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 describes the role of the rER and the Golgi apparatus in the formation of proteins, the transport within cells and their secretion. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 3.4 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and also includes key details about the role of the cytoskeleton in the transport of the vesicles that contain the protein between the organelles and the membrane.
The lesson begins with the introduction of the cytoskeleton and explains how this network of protein structures transverses across the cytoplasm and is fundamental to the transport of molecules between organelles. The lesson has been planned to closely tie in with the previous lesson on the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and students are challenged on their knowledge of the function of the organelles involved in protein formation (and modification) through a series of exam-style questions. By comparing their answers against the mark scheme embedded in the PowerPoint, students will be able to assess their understanding of the following:
Transcription in the nucleus to form an mRNA strand and the exit of this nucleic acid through the nuclear pore
Translation at the ribosomes on the surface of the rER to assemble the protein
Transport of the vesicles containing the protein to the Golgi apparatus
Modification of the protein at the Golgi apparatus
Formation of the Golgi vesicle and its transport to the cell membrane for exocytosis
Time is taken to discuss the finer details of this process such as the arrival of the vesicle at the cis face and the transport away from the trans face and the requirement of ATP for the transport of the vesicles along the microtubule track and exocytosis.
The remainder of the lesson uses a series of exam-style questions about digestive enzymes (extracellular proteins) to challenge the students on their recall of the structure of starch and proteins
A fun and engaging lesson presentation (74 slides) and accompanying differentiated worksheets that uses exam questions with displayed mark schemes and competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of Module C4 (Predicting and identifying reactions and products). The following topics within the combined Science specification are covered by the tasks:
C4.1 Predicting chemical reactions
Group 1 - the alkali metals
Group 7 - the halogens
Halogen displacement reactions
Group 0 - the noble gases
Reactivity of elements
C4.2 Identifying the products of chemical reactions
Detecting gases
Students will be able to use the understanding checks to see which areas of the specification need more attention
An engaging lesson presentation (55 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 P3 (Electricity and Magnetism) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification.
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Static electricity
Current and potential difference
Series and parallel circuits
Magnets and magnetic fields
Motors
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “Take the HOTSEAT” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
A highly detailed set of 2 lessons (35 slides) on the topic of rearranging the formula. Over the course of the two lessons, they build up gradually with a culmination of some of the more difficult questions on this topic met at GCSE. Students are reminded of the meaning of the "subject of the formula" and then introduced to inverse operations. Students are guided through the simple questions involving one move to rearrange before looking at two moves and then questions which involve indices and square roots. The second lesson looks at the hardest questions, involving additional Mathematical skills such as factorising.
Progress checks are constant throughout the two lessons so that any misconceptions can be quickly addressed.
These lessons were designed for students studying GCSE but can be used with KS3 students appropriately too
An informative and engaging lesson (46 slides) that looks at the topic of immobilised enzymes and focusses on ensuring that students understand this topic around three main ideas. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain why immobilised enzymes are used, describe the different methods by which they are produced and describe some of their uses in biotechnology. Time is taken throughout the lesson to make sure that students understand the disadvantages associated with this process and that they are able to explain the specific limitations of each method.
This lesson has been designed for students studying A-level Biology
This is a fully-resourced lesson that guides students through the range of calculations involved in calculating speeds in everyday situations. This lesson includes an informative lesson presentation (27 slides) and a question worksheet which has been differentiated two ways.
The lesson begins by showing the students a speed camera and challenging them to recall the equation that would be used to calculate the speed as well as asking them to explain where the distance and the time values would come from. This lesson has a high mathematical element to it, to run in line with the questions that were seen in the latest exams this summer. Students will be expected to convert between units and rearrange formula. In this example, students are challenged to convert between m/s and mph in order to determine which of three drivers will receive a speeding ticket for exceeding the limit. This task has been differentiated so that students who find the conversions difficult are given some assistance so they can still access the learning. Moving forwards, students will see how a sensor on a tyre of a bicycle can also be used to calculate the speed by working out the circumference of the tyre to determine the distance. The final part of the lesson gets students to convert between m/s and mph and the other way to find out some typical speeds of everyday motion such as walking, running or a train moving.
