This lesson describes the general structure of the 20 amino acids found in proteins and makes clear links to related topics such as genes. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover specification point 2.1.2 (k) of the OCR A-level Biology A course and provides a clear introduction to the following lesson on the formation of dipeptides and polypeptides. The lesson begins with a prior knowledge check, where the students have to use the 1st letters of 4 answers to uncover a key term. This 4-letter key term is gene and the lesson begins with this word because it is important for students to understand that these sequences of bases on DNA determine the specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide. Moving forwards, students are given discussion time to work out that there are 64 different DNA triplets and will learn that these encode for the 20 amino acids that are common to all organisms. The main task of the lesson is an observational one, where students are given time to study the displayed formula of 4 amino acids. They are not allowed to draw anything during this time but will be challenged with 3 multiple choice questions at the end. This task has been designed to allow the students to visualise how the 20 amino acids share common features in an amine and an acid group. A quick quiz round introduces the R group and time is taken to explain how the structure of this side chain is the only structural difference. Students will be introduced to the existence of hydrophobic, hydrophilic, acidic and basic R groups so that they are able to apply this knowledge in future lessons where structure and shape is considered. Some time is also given to look at cysteine in greater detail due to the presence of sulfur atoms and once again a link is made to disulfide bridges for upcoming lessons. The lesson concludes with one more quiz round called LINK TO THE FUTURE where the students will see the roles played by amino acids in the later part of the course such as translation and in the formation of dipeptides.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the beneficial, neutral and harmful effects of gene mutations on the primary structure of a polypeptide. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 6.1.1 (a) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to understand how substitutions, deletions and insertions change the base sequence and describe how this affects protein production and function. In order to understand how a change in the base sequence can affect the order of the amino acids, students must be confident in their understanding and application of protein synthesis which was covered in module 2.1.3. Therefore, the start of the lesson focuses on transcription and translation and students are guided through the use of the codon table to identify amino acids. Moving forwards, a task called known as THE WALL is used to introduce to the names of three types of gene mutation whilst challenging the students to recognise terms which are associated with the genetic code and were met back in 2.1.3. The main focus of the lesson is base substitutions and how these mutations may or may not cause a change to the amino acid sequence. The students are challenged to use their knowledge of the degenerate nature of the genetic code to explain how a silent mutation can result. The rest of the lesson looks at base deletions and base insertions and students are introduced to the idea of a frameshift mutation. One particular task challenges the students to evaluate the statement that base deletions have a bigger impact on primary structure than base substitutions. This is a differentiated task and they have to compare the fact that the reading frame is shifted by a deletion against the change in a single base by a substitution

This revision resource has been designed to include a range of activities that will engage the students whilst they assess their understanding of the content of topic B8 (Gas exchange and respiration) of the CIE IGCSE Combined Science specification for examination in June and November 2020 and 2021. Exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions such as “The BIG REVEAL” will challenge the students on their recall of the content as well as their ability to apply this knowledge. The lesson was written to cover as much of the content as possible, but the following topics have received particular attention: The role of cilia, goblet cells and mucus in the trachea and bronchi The effects of the chemicals in tobacco smoke on gas exchange Efficient gas exchange at the alveoli The composition of inhaled and exhaled air Aerobic respiration as the chemical reaction that releases energy The uses of energy in the human body This resource contains an engaging PowerPoint (54 slides) and associated worksheets and is ideal for use at the end of this topic or in the lead up to mocks or the actual terminal exams

This detailed lesson uses haemoglobin and collagen to describe the relationship between the structure and functions of globular and fibrous proteins. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been primarily designed to cover specification point 2.3 © of the CIE International A-level Biology course but due to the detailed coverage of haemoglobin, this resource could also be used when teaching a lesson on the role of this protein in topic 8. The first part of the lesson looks at the structure of haemoglobin, and describes how the presence of an iron-containing haem group on the outside of the 4 polypeptide chains explains its ability to form oxyhaemoglobin. Moving forwards, the importance of the solubility of this protein is considered and related to the direction that the hydrophobic R groups point. At this point of the lesson, the students are challenged to construct a comparison table which can be filled in as the lesson progresses and as they are given more details of collagen. The section of the lesson concerning collagen begins with the introduction of its function in the artery wall so that students can recognise how fibrous proteins have roles associated with mechanical strength. Time is taken to discuss their solubility as well as the presence of repetitive amino acid sequences. The remainder of the lesson considers four more proteins and the final task challenges the students to use their completed table to write a summary passage comparing globular and fibrous proteins.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the differences between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 6.13 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but also makes continual links to earlier lessons in topic 6 as well as related topics from the previous year such as protein synthesis from topic 2 The lesson begins by challenging the students to use their knowledge of the previous topic 6 lessons to identify the suffixes cidal and static. Students will learn that when the prefix is added, these form the full names of two types of antibiotics. Their understanding of terminology is tested further as they have to recognise that Polymyxin B is an example of a bactericidal antibiotic as its actions would result in the death of the bacterial cell. Tetracycline is used as the example of a bacteriostatic antibiotic and students will discover that its prevention of the binding of tRNA that inhibits protein synthesis and this reduction and stopping of growth and reproduction is synonymous with these drugs. Students are challenged on their knowledge of translation and will also be given time for a class discussion to understand that these antibiotics encourage the body’s immune system to overcome the pathogen in natural, active immunity. The final part of the lesson uses a quick quiz competition and a series of exam-style questions to ensure that students can recognise the different antibiotics from descriptions.

