Previously a Subject Leader and Science SLE with bags of experience with all things KS4 and A level Biology.
I am currently teaching and creating resources for:
OCR A Level Biology,
AQA Trilogy, Synergy and Triple
Edexcel iGCSE coming soon
KS3 ( looking at the AQA 2 year course) including Biomimicry
If there is anything specific that you would like, please send me a message.
Previously a Subject Leader and Science SLE with bags of experience with all things KS4 and A level Biology.
I am currently teaching and creating resources for:
OCR A Level Biology,
AQA Trilogy, Synergy and Triple
Edexcel iGCSE coming soon
KS3 ( looking at the AQA 2 year course) including Biomimicry
If there is anything specific that you would like, please send me a message.
This resource is 4 A4 pages of revision activities for the 2.1.2 OCR Biological molecules topic
Top features include:
QR code - takes students to multiple choice quiz from the OCR
QR code for useful videos
QR code to questions on Seneca
maths elements
PAG elements
checks key terminology
*Checks ability to draw key diagrams
Links to other parts of the spec where appropriate
The activity is designed to check that students have an understanding of the topic and encourages independent working. I advise my students to use notes or a textbook before asking the teacher if they do not know the answer.
Each side takes students roughly an hour to complete. I have used as homeworks, support sessions, revision lessons private study tasks and printed on card and cut to use as revision cards.
I have also included my booklet document with them all in for easy printing.
All other topics available. Please note, answers not yet available but are in the pipeline!!
Module 2 Foundations in Biology Revision grids. 16 A4 pages in total, I recommend an hour per page to my students
Made based on the specification with revision activities to complete, calculation tasks, PAG tasks, QR codes to Seneca tasks, QR codes for OCR Mutliple Choice Questions and QR codes to recommended YouTube clips.
2.1.1 x4
2.1.2 x4
2.1.3 x2
2.1.4 x2
2.1.5 x2
2.1.6 x2
Top features include:
QR code - takes students to multiple choice quiz from the OCR
QR code for useful videos
QR code to questions on Seneca
maths elements
PAG elements
checks key terminology
*Checks ability to draw key diagrams
Links to other parts of the spec where appropriate
Please note this does not yet have answers available but they are inthe pipeline! It has been set up as an independent study task.
Module 4 Revision grids. 9 x A4 pages in total
4.1.1 x4
4.2.1 x2
4.2.2 x3
Top features include:
QR code - takes students to multiple choice quiz from the OCR
QR code for useful videos
QR code to questions on Seneca
maths elements
PAG elements
checks key terminology
*Checks ability to draw key diagrams
Links to other parts of the spec where appropriate
The activity is designed to check that students have an understanding of the topic and encourages independent working. I advise my students to use notes or a textbook before asking the teacher if they do not know the answer.
Each side takes students roughly an hour to complete. I have used as homeworks, support sessions, revision lessons private study tasks and printed on card and cut to use as revision cards
All other topics available. Please note, answers not yet available but are in the pipeline!!
Created using the AQA Biology specification for triple science
Contains 7 slides of activities which lend to either printing as a booklet or as separate sheets.
For the new spec OCR Biology A 6.1.2 Patterns of Inheritance
Fast recall and some diagrams from CGP / Pearson
I usually print the handout ppt as a colour booklet for students to annotate
The power point contains 13-14 lessons depending on your pace and activities
1.Environmental and genetic factors
2. Recap meiosis
3. Monogenetic, co-dominance, dihybrid crosses
4.Multiple alleles and practice Qs
5. Sex linkage, autosomal genes and epistasis
6.Summary
7.Chi-squared
8.Factors affecting evolution - types of selection
9.Genetic drift, Bottlenecks and Founder effect
10.H-W Principle
11.Speciation
12. Artificial selection
13. Revision (Past paper questions from legacy papers)
Separate revision grids that follow the spec are also available to buy with QR codes with OCR MCQs, Seneca tasks and you tube clips
For the new OCR A level biology specificaiton.
