of photosynthesis in topic 13.
The main focus of the start of the lesson is the demonstration of the need for energy in a variety of reactions that occur in living organisms. Students met ATP in topics 1 and 6, so a spot the errors task is used to check on their recall of the structure and function of this molecule. This will act to remind them that the release of energy from the hydrolysis of ATP can be coupled to energy-driven reactions in the cell such as active transport and a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge them on their knowledge of this form of membrane transport. They will also see how energy is needed for protein synthesis and DNA replication and the maintenance of resting potential, before more questions challenge them to apply their knowledge of cell structure and transport to explain how it is needed during the events at a synapse.
The rest of the lesson focuses on the production of ATP by substrate-level, oxidative and photophosphorylation and the students will learn when ATP is formed by each of these reactions and will see how the electron transport chain in the membranes in the mitochondria and chloroplast is involved
This lesson describes the principles of hormone production by endocrine glands and the two modes of action on target cells. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover points 9.2 (i) & (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification but can also be used as a revision tool to check on their knowledge of topics like biological molecules and transcription factors
Students should have a base knowledge of the endocrine system from GCSE so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to add the detail needed at this level. The lesson begins by challenging this knowledge to check that they understand that endocrine glands secrete these hormones directly into the blood. Students will learn that most of the secreted hormones are peptide (or protein) hormones and a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge them on their recall of the structure of insulin as well as to apply their knowledge to questions about glucagon. Moving forwards, the students are reminded that hormones have target cells that have specific receptor sites on their membrane. The relationship between a peptide hormone as a first messenger and a second messenger on the inside of the cell is described to allow students to understand how the activation of cyclic AMP triggers a cascade of events on the inside of the cell. The rest of the lesson focuses on steroid hormones and specifically their ability to pass through the membrane of a cell and to bind to transcription factors, as exemplified by oestrogen.
This bundle contains 15 lessons which are engaging and highly detailed in order to cover the difficult content as set out in topic 9 (Control systems) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide variety of tasks which cover the following specification points:
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a state of dynamic equilibrium
The importance of maintaining pH, temperature and water potential in the body
The meaning of negative feedback and positive feedback control
The principles of hormone production by endocrine glands
The two main modes of action in hormones
The division of the autonomic nervous system into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
The transport of sodium and potassium ions in a resting potential
The formation of an action potential and the propagation along an axon
Saltatory conduction
The function of synapses
The formation and effects of excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials
The structure of the human retina
The role of rhodopsin
The distribution of rods and cone cells
The control of heart rate by the autonomic nervous system
The gross and microscopic structure of the kidney
The production of urea in the liver and its removal from the blood by ultrafiltration
Selective reabsorption in the proximal tubule
Control of mammalian plasma concentration
The differences between ectotherms and endotherms
The regulation of temperature by endotherms
If you would like to sample the quality of this lesson bundle, then download the homeostasis, resting and action potentials and the formation of urea and ultrafiltration lessons as these have been uploaded for free.
This lesson bundle contains 10 lesson PowerPoints, which are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of modules 5.1.3 & 5.1.4 of the OCR A-level Biology A specification, titled neuronal communication and hormonal communication.
Each lesson contains a wide range of tasks, that include exam-style questions with mark schemes written into the PowerPoint that students can use to assess their understanding of the current topic as well as previously covered topics. There are also differentiated tasks, discussion points and quick quiz competitions to introduce key values and terms in a fun and memorable way.
This lesson bundle covers the following specification points in modules 5.1.3 & 5.1.4:
The roles of mammalian sensory receptors in converting different types of stimuli into nerve impulses
The structure and functions of sensory, motor and relay neurones
The generation and transmission of nerve impulses in mammals
The structure and roles of synapses in neurotransmission
Endocrine communication by hormones
The structure and functions of the adrenal glands
The histology of the pancreas
The regulation of blood glucose concentration
The differences between diabetes mellitus type I and II
The potential treatments for diabetes mellitus
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the nerve impulse and endocrine communication lessons as these have been uploaded for free.
This lesson describes the tests that detect reducing and non-reducing sugars and starch using Benedict’s solution and iodine/potassium iodide. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource are part of the last lesson in a series of 4 lessons which have been designed to cover the content of topic 1.2 (Carbohydrates) of the AQA A-level Biology specification.
The lesson begins with an explanation of the difference between a qualitative and quantitative test so that the students recognise that the two tests described within this lesson indicate the presence of a substance but not how much. The students are likely to have met these tests at GCSE so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to add the knowledge needed at this level. A step by step guide walks the students through each stage of the tests for reducing and non-reducing sugars and application of knowledge questions and prior knowledge checks are included at appropriate points to ensure understanding is complete. Time is also taken to ensure that students understand the Science behind the results. The rest of the lesson focuses on the iodine test for starch and the students will learn that the colour change is the result of the movement of an ion into the amylose helix.