This engaging revision lesson challenges students on their understanding of the homeostatic control system that regulates blood glucose concentration. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to check on the understanding of the details in specification point 5.3.2 of the AQA biology and combined science specifications. A common mistake in this topic is that students confuse glycogen with glucagon and use them incorrectly so time is spent to ensure that students recognise the difference between the complex carbohydrate and the hormone. In addition to challenging the students on their knowledge of this control system, the following linked topics are also challenged: key biological terms (beginning with G) the digestive system structures in a control system

This fully-resourced lesson describes the processes of active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis and explains the need for ATP. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover the second part of point 4.2 (a) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification. The first part of 4.2 (a), concerning simple and facilitated diffusion, was covered in the previous lesson. The start of the lesson challenges the students to use their prior knowledge of biological molecules to come up with the abbreviation ATP and they will learn that this is a phosphorylated nucleotide that contains adenine, ribose and three phosphate groups. Students may not have known this as the energy currency from GCSE so time is taken to explain that this molecule must be broken down to release energy and students are challenged to recall which type of reaction will be involved and to predict the products of such a reaction. This hydrolysis of ATP can be coupled to energy-requiring reactions within the cell and the rest of the lesson focuses on the use of this energy for active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis. Students are challenged to answer a series of questions which compare active transport against the forms of passive transport and to use data from a bar chart to support this form of transport. In answering these questions they will discover that carrier proteins are specific to certain molecules and time is taken to look at the exact mechanism of these transmembrane proteins. A quick quiz round introduces endocytosis and the students will see how vesicles are involved along with the energy source of ATP to move large substances in or out of the cell. The lesson concludes with a link to a future topic as the students are shown how exocytosis is involved in a synapse.

This lesson describes the secretion of peptide and steroid hormones by endocrine glands and their differing effects on target cells. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover point 5.1.4 (a) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification but also makes clear links to upcoming lessons in this module as well as to topics such as transcription factors which are covered in module 6.1.1 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.

This lesson describes the relationship between the structure and function of the polysaccharides, starch and cellulose. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover point 4.3 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and includes a focus on the role of the hydrogen bonds between the beta-glucose molecules in the formation of cellulose microfibrils. The structure of amylose and amylopectin was described during a lesson in topic 1, so the start of this lesson challenges the students on their recall of these details. They have to complete a comparison table for these two polysaccharides by identifying the monomer and type of glycosidic bonds that are found in each of the structures. Time is taken to explain how the greater resistance to digestion of amylose means that this carbohydrate is important for plant energy storage whereas the multiple chain ends in the branched amylopectin means that this polysaccharide can be hydrolysed quickly when energy is needed. The rest of the lesson describes the structure of cellulose and focuses on the link between the structure and the need for this polysaccharide to support the plant cell as well as the whole plant. Students will see how every other beta glucose monomer is rotated by 180 degrees and will learn that hydrogen bonds form between these molecules on the same chain as well as between adjacent chains in a cellulose microfibril. The lesson concludes with a quick quiz competition where the students have to compete to open a safe using a combination made up of key values associated with glycogen, starch and cellulose.

This lesson describes how molecular evidence can be used to reveal similarities between closely-related organisms. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover point 17.3 (b) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and focus on the comparison of protein structure and mitochondrial DNA but can also be used as a revision of related topics that include protein synthesis and gene mutations. The lesson begins with the introduction of convergent evolution, a process where organisms independently evolve to have similar features due to theeir habitation of similar environments. This allows the importance of molecular evidence to be considered to ensure that organisms which are closely related (in terms of evolution) are recognised. The comparison of the primary structure of a protein involved in respiration (cytochrome c) is used to demonstrate how protein sequence data can be useful. At this point, a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge the students on their knowledge of protein synthesis and gene mutations from topics 6 and 16. The remainder of the lesson considers the use of mitochondrial DNA and a study of the mtDNA genomes of 51 gibbons demonstrates how this can provide evidence of relationships, even in organisms that show high taxonomic diversity like these lesser apes.

