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 is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson which challenges the students on their knowledge of the content in TOPIC B5 (Health, disease and the development of medicines) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The lesson uses an engaging PowerPoint (79 slides) and accompanying worksheets to motivate students whilst they assess their understanding of this topic.
The lesson has been designed in the way that the students have to work their way through a series of wards at the hospital which deals with communicable diseases caused by a range of pathogens and the non-communicable diseases ward such as the cardiac ward where CHD patients are assessed and treated. A range of exam questions, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions back up the engaging lesson and are used to test the following sub-topics:
Bacterial, fungal and viral diseases in animals and plants
Treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotics
Preventing and reducing the spread of pathogens
Vaccinations
The physical and chemical defences of the human body
The risk factors of CHD
The range of surgical treatments for CHD
Calculating the BMI
Smoking and cardiovascular diseases
The mathematical element of the course is also tested throughout the lesson and students are given helpful hints on exam techniques and how to structure answers.
This resource is suitable for use at the end of topic B5 or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams.
This is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson which challenges the students on their knowledge of the content in TOPIC B5 (Genetics) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The lesson uses an engaging PowerPoint (63 slides) and accompanying worksheets to motivate students whilst they assess their understanding of this topic.
A range of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions are used to test the following sub-topics:
Recognising and using genetic terminology in context
Constructing genetic diagrams to calculate offspring percentages for diseases caused by dominant and recessive alleles
The sex chromosomes and sex determination
Meiosis and the formation of haploid daughter cells
The structure of DNA
Extracting DNA from a fruit
Genetic and environmental variation
Mutations and their effect on the phenotype
The mathematical element of the course is also tested throughout the lesson and students are given helpful hints on exam techniques and how to structure answers.
This resource is suitable for use at the end of topic B3 or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams.
This bundle of 6 revision lessons covers the content that can be assessed across the 6 papers that students will be required to take as part of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science qualification.
The 6 papers and respective topics are:
Paper 1 (Biology) J250/01
Cell-level systems
Scaling up
Organism level systems
Paper 2 (Biology) J250/02
Community level systems
Interaction between systems
Global challenges
Paper 3 (Chemistry) J250/03
Particles
Elements, compounds and mixtures
Chemical reactions
Paper 4 (Chemistry) J250/04
Predicting and identifying reactions and products
Monitoring and controlling chemical reactions
Global challenges
Paper 5 (Physics) J250/05
Matter
Forces
Electricity and magnetism
Paper 6 (Physics) J250/06
Waves and radioactivity
Energy
Global challenges
All of the lessons have been written to engage and motivate the students whilst they evaluate their understanding of the different papers
This engaging and detailed REVISION resource has been written to encourage students to evaluate their understanding of the content found in MODULE 4.1.1 (Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system) of the OCR A-Level Biology specification. The resource contains a motivating PowerPoint (86 slides) and associated worksheets which have been differentiated to support students of differing abilities in their access of the work. The lesson includes a wide range of activities such as exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to motivate the students whilst they recognise those areas of the specification which require even more attention.
The lesson has been designed to cover as much of the content in module 4.1.1 as possible but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention:
Communicable diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi
Bacteria as pathogens
Antigen-presenting cells
The specific immune response
Antibiotics and the existence of resistant strains
Preventing the spread of pathogens
Vaccinations
Primary defences of the human body
In addition to content from this module, links are made to earlier modules and challenges posed so that students can see how connections between the modules have to be made to be successful.
This resource is suitable for use at the end of the module, in the lead up to AS or A2 mocks or in the lead up to the actual A-level exams.
This REVISION resource has been written with the aim of motivating the students whilst they are challenged on their knowledge of the content in TOPIC 4 (Natural selection and modification) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification. The resource contains an engaging and detailed PowerPoint (82 slides) and accompanying worksheets, some of which are differentiated to provide extra scaffolding to students when it is required.
The wide range of activities have been designed to cover as much of topic 4 as possible but the following sub-topics have been given a particular focus:
The discovery of human fossils
Stone tools as evidence of human evolution
Evolution by natural selection
The development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
The three domain and five kingdom classification methods
Genetic engineering
Selective breeding
The benefits and risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding for the growing population
The use of fertilisers and biological control
There is a large emphasis on mathematical skills in the new specification and these are tested throughout the lesson.
This resource is suitable for use at the end of topic 4, in the lead up to mocks or in the preparation for the final GCSE exams.
A highly engaging lesson presentation (74 slides) and accompanying worksheets that uses exam questions (with explained answers), quick tasks and quiz competitions to allow students to assess their understanding of the topic of Biological molecules (Topic 3.1). Students will have fun whilst recognising those areas of the specification which need further attention.
A detailed lesson presentation (37 slides) and associated worksheets that guide students through the DNA sequencing method called pyrosequencing. The lesson focusses on the numerous enzymes and substrates which are involved in the cascade of events which eventually leads to the production of light when the conversion from luciferin to oxyluciferin occurs. A step by step guide is used to show the students how these events occur and the different outcomes are explored. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding of this topic and the links to similar topics.