This lesson has been written for GCSE aged students but could be used with younger students of high ability who need an extra challenge in the calculating speed topic.
All of the lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to challenge the students on their knowledge of the topics which can be assessed in PAPER 2 of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics specification.
The content in the following topics is covered by these lessons:
Topic 1: Key concepts in Physics
Topic 8: Energy - forces doing work
Topic 9: Forces and their effects
Topic 10: Electricity and circuits
Topic 12: Magnetism and the motor effect
Topic 13: Electromagnetic induction
Topic 14: Particle model
Topic 15: Forces and matter
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include exam-style questions with clear explanations of the answer, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions. There is also a big emphasis on the mathematical element of the specification and students are guided through the use of a range of skills which include the conversion of units and the rearrange of formulae to change the subject.
This bundle of 10 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B1 (Cell Biology) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Cells
Microscopy
Cell differentiation and specialisation
Chromosomes and mitosis
Stem cells
Diffusion
Osmosis
Active transport
Exchange surfaces
Exchanging substances
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 bundle of 15 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B3 (Organism level systems) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
The nervous system
The eye
Hormones and the endocrine system
Adrenaline
Negative feedback loops
Thyroid gland and thyroxine
The menstrual cycle
Contraception
Using hormones to treat infertility
Plant hormones
Homeostasis
Controlling body temperature
Controlling blood glucose
Diabetes
Inside the kidney
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 engaging and fully-resourced lesson looks at the effects of stabilising, directional and disruptive selection as the three main types of selection. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the 3rd part of point 7.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should be able to identify each type of selection by its effect on different phenotypes.
The lesson begins with an introduction to the mark, release, recapture method to calculate numbers of rabbits with different coloured fur in a particular habitat. This method is covered later in topic 7 so this section of the lesson is designed purely to generate changes in numbers of the organisms. Sketch graphs are then constructed to show the changes in the population size in this example. A quick quiz competition is used to engage the students whilst introducing the names of the three main types of selection before a class discussion point encourages the students to recognise which specific type of selection is represented by the rabbits. Key terminology including intermediate and extreme phenotypes and selection pressure are used to emphasise their importance during explanations. A change in the environment of the habitat and a change in the numbers of the rabbits introduces directional selection before students will be given time to discuss and to predict the shape of the sketch graph for disruptive selection. Students are challenged to apply their knowledge in the final task of the lesson by choosing the correct type of selection when presented with details of a population and answer related questions.
This highly detailed, fully-resourced lesson has been designed to cover the content of specification point 5.1.4 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply an understanding of the regulation of blood glucose concentration. There is focus on the negative feedback mechanisms that release insulin or glucagon and the role of the liver. It challenges the students recall of the control of insulin release from the beta cells which was taught in an earlier lesson.
A wide range of activities will maintain motivation and engagement whilst the content is covered in detail to enable the students to explain how the receptors in the pancreas detect the concentration change and how the hormones attaching to receptor sites on the liver triggers a series of events in this effector organ. This is a topic which has a huge amount of difficult terminology so time is taken to look at all of the key words, especially those which begin with the letter G so students are able to use them accurately in the correct context. The action of adrenaline is also considered and linked to the breakdown of glycogen to glucose during glycogenolysis.
This lesson has been written for students studying on the OCR A-level Biology A course and ties in with the lesson on the differences between type I and II diabetes mellitus as well as the human endocrine system
The topics of selection, evolution, biodiversity, classification and conservation are key concepts in Biology, that are regularly assessed in the exams, but are not always that well understood by the students. With this at the forefront of the lesson design, these 16 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources have been intricately planned to cover the detailed content of topics 17 & 18 of the CIE A-level Biology specification through the use of a wide range of tasks to engage and motivate the students. There are plenty of opportunities for the students to assess their current understanding through the completion of exam-style questions and also to check on their prior knowledge by making links to earlier topics.