This lesson looks at the structure of the DNA that is found in the nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotic cells and in prokaryotic cells. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of point 4.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. As students will already have some knowledge of this nucleic acid from GCSE and from the earlier A-level topics, the lesson has been written to build on this prior knowledge and then to add key detail. As well as focusing on the differences between the DNA found in these two types of cells which includes the length, shape and association with histones, the various tasks will ensure that students are confident to describe how this double-stranded polynucleotide is held together by hydrogen and phosphodiester bonds. These tasks include exam-style questions which challenge the application of knowledge as well as a few quiz competitions to maintain engagement.

This fully-resourced lesson distinguishes between active and passive, natural and artificial immunity and describes the principles of vaccinations. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources which are differentiated have been designed to cover points 4.1.1 (j) & (l) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and there is also a description and discussion about the concept of herd immunity. In a previous lesson in module 4.1.1, students were introduced to the primary and secondary immune responses so the start of this lesson uses an imaginary game of TOP TRUMPS to challenge them on the depth of their understanding. This will act to remind them that a larger concentration of antibodies is produced in a quicker time in the secondary response. The importance of antibodies and the production of memory cells for the development of immunity is emphasised and this will be continually referenced as the lesson progresses. The students will learn that this response of the body to a pathogen that has entered the body through natural processes is natural active immunity. Moving forwards, time is taken to look at vaccinations as an example of artificial active immunity. Another series of questions focusing on the MMR vaccine will challenge the students to explain how the deliberate exposure to antigenic material activates the immune response and leads to the retention of memory cells. A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the variety of forms that the antigenic material can take along with examples of diseases that are vaccinated against using these methods. The eradication of smallpox is used to describe the concept of herd immunity and the students are given time to consider the scientific questions and concerns that arise when the use of this pathway is a possible option for a government. The remainder of the lesson looks at the different forms of passive immunity and describes the drawbacks in terms of the need for a full response if a pathogen is re-encountered

This engaging lesson describes the relationship between the structure and functions of a phopholipid, focusing on the role performed in membranes. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover specification point 2.2 (g) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification and includes constant references to the previous lesson on the structure and function of triglycerides. The role of a phospholipid in a cell membrane provides the backbone to the whole lesson. A quick quiz round called FAMILY AFFAIR challenges the students to use their knowledge of the structure of a triglyceride to identify the shared features in a phospholipid. This then allows the differences to be introduced, such as the presence of a phosphate group in place of the third fatty acid. Moving forwards, the students will learn that the two fatty acid tails are hydrophobic whilst the phosphate head is hydrophilic which leads into a key discussion point where the class has to consider how it is possible for the phospholipids to be arranged when both the inside and outside of a cell is an aqueous solution. The outcome of the discussion is the introduction of the phospholipid bilayer which is critical for the lesson in topic 4 on the fluid mosaic model. The final part of the lesson describes how proteins found floating in the cell membrane allow both facilitated diffusion and active transport to occur and this also helps to begin the preparations for the upcoming lessons.

This lesson describes how energy is transferred between trophic levels using the terms net and gross primary productivity and calculates the efficiency of this transfer. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 10.2 (i) and (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and the content of the lesson also accounts for the loss of energy between different levels and describes the farming practices that act to reduce these losses. Due to the fact that the productivity of plants is dependent on photosynthesis, a series of exam-style questions have been written into the lesson which challenge the students to explain how the structure of the leaf as well as the light-dependent and light-independent reactions are linked to GPP. All of the exam questions have mark schemes that are included in the PowerPoint to allow students to immediately assess their understanding. A number of quick quiz competitions as well as guided discussion points are used to introduce the formulae that calculate NPP and N and to recognise the meaning of the components. Once again, this is immediately followed with an opportunity to apply their understanding to selected questions and the students will have to calculate the efficiency of energy transfer. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the ways that energy is lost at each trophic level and the biology behind the following farming practices are discussed: raising herbivores to reduce the number of trophic levels in a food chain intensely rearing animals to reduce respiratory losses in human food chains the use of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides the addition of artificial fertilisers The ethical issues raised by these practices are also considered and alternative methods discussed such as the addition of natural predators and the use of organic fertilisers like manure

An engaging lesson presentation (66 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 module B3 of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics that are tested within the lesson include: Nervous system Reflexes Hormones Negative feedback The menstrual cycle Controlling reproduction Using hormones to treat infertility Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like "From Numbers 2 LETTERS" and "Take the IVF Hotseat" whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention

This fully-resourced lesson describes the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the role of the RER and Golgi apparatus in protein transport. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying exam-question worksheets (which are all differentiated) have been primarily designed to cover point 3.2 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification but also covers 3.1 which states that students should know that living organisms are made of cells, sharing some common features As cells are the building blocks of living organisms, it makes sense that they would be heavily involved in all of the 8 topics in the Edexcel course and intricate planning has ensured that these links to previously covered topics as well as upcoming ones are made throughout the lesson. A wide range of activities, that include exam-style questions, class discussion points and quick quiz competitions, will maintain motivation and engagement whilst covering the finer details of the following structures: nucleus nucleolus centrioles ribosomes rough endoplasmic reticulum Golgi apparatus lysosomes smooth endoplasmic reticulum mitochondria cell surface membrane As mentioned above, all of the worksheets have been differentiated to support students of differing abilities whilst maintaining challenge Due to the detail that is included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to go through all of the tasks

This engaging lesson describes the key features of viruses and therefore explains why these microorganisms are non-cellular. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover specification point 1.2 (f) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification and also includes details of HIV so that students are prepared for this lesson later in topic 10. Details of the COVID-19 epidemic are included in the lesson to increase relevance and to help students to understand this biological topic in greater depth. They will understand that the lack of cell structures results in an non-cellular classification and the fact that it is unable to reproduce without a host is one of the additional reasons that renders it as non-living. The main focus of the lesson is the nucleic acid, the capsid and the attachment proteins that are present in these microorganisms and time is taken to explain how these structures are involved in the infection of a host cell. The lipid membrane is also introduced and links are made to the previous lessons on eukaryotic cells. The final section uses a version of BBC 1’s POINTLESS to introduce a number of viral diseases in animals and the use of a glycoprotein by HIV to attach to helper T cells is briefly introduced.

This is a highly-detailed revision resource which has been designed to be used over a number of lessons and allows teachers to dip in and out of the material as fits to the requirements of their classes and students. The resource consists of an engaging and detailed powerpoint (135 slides) and worksheets which have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to be challenged and access the work. The lesson consists of a wide range of activities which will engage and motivate the students and includes exam questions, quiz competitions and quick tasks. The lesson has been designed to cover as many of the sub-topics within topics 4, 5 and 6 of the OCR Gateway GCSE Biology A specification but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention: Topic B4: Community-level systems Ecological terms Carbon cycle Topic B5: Genes, inheritance and selection The effect of mutations on phenotypes Single-gene crosses Sex determination Genetic terminology Topic B6: Global challenges Communicable diseases Genetic engineering Vaccinations CHD This revision resource can be used in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams and due to its size, it could be repeatably used to ensure that students develop a deep understanding of these topics.

This detailed lesson describes the different levels of protein structure and focuses on the bonds that hold these molecules in shape. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point (i) as detailed in AS unit 1, topic 1 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and makes continual links to previous lessons such as amino acids & peptide bonds as well as to upcoming lessons like enzymes and antibodies. The start of the lesson focuses on a gene as a sequence of bases that code for the amino acid sequence in a polypeptide and a step by step guide is used to demonstrate how the sequences of bases in a gene acts as a template to form a sequence of codons on a mRNA strand and how this is translated into a particular sequence of amino acids known as the primary structure. The students are then challenged to apply their understanding of this process by using three more gene sequences to work out three primary structures and recognise how different genes lead to different sequences. Moving forwards, students will learn how the order of amino acids in the primary structure determines the shape of the protein molecule, through its secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure and time is taken to consider the details of each of these. There is a particular focus on the different bonds that hold the 3D shape firmly in place and a quick quiz round then introduces the importance of this shape as exemplified by enzymes, antibodies and hormones. Students will see the differences between globular and fibrous protein and again biological examples are used to increase relevance. The lesson concludes with one final quiz round called STRUC by NUMBERS where the students have to use their understanding of the protein structures to calculate a numerical answer.

This is a fully-resourced lesson which uses exam-style questions, engaging quiz competitions, quick tasks and discussion points to challenge students on their understanding of the content of topics B1 & B6 - B9, that will assessed on PAPER 2. 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 key points of each of the sub-topics are embedded. The lesson has been written to take place in numerous shops that could be found on the high street as well as at an urban park to allow the following sub-topics to be covered: Eukaryotes and prokaryotes The prefixes of size and converting between units The cell structures of animal and plant cells The structure of the heart and the circulatory system The features of the alveoli which enable efficient gas exchange Calculating cardiac output Temperature and photosynthesis The role of enzymes in reactions The functions of the components of blood The homeostatic control of blood glucose by insulin secretion Diabetes type I and II Calculating BMI and the link between obesity and diabetes type II The hormones involved in the menstrual cycle The different methods of contraception Estimating population size using sampling results The carbon cycle 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 extra support when they are unable to begin a question. Due to the extensiveness of this revision lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3/4 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 2 exam