This lesson describes the methods used to test for reducing and non-reducing sugars and starch using Benedict’s solution and iodine/potassium iodide. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource are part of the first lesson in a series of 2 which have been designed to cover the content of point 2.1 (a) of the CIE A-level Biology specification.
The lesson begins with an explanation of the difference between a qualitative and quantitative test to allow the students to understand that the two tests described within this lesson indicate the presence of a substance but not how much. The students are likely to have met these tests during their studies at a lower level so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to add the knowledge needed at this level. A step by step guide walks the students through each stage of the tests for reducing and non-reducing sugars and application of knowledge questions are included at appropriate points to ensure that understanding is complete. Time is also taken to ensure that students understand the Science behind the results. The rest of the lesson focuses on the iodine test for starch and the students will learn that the colour change is the result of the movement of an ion into the amylose helix.
As this is the first lesson in topic 2 (Biological molecules), students are yet to learn about the structure and function of the carbohydrates which these tests detect. Therefore, included in the PowerPoint are numerous “LINK TO THE FUTURE” slides, where important details about the structure and function of the monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides are introduced.
All 8 of the lessons that are included in this lesson bundle are highly detailed and will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the content of topic 1.4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. With proteins playing critical roles in a wide range of living organisms, a clear understanding of the structure and functions of these biological molecules is important for all of the other topics.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
The general structure of an amino acid
A condensation reaction between two amino acids forms a peptide bond
The formation of dipeptides and polypeptides
The role of the tertiary structure bonds in the structure of a protein
The variety of functions of proteins in living organisms
The relationship between protein structure and function
The biuret test for proteins
Enzymes lower the activation energy of the reaction it catalyses
The induced fit model of enzyme action
The specificity of enzymes
The effects of temperature, pH, enzyme and substrate concentration and inhibitors on the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle, then download the dipeptides & polypeptides lesson and the biuret test lesson as these have been uploaded for free
This lesson describes the chemical tests for proteins, reducing and non-reducing sugars, starch and lipids and explains how to interpret the results. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover point 2.1.2 (q) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification.
The lesson begins with an explanation of the difference between a qualitative and quantitative test so that the students recognise that the four tests described within this lesson indicate the presence of a substance but not how much. The students are likely to have met these tests at GCSE so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to add the knowledge needed at this level. A step by step guide walks the students through each stage of the tests for reducing and non-reducing sugars and application of knowledge questions and prior knowledge checks are included at appropriate points to ensure understanding is complete. Time is also taken to ensure that students understand the Science behind the results. The next part of the lesson focuses on the iodine test for starch and the students will learn that the colour change is the result of the movement of an ion into the amylose helix. The rest of the lesson describes the steps in the biuret test for proteins and the emulsion test for lipids. The students will learn that the addition of sodium hydroxide and then copper sulphate will result in a colour change from light blue to lilac if a protein is present and that following the addition of a sample to ethanol and then water, a cloudy emulsion is observed if a lipid is present.
As the first topic to be taught at the start at the second year of the Edexcel International A-level Biology course, topic 5 is very important and the content includes the key reaction of photosynthesis. All 9 of the lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been filled with a wide variety of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points:
The overall reaction of photosynthesis
The phosphorylation of ADP and the hydrolysis of ATP
The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis
The products of the Calvin cycle
The structure of the chloroplasts and the role of this organelle in photosynthesis
Be able to calculate net primary productivity
Know the relationship between NPP, GPP and R
Understand the meaning of the terms ecosystem, community, population and habitat
The numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors
The concept of niche
The effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity and the calculation of the Q10
Isolation reduces gene flow and leads to allopatric and sympatric speciation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the products of photosynthesis lesson as this has been uploaded for free
This lesson bundle contains 10 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources which are filled with a wide variety of tasks to motivate and engage the students whilst covering the detailed content of topic 4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification. Extensive planning has gone into each lesson to ensure that understanding is complete and that students are challenged to make links to previously covered topics.