The following specification points are covered by these lessons:
Topic 17.1: Variation
The differences between continuous and discontinuous variation
Using the t-test to compare the variation of two different populations
The importance of genetic variation in selection
Topic 17.2: Natural and artificial selection
Natural selection
Explain how environmental factors can act as stabilising, disruptive and directional forces of natural selection
Explain how the founder effect and genetic drift may affect allele frequencies in populations
Use the Hardy-Weinberg principle
Topic 17.3: Evolution
The molecular evidence that reveals similarities between closely related organisms
Explain how speciation may occur
Topic 18.1: Biodiversity
Define the terms species, ecosystem and niche
Explain that biodiversity is considered at three levels
Explain the importance of random sampling in determining the biodiversity of an area
Use suitable methods to assess the distribution and abundance of organisms in a local area
Use the Spearman’s rank correlation to analyse relationships between data
Use Simpson’s index of diversity
Topic 18.2: Classification
The classification of species into taxonomic hierarchy
The characteristic features of the three domains
The characteristic features of the kingdoms
Explain why viruses are not included in the three domain classification
Topic 18.3: Conservation
The reasons for the need to maintain biodiversity
Methods of protecting endangered species
The roles of organisations like the WWF and CITES in local and global conservation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons that are included in this bundle then download the following as these have been shared for free:
Continuous and discontinuous variation
Molecular evidence & evolution
Spearman’s rank correlation
WWF, CITES and conservation
It is estimated that it will take up to 2 months of A-level Biology teaching time to cover the detail included in these lessons
These 9 lessons are highly detailed and are filled with a wide range of tasks that will engage the students whilst covering the following specification points in topics 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 of the AQA A-level Biology specification:
4.4
Genetic diversity as the number of different alleles of genes in a population and a factor enabling natural selection to occur
The principles of natural selection in the evolution of populations
Directional and stabilising selection
Natural selection results in anatomical, physiological or behavioural adaptations
4.5
Two organisms belong to the same species if they are able to produce fertile offspring
The taxonomic hierarchy comprising domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species
The use of the binomial name to identify species
4.6
Biodiversity can relate to a range of habitats
Species richness
Calculating an index of diversity
The balance between conservation and farming
4.7
Investigating genetic diversity with, or between species, by comparing observable characteristics or nucleic acids and the structure of proteins
Calculating and interpreting the mean and standard deviation
If you download the natural selection and standard deviation lessons which have been shared for free then you will be able to see the quality of lessons included in this bundle
This detailed lesson has been written to cover the part of specification point 6.4.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should be able to describe how the structure of the nephron allows for the formation of glomerular filtrate. The aim of the design was to give the students the opportunity to discover the function of ultrafiltration and to be able to explain how the mechanisms found in the glomerulus and the Bowman’s capsule control the movement of small molecules out of the blood plasma. Key terminology is used throughout and students will learn how the combination of the capillary endothelium and the podocytes creates filtration slits that allow glucose, water, urea and ions through into the Bowman’s capsule but ensure that blood cells and plasma proteins remain in the bloodstream. A number of quiz competitions are used to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way whilst understanding and prior knowledge checks allow the students to assess their understanding of the current topic and to challenge themselves to make links to earlier topics. The final task of the lesson challenges the students to apply their knowledge by recognising substances found in a urine sample that shouldn’t be present and to explain why this would cause a problem
This lesson has been written for students studying on the AQA A-level course and ties in nicely with the other kidney lessons on the structure of the nephron, selective reabsorption and osmoregulation
This lesson introduces monomers, polymers, condensation and hydrolysis reactions and chemical bonds to prepare students for the rest of topic 1 (biological molecules). The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet cover point 1.1 of the AQA A-level Biology course, and as this is likely to be the very first lesson that the students encounter, the range of engaging tasks have been specifically designed to increase the likelihood of the key points and fundamentals being retained.