This lesson has been designed for A-level students and above
This engaging lesson presentation (57 slides) and associated worksheets uses exam questions with displayed mark schemes, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the topics found within module B6 of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Biology specification. The topics which are specifically tested within the lesson include:
Genetic engineering, Health and disease, Spread of communicable diseases and preventing the spread, Non-communicable diseases, Treating CVD, Monoclonal antibodies and Modern advances in medicine
Students will enjoy the competitions such as "Is this ENGINEERED correctly" and "From NUMBERS 2 LETTERS" whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need their further attention
This bundle of 20 fully-resourced lessons have been designed to allow students who are studying the AQA GCSE Combined Science course to assess their understanding of the topics found within the following units of the specification:
B1: Cell Biology
B2: Organisation
B4: Bioenergetics
B5: Homeostasis and response
B6: Inheritance, variation and evolution
B7: Ecology
C1: Atomic structure and the periodic table
C2: Bonding, structure and properties of matter
C3: Quantitative chemistry
C4: Chemical changes
C5: Energy changes
C6: The rate and extent of chemical change
C7: Organic chemistry
C8: Chemical analysis
C9: Chemistry of the atmosphere
P1: Energy
P2: Electricity
P4: Atomic structure
P5: Forces
P6: Waves
These lessons use a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to engage and motivate the students
A fully resourced revision lesson which uses a range of exam questions (with explained answers), quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within module 3 (Exchange and transport) of the OCR A-level Biology specification.
The topics tested within this lesson include:
Exchange surfaces
Mammalian gaseous exchange system
Tissues in the gaseous exchange system
Transport in animals
Blood vessels
Exchange at the capillaries
ECG
Transport of oxygen
Transport in plants
Transport tissues
Movement of water through plants
Transpiration
Translocation
Student will enjoy the range of tasks and quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise any areas which require further attention
A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the different sampling methods that can be used to estimate the populations of animals and plants in a habitat and to analyse how their distribution is affected, The lesson includes a detailed and engaging lesson presentation (56 slides) and differentiated worksheets so that students of different abilities are challenged and can access the work.
The lesson begins by looking at the use of a quadrat to estimate the population of plants in a habitat. There is a focus on the mathematical calculations associated with the method and students are given hints and worked examples so that any common misconceptions are addressed. Moving forwards, students are introduced to the capture-mark-recapture technique to sample animals. The rest of the lesson looks at alternative pieces of apparatus, such as the sweep net, and discusses situations when these would be used.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is appropriate for both younger students who are learning about ecology and also for A-level students who need a recap on this topic.
An engaging lesson presentation (34), accompanied by a summary worksheet, which together explore the factors which change the rate of transpiration and focuses on the explanation behind each factor. The lesson begins by introducing the term, transpiration, and linking this to the structure of a leaf to ensure that students know that water is lost as water vapour out of the stomata. Students are provided with an analogy of plants being like clothes on a washing line to challenge them to come up with some of the factors involved. Time is taken to look specifically at humidity as this is a factor which is commonly misunderstood. Moving forwards, students are challenged to draw sketch graphs to predict whether increasing each of these factors will increase the rate of transpiration or decrease it. A series of questions to lead to answers is used to show the students how to explain the effect of increasing the light intensity. The remainder of the lesson looks at a potometer and how it can be used to calculate the rate. The mathematical skills of the students are challenged during a range of tasks and then linked back to the Science so they can recognise which features of plants will help to reduce water loss. Progress checks are written into this lesson at regular intervals to allow students to assess their understanding and a number of quick competitions act to maintain engagement.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students but is suitable for A-level students who are studying the plants topic
This bundle of 19 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B6 (Global challenges) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Investigating distribution by sampling
Increasing biodiversity
Loss of biodiversity
Selective breeding
Genetic engineering
Producing a GMO
Health and disease
Communicable diseases
Stopping the spread of diseases
Plant diseases
Plant defences
The Human Body’s Defences
Blood clotting
The uses of vaccines
Monoclonal antibodies
Antibiotics
Developing drugs
Non-communicable diseases
Treating cardiovascular diseases
Organ transplants
Stem cells in medicine
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 detailed lesson describes the role of the mRNA, tRNA, rRNA and amino acids during the second stage of protein synthesis - translation. Both the PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 2.1.3 (g) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and continually links back to the previous lessons in this module on the structure of DNA and RNA and the genetic code
Translation is a topic which is often poorly understood and so this lesson has been written to enable the students to understand how to answer the different types of questions by knowing and including the key details of the structures involved. The lesson begins by challenging the students to consider why it is so important that the amino acids are assembled in the correct order during the formation of the chain. Moving forwards, a quick quiz round called “LOST IN TRANSLATION” is used to check on their prior knowledge of the mRNA strand, the tRNA molecules, the genetic code and the ribosomes. The next task involves a very detailed description of translation that has been divided into 14 statements which the students have to put into the correct order. By giving them a passage that consists of this considerable detail, they can pick out the important parts to use in the next task where they have to answer shorter questions worth between 3 and 4 marks. These types of questions are common in the assessments and by building up through the lesson, their confidence to answer this type should increase. The final two tasks of the lesson involve another quiz, where the teams compete to transcribe and translate in the quickest time before using all that they have absorbed to answer some questions which involve the genetic code and the mRNA codon table
This bundle of 8 revision lessons have been designed to include a range of exam questions (with explained answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification content.