The tasks include exam-style questions, differentiated tasks, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions and together these cover the following specification points in topic 4:
The meaning of the terms biodiversity and endemism
Measuring biodiversity within a habitat using species richness and within a species by calculating the heterozygosity index
Comparing biodiversity between habitats by calculating an index of diversity
The concept of niche and examples of behavioural, anatomical and physiological adaptations
Natural selection can lead to adaptation and evolution
The Hardy-Weinberg equation can be used to see whether a change in allele frequency is occurring in a population over time
Reproductive isolation can lead to the formation of new species
Classification is built around the species concept
Critical evaluation of new data by the scientific community, which leads to new taxonomic groupings
The ultrastructure of plant cells
The structure and function of the polysaccharides starch and cellulose
The similarities and differences between the structures, position and function of sclerenchyma fibres, xylem vessels and phloem
Evaluate the methods used by zoos and seed banks in the conservation of endangered species and their genetic diversity
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the isolation and speciation, ultrastructure of plant cells and xylem, phloem and sclerenchyma lessons as these have been uploaded for free
As the 1st topic on the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) course, the Lifestyle, health and risk topic is extremely important to introduce the students to the detail needed for success in this subject. Extensive planning has gone into all 9 of the lessons included in this bundle to motivate and engage the students whilst covering the following specification points:
The importance of water
The structure and function of blood vessels
The cardiac cycle and the relationship between the structure and operation of the heart to its function
The blood clotting process
The differences between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides
The structure and role of the monosaccharides
Understand how monosaccharides join to form disaccharides and polysaccharides through condensation reactions and are split through hydrolysis reactions
The relationship between the structure and roles of the polysaccharides
The synthesis of a triglyceride by the formation of ester bonds between glycerol and fatty acids
The difference between saturated and unsaturated lipids
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide variety of tasks which include exam-style questions with mark schemes, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions.
This fully-resourced lesson describes how rod cells in the mammalian retina detect stimuli to allow vision in low light intensity. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 8.5 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and includes reference to the roles of rhodopsin, opsin, retinal, sodium ions, cation channels and hyperpolarisation in the formation of action potentials in the optic neurones.
It is likely that students will be aware that the human retina contains rod and cone cells, so this lesson builds on that knowledge and adds the detail needed at this level. Students will discover that the optical pigment in rod cells is rhodopsin and that the bleaching of this into retinal and opsin results in a cascade of events that allows an action potential to be initiated along the optic nerve. Time is taken to go through the events that occur in the dark and then the students are challenged to use this as a guide when explaining how the events differ in the light. Key terms like depolarisation and hyperpolarisation, that were met earlier in topic 8, are used to explain the changes in membrane potential and the resulting effect on the connection with the bipolar and ganglion cells is then described.
This lesson describes the extracellular action of peptide hormones and the role played by steroid hormones in binding to DNA transcription factors. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 7.22 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and focuses on the differing effects of these two types of hormones on their target cells
Students should have a base knowledge of the endocrine system from GCSE so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to add the detail needed at this level. The lesson begins by challenging this knowledge to check that they understand that endocrine glands secrete these hormones directly into the blood. Students will learn that most of the secreted hormones are peptide (or protein) hormones and a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge them on their recall of the structure of insulin as well as to apply their knowledge to questions about glucagon. Moving forwards, the students are reminded that hormones have target cells that have specific receptor sites on their membrane. The relationship between a peptide hormone as a first messenger and a second messenger on the inside of the cell is covered in detail in an upcoming lesson but students are briefly introduced to G proteins and cyclic AMP so they are prepared. The rest of the lesson focuses on steroid hormones and specifically their ability to pass through the membrane of a cell and to bind to transcription factors, as exemplified by oestrogen. Students covered transcription and the control of gene expression in topics 2 and 3 so the final tasks challenge their recall of these concepts
This fully-resourced lesson describes the relationship between the properties and functions of the fibrous proteins, collagen, keratin and elastin. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 2.1.2 (o) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification but also make links to upcoming topics such as blood vessel structure and the immune system as well as constantly challenging students on their knowledge of proteins from earlier in this module.
The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise 7 structures found in animals from their descriptions and once they’ve written feathers, cartilage, bones, arteries, tendons, callus and skin into the right places, they will reveal the term fibrous and learn that these types of protein are found in these structures. Using their knowledge of the properties of globular proteins, they will learn that the insolubility of fibrous proteins allows them to form fibres, which perform structural functions. The rest of the lesson focuses on the functions of collagen, keratin and elastin and time is taken to discuss the key details and to make links to future topics so that students can recognise the importance of cross-modular based answers. A series of exam-style questions are used to challenge their knowledge of protein structure as well as their ability to apply their knowledge to an unfamiliar situation when learning that elastin is found in the walls of the urinary bladder. All of the questions have mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint to allow them to immediately assess their understanding.
This lesson has been specifically planned to tie in with the previous lesson on globular proteins as well as the one preceding that on the structures of proteins
This lesson introduces the key inorganic ions that are involved in biological processes and includes cations and anions. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 2.1.2 § of the OCR A-level Biology A specification but also makes links to topics in upcoming modules such as respiration, photosynthesis and neuronal communication.