I have included the handout I give students for you to adapt if you wish.
It is not necessary to do all of the PAGs depending on what you have already done throughout the course.
1a. Natural clones
1b. PAG 4 Stem dissection
2. micropropagation
3. Cauliflower cloning (SAPS)
4.Cloning in animals
5. Biotechnological processes (includes the info cards)
6.Aseptic technique
7. PAG 7.1 – The effect of antibiotics on microbial growth (OCR worksheets)
8.PAG 7.2 Dilution plating to determine microbial density in liquid culture (OCR worksheets)
9. Growth curves
10.immobilised enzymes
11. Industrial uses of immobilised enzymes
The PAGS used are available for free on the OCR website or SAPS (link given).
For the new OCR A level biology specification
Includes the workbook I print for students
1. Biotic and abiotic factors
2. Biomass transfer through ecosystems
3. Nitrogen cycle
4. Carbon cycle
5. Primary succession
6. Recap sampling methods, species evenness and richness and Simpson’s index
7. PAG - Sampling
For the new OCR specification 12-14 lessons depending on pace.
A tricky unit of work to navigate through - I have chosen to do it in the order below, you may wish to teach in a different order!
I have also included the hand out that I print for students to annotate during lessons
1. Development of DNA sequencing - timeline with Ted talks James Watson
1b. ( optional 2 hr documentary BBC horizon The race for the double helix
2. Gel electrophoresis and Sanger method
3. PCR, advantages and applications
4. DNA profiling and its uses including DNA probes
5a. Human Genome Project - comparing the DNA of individuals of the same species and different species link to 4.2.2
5b. Predicting amino acid sequences and epidemiology link to 2.1.3
6. Synthetic biology uses and examples. incl. Tedx ' The dark side of the double helix'
7. Principles of genetic engineering
8. Techniques of Genetic engineering
9. Genetic modification and ethics
10. Gene therapy (somatic and germ line)
New OCR A level biology course.
A power point with 11 -13 lessons depending on pace
A separate power point has a hand out that I print as an A4 booklet and give my students to annotate diagrams and complete summary questions as we go.
This is the order that I taught the content.
1. Types of pathogen
2. Transmission between animals
3. Primary defence (optional PAG1 for an extra lesson here)
4. T Lymphocytes
5. B lymphocytes
6. Primary and secondary response
7. Antibodies
8. Passive and active immunity
9. Antibiotics
10. Transmission between plants and plant defence (could be 2 lessons)
11 Revision
For the new OCR A level Biology course
The power point contains the content for 9 lessons depending on your pace and there is a hand out to go along with it with diagrams to annotate and questions to complete.
My teaching order is:
1. Classification
2. Evidence for classification
3. Phylogeny
4. Theory of Evolution
5. Types of variation
6. Spearman’s Rank
6. Standard deviation
7. Adaptations
8. Natural selection
9. Revision using study mind questions - QR codes
Made for the new OCR A level Biology specification. I have included my hand out and the activity sheets for the student presentations.
1. Factors affecting population size
2. interactions between populations
3. Conservation, preservation and sustainability
4. Management of environmental resources (students prepare 20 minute lessons)
5. 3 x 20 minute lessons
6. 3 x 20 minute lessons
7. 1 x 20 minute lessons and consolidation
For the new OCR specification
6.1.1 Cellular control lessons
Also included is a hand out that I give to students to annotate diagrams and write notes in.
I also have a revision grid made using the spec for this topic with QR codes with additional MCQs, Seneca, YouTube and activities
My teaching order is:
1. Mutations
2. Review of transcription and Transcription factors
3. The Lac operon, introns and exons
4. Review of translation and cAMP
5. Body Plans
6. Apoptosis
7. Recap of mitosis and the cell cycle
8. Revision
Questions refer to the Oxford textbook recommended by OCR edited by Anne Fullick some CGP diagrams and pearson Qs used.
For the new OCR Biology course.
A power point containing 7 lessons depending on your pace.