Monomers were previously met at GCSE and so the beginning of the lesson focuses on the recall of the meaning of this key term before the first in a series of quiz rounds is used to introduce nucleotides, amino acids and monosaccharides as a few of the examples that will be met in this topic. Dipeptides and disaccharides are introduced as structures containing 2 amino acids or sugars respectively and this is used to initiate a discussion about how monomers need to be linked together even more times to make the larger chains known as polymers. At this point in the lesson, the students are given the definition of a condensation reaction and then challenged to identify where the molecule of water is eliminated from when two molecules of glucose join. A series of important prefixes and suffixes are then provided and students use these to predict the name of the reaction which has the opposite effect to a condensation reaction - a hydrolysis reaction.
Links to upcoming lessons are made throughout the PowerPoint to encourage students to begin to recognise the importance of making connections between topics.
An engaging lesson presentation that runs the lesson in a quiz format, with numerous rounds, in order to introduce the students to the different stages of the life cycle of a star. The lesson begins by introducing students to the first three stages (nebula, protostar, main sequence) which all stars go through regardless of their mass. Key details about each stage are discussed and considered. Moving forwards, this lesson ensures that students understand that the stages after the main sequence are dependent upon the mass of the star. Key links are made to associated topics such as nuclear fusion.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but could be used with KS3 students if they are doing a project on space and stars
This bundle of 12 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic C3 (Physical chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification. The sub-topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
[a] Energetics
Know that chemical reactions can be endothermic or exothermic reactions
Calculate the heat energy change using the expression involving specific heat capacity
Draw energy level diagrams to represent endothermic and exothermic reactions
Use bond energies to calculate the enthalpy change
[b] Rates of reaction
Describe experiments to investigate the effect of changing surface area, concentration, temperature and the addition of a catalyst on the rate of reaction
Describe and explain the effects of changing surface area, concentration and temperature on a rate of reaction with reference to the collision theory
Know the definition of a catalyst and understand how it reduces the activation energy of a chemical reaction
Draw and explain reaction profile diagrams
[c] Reversible reactions and equilibria
Know that some reactions are reversible
Know the characteristics of a reaction at dynamic equilibrium
Know the effect of changing either the temperature of pressure on the position of the equilibrium
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 is a fully-resourced lesson that explores the meaning of irradiation and contamination and challenges the students to make links to the different types of radiation in order to state which type of radiation is most dangerous outside of the body and inside the body. This lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (28 slides) and a differentiated worksheet which gives assistance to those students who find the task of writing the letter difficult.
The lesson has been written to include real life examples to try to make the subject matter more relevant to the students. Therefore, whilst meeting the term contamination, they will briefly read about the incident with Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 to understand how the radiation entered the body. Moving forwards, students will learn that there are examples of consensual contamination such as the injection of an isotope to act as a tracer. At this point of the lesson, links are made to the topic of decay and half-lives and students are challenged to pick an appropriate isotope based on the half-life and then to write a letter to the patient explaining why they made their choice. The remainder of the lesson challenges students to decide which type or types of radiation are most dangerous when an individual is irradiated or contaminated and to explain their answers. This type of progress check can be found throughout the lesson along with a number of quick competitions which act to maintain engagement as well as introduce new terms.
This lesson has been written for GCSE aged students
This bundle of 8 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic P6 (Radioactivity) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Physics specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Atoms and Isotopes
The properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation
Nuclear equations
Half-life
Background radiation
Irradiation and contamination
Nuclear fission
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 is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content found within Topic 3.3 (Organisms exchange substances with their environment) of the AQA A-level Biology specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Surface area to volume ratio
Gas exchange
Digestion and absorption
Mass transport in animals
Mass transport in plants
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual A-level terminal exams