The roles of the following ions are covered in this lesson:
phosphate
nitrate
chloride
hydroxide
hydrogencarbonate
hydrogen
ammonium
sodium
potassium
calcium
Extra time is taken during the lesson to describe how these ions are involved in the transport of carbon dioxide, the conduction of nervous impulses and blood clotting as well as other processes and a number of quiz competitions have been included to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way
This fully-resourced revision lesson uses a range of activities to challenge the students on their knowledge of proteins from module 2.1.2. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to test the intricate details of specification points 2.1.2 (k), (l), (m), (n), (o) & (q)
The range of activities include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes, understanding checks and quick quiz competitions that will engage and motivate the students whilst they assess their understanding of this topic.
The following concepts are tested during this lesson:
The general structure of an amino acid
The formation of dipeptides and polypeptides through condensation reactions
The primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a protein
Biological examples of proteins and their specific actions (e.g. antibodies, enzymes, peptide hormones)
The biuret test for proteins
Time has been taken in the planning to make links to topics in upcoming modules such as the genetic code (2.1.3) and intracellular enzymes (2.1.4)
This fully-resourced lesson describes the primary non-specific defences against pathogens in animals. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 4.1.1 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and describes the following defences:
skin
key steps of the blood clotting process
release of histamine in the inflammatory response
expulsive reflexes
mucous membranes
There are clear links to topics in modules 2 and 3 in each of these defences so time is taken to consider these during the descriptions. For example, the presence of keratin in the cytoplasm of the skin cells allows the student knowledge of the properties of this fibrous protein to be checked. Other topics that are revisited during this lesson include protein structure, formation of tissue fluid, key terminology and roles of inorganic ions in biological processes.
There is also a section of the lesson which refers to the genetics behind haemophilia and students are challenged to apply knowledge to an unfamiliar situation. This will prepare them for this topic when covered in module 6.1.2
All of the exam-style questions and tasks have mark schemes that are embedded in the PowerPoint and a number of them have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work.
This bundle contains 12 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources, and all of them have been planned at length to cover the GCSE content of topic 5 of the AQA GCSE Biology specification, whilst engaging and motivating the students with a wide range of tasks. These tasks include exam-style questions with answers included in the PowerPoint, guided discussion points and quick quiz rounds which are used to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way whilst instilling some competition
The following Homeostasis and response specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
Homeostasis*
Structure and function of the human nervous system
The brain
The eye
Control of body temperature
Human endocrine system
Control of blood glucose concentration
Maintaining water and nitrogen balance in the body*
Hormones in human reproduction
Contraception*
The use of hormones to treat infertility
Negative feedback
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle, then download the lessons indicated with an asterisk as they have been uploaded for free
This lesson bundle contains 8 detailed lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources and all of them have been planned at length to engage and motivate the students whilst covering the biological content of module 4.1.1 of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. The wide range of tasks which are contained with each of these lessons cover the following specification points:
The different types of pathogen that can cause communicable diseases in plants and animals
The means of transmission of animal and plant communicable pathogens
The primary non-specific defences against pathogens in animals
The structure and mode of action of phagocytes
The structure, different roles and modes of action of B and T lymphocytes in the specific immune response
The primary and secondary immune responses
The structure and general functions of antibodies
An outline of the action of opsonins, agglutinins and anti-toxins
The difference between active and passive immunity, and between natural and artificial immunity
Autoimmune diseases
The principles of vaccination and the role of vaccination programmes in the prevention of epidemics
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the “Transmission of animal and plant pathogens” and “immunity & vaccinations” lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This lesson describes the structure and functions of the adrenal glands, and includes the hormones secreted by the cortex and the medulla. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 5.1.4 (b) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification
This lesson has been planned to closely tie in with the previous lesson on endocrine communication, and specifically the modes of action of peptide and steroid hormones. At the start of the lesson, the students have to use the knowledge acquired in this last lesson to reveal the key term cortex and this leads into the description of the structure of the adrenal glands in terms of the outer region and the inner region known as the medulla.
The main part of the lesson focuses on the range of physiological responses of the organs to the release of adrenaline. Beginning with glycogenolysis, the need for adrenaline to bind to adrenergic receptors is described including the activation of cyclic AMP. A quiz competition is used to introduce other responses including lipolysis, vasodilation, bronchodilation and an increase in stroke volume. Links to previous topics are made throughout the lesson and students are challenged on their knowledge of heart structure and polysaccharides.
The final part of the lesson introduces the three zones of the adrenal cortex and the steroid hormones that they produce along with their functions. Once again, a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge their ability to apply their understanding to an unfamiliar situation and to make biological links and the mark schemes are embedded in the PowerPoint.