The second power point is a hand out that I give to my students with all the diagrams and some useful questions.
My teaching order is:
1. Habitats and intro to sampling
2. Sampling
3. Species richness, evenness and Simpson’s index
4. Genetic diversity
5. Factors affecting biodiversity
6. Importance of maintaining biodiversity
7. Conservation agreements
A comprehensive ppt of 8 lessons with hand out to supplement.
I print the hand out in colour and students write their notes into it. The homework questions refer to the summary questions in the Oxford University Press textbook ’ A level Biology for OCR’ A
The order of teaching was dur to not having a lab for some lessons. You may wish to alter this!
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Ultrastructure of Eukaryotes
Protein synthesis and the role of the cytoskeleton
PAG 1 Preparing slides and drawing specimens
Microscopes research
Magnification and resolution
Using an eyepiece graticule and stage micrometer
Revision questions and QR codes to study mind Qs
This resource was made for the new AQA scheme of work for Triple science biology.
Included are lessons with full objectives and a student booklet with all the resources you will need ( including a few sheets of lined paper for flexibility.
1. Homeostasis and control of body temperature
1b Sweating investigation
2. Human nervous system - animated reflex arc
3. RPA Reaction times
4. The Brain - includes 3D animation of the brain
5. The eye
6. Endocrine system and negative feedback
7. Control of blood glucose
8. Maintaining water and nitrogen balance
9. Hormones in human reproduction
10. Contraception
11. Hormones to treat infertility
12. Plant hormones
13. RPA Investigating the effect of light on the growth of seedlings
14. Summary / revision lesson quick questions activity and podcast(54mins) could be 2 hours.
All other topics available and revision grids for the exam season.
Your feedback is really appreciated
Made for the OCR A level Biology course including some hand drawn diagrams, custom animations using morph transitions. There are specification links scattered throughout.
PAG instructions taken from the OCR website for the practical lessons PAG group 4 - please note you do not have to complete all of these. I like to do two of them during this topic
My resources are kept within one long power point, split into sections for lessons. This is to allow for flexibility in teaching but also means you can flip back and forth to link parts of the topic together with ease during the lessons - 2.1.4 is 175 slides!
Includes a 48 page handout that can be printed as a booklet with diagrams, questions, glossary and a few spare pages to allow for flexibility
1a The role of enzymes
1b Mechanisms of enzyme action
2. Factors affecting enzyme activity pH, Temperature and Q10
3. Factors affecting enzyme activity enzyme and substrate concentration
4a,b+c Enzyme investigation PAG 4.1 key skills serial dilution and standard deviation
5a+b Enzyme investigation PAG 4.2 key skills serial dilution
6a,b+c Enzyme investigation PAG 4.3 key skills planning
7 PAG style questions
8. Coenzymes, cofactors and prosthetic groups
9. The effects of inhibitors
10. the effect of drugs and poisons
11. Revision - exam questions and podcast activity
I huge amount of work has gone into my resources with some hand drawn and custom animations. Your feedback is really valued.
For the new AQA specification. Suitable for Triple Biology, all lessons spec referenced
Contains a student booklet for notes with diagrams and questions to complete.
1. Pathogens circus information grab - print information cards and put on desks/wall.
2. Non-specific defence system - set up antibiotic discs
3. White blood cells
4. Vaccinations
5. Painkillers and antibiotics and review agar plates
6. Discovery and development of drugs
7. Monoclonal antibodies (biology only)
8. Plant disease (biology only)
9. Plant defence (biology only)
10 Summary/revision - check point, quick quiz and podcast
Lots of other lessons available as well as revision grids for mocks and exam season
Made using the new OCR specification. Lessons are spec referenced and include objectives.
Working booklet included
Lessons included:
1. Transport systems in plants
2. Structure and function of the vascular system (PAG 2 could be separate lesson here)
3. Transpiration
4. Measuring transpiration rates
5. Movement of water through a plant 1
6. Movement of water through a plant 2
7. Xerophytes and Hydrophytes
8. Translocation