The 8 topics that are covered in the specification are included in this bundle and are:
Topic 1: Lifestyle, Health and Risk
Topic 2: Genes and Health
Topic 3: Voice of the Genome
Topic 4: Biodiversity and natural resources
Topic 5: On the wild side
Topic 6: Infection, immunity and forensics
Topic 7: Run for your life
Topic 8: Grey matter
Students will enjoy the range of activities, which provide a much needed alternative to their other revision methods, and these lessons can be used throughout the duration of the course, as an end of topic revision lesson or in the lead up to mocks or the actual A-level terminal exams
A concise, engaging lesson presentation (22 slides) which looks at the different responses of the body as a result of adrenaline release. In line with the actions of adrenaline, the lesson begins with a range of quiz competitions to introduce key terms and responses to the students. Once the students know that it causes both the breathing and heart rate to increase, they are challenged to complete a passage which brings this information together to explain how the increased respiration rate is related to the fight or flight tag line. Moving forwards, students will be introduced to the meaning of the term vasodilation and then asked to consider which organs will need extra blood flow during times of stress and conversely, which tissues can have blood directed away from them. The lesson finishes by looking at how a negative feedback loop is used as the final control to ensure that energy resources are not wasted during times when there is no stress.
A fully-resourced lesson, designed for GCSE students which includes an engaging and informative lesson presentation (49 slides) and an image, actual and magnification question worksheet. This lesson looks at the key features of light and electron microscopes and guides students through calculating size and magnification.
The lesson begins by challenging students to pick out two key terms about microscopes, magnification and resolution, from a group of Scientific words. The understanding of these two terms is critical if students will be able to compare the two types of microscopes so time is taken to go through the definitions and give examples. A number of quick quiz competitions have been written into the lesson to aid the engagement on a topic that some students may not initially consider to be that motivating. These competitions allow key terms such as micrometer and the two types of electron microscope to be introduced in an engaging way. As a result, students will know the numbers that explain why electron microscopes are more advanced than their light counterparts. The remainder of the lesson looks at the units of size which are used in calculation questions and a step by step guide is used to show the students to calculate the actual size of an object or the magnification.
Progress checks have been written into this lesson at regular intervals so that students are constantly assessing their understanding.
A thought-provoking and discussion-based lesson which looks at the different ways that biodiversity is being lost across the World. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students and includes a detailed lesson presentation (31 slides) and accompanying worksheet.
The lesson begins by challenging the students to use their Biological knowledge to get to a quantitative answer, which is 80%, and then getting them to consider where this much biodiversity would be found around the World. The rainforest plays a key role in the lesson as important discussion topics such as deforestation can easily be related to this area. A range of tasks and discussion points are used to look at the different ways that humans are causing a loss in biodiversity. As well as deforestation, agriculture and eutrophication are explored and related back to the Science. This can be a word heavy topic and therefore a number of quick quiz competitions have been written into the lesson to maintain engagement and energy levels. In addition, progress checks are involved at regular points, including those which challenge mathematical skills in manipulating data. This allows students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 14 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B6 (Inheritance, Variation and Evolution) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
DNA
Reproduction
Meiosis
X and Y chromosomes
Genetic diagrams
Inherited disorders
Variation
Evolution
Selective breeding
Genetic engineering
Fossils
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Classification
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 detailed, engaging and fully-resourced REVISION LESSON which allows students of all abilities to assess their understanding of the content in module 2.1.3 (Nucleotides and nucleic acids) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. Considerable time has been taken to design the lesson to include a wide range of activities to motivate the students whilst they evaluate their knowledge of DNA, RNA and the roles of these nucleic acids in DNA replication and protein synthesis. Most of the tasks have been differentiated so that students of differing abilities can access the work and move forward as a result of the tasks at hand.
This lesson has been planned to cover as much of the specification as possible but the following sub-topics have received particular attention:
The structure of DNA
Phosphorylated nucleotides
DNA replication
Transcription and translation
Gene mutations and their affect on the primary structure of a polypeptide
The structure of RNA
In addition to a focus on the current topic, links are made throughout the lesson to other topics such as the journey of an extracellular protein following translation and the cell cycle.
If you like the quality of this revision lesson, please look at the other uploaded revision lessons for this module and for this specification