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 bundle contains 3 lessons which have been intricately planned to build on the knowledge acquired in the previous lesson and in earlier topics of the course to allow students to gain a deep understanding of classification. The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst all of the content of topic 18.2 of the CIE A-level Biology specification is covered as detailed below:
Describe the classification of species into the taxonomic hierarchy of domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species
The characteristic features of the three domains
The characteristic features of the kingdoms
The classification of viruses, separate to the three-domain model of classification of cellular organisms
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the “features of the kingdoms” lesson as this has been shared for free
The 3 lessons contained within this lesson bundle cover the content as detailed in topic 4.5 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification. The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets are filled with lots of different tasks that cover the specification points shown below whilst engaging and motivating the students with exam-style questions, guided discussion periods and quiz competitions.
TOPIC 4.5: Transport of gases in blood
The structure of haemoglobin in relation to its role in the transport of respiratory gases, including the Bohr effect
Understand the oxygen dissociation curve of haemoglobin
Understand the similarities and differences between the structures and functions of haemoglobin and myoglobin
Understand the significance of the oxygen affinity of foetal haemoglobin as compared to adult haemoglobin
This lesson describes how tissue fluid is formed and reabsorbed and also describes the role of the lymphatic system in the return of fluid to the blood. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 4.6 (i & ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and explains how a combination of the effects of hydrostatic pressure and oncotic pressure results in the formation of tissue fluid in animals.
The lesson begins with an introduction to the arteriole and venule end of a capillary as these will need to be considered as separate entities when describing the formation of tissue fluid. A quick quiz competition introduces a value for the hydrostatic pressure at the arteriole end and students are challenged to first predict some parts of the blood will move out of the capillary as a result of the push from the hydrostatic pressure and this allows oncotic pressure to be initially explored. The main part of the lesson uses a step by step guide to describe how the net movement is outwards at the arteriole end before students will use this guidance to describe what happens at the venule end. In the concluding part of the lesson, students will come to recognise oedema as a condition where tissue fluid accumulates and they again are challenged to explain how this occurs before they finally learn how the fluid is returned to the circulatory system as lymph.
Photosynthesis and respiration are two of the most commonly assessed topics in A-level exams but these questions are sometimes poorly answered by students due to a lack of understanding or an inability to apply their knowledge. With this in mind, these 8 lessons have been intricately planned to contain a wide range of activities that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the key detail to try to deepen their understanding and includes exam-style questions so they are fully prepared for these assessments.
The following specification points in topics 5 and 7 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification are covered by these lessons:
Understand the overall reaction of photosynthesis
Understand the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis including the role of these electrons in generating ATP, reducing NADP in photophosphorylation and producing oxygen through photolysis of water
Understand the light-independent reactions as reduction of carbon dioxide using the products of the light-dependent reactions
Know that the products are simple sugars that are used by plants, animals and other organisms in respiration and the synthesis of new biological molecules
Understand the structure of chloroplasts in relation to their role in photosynthesis
Understand the overall reaction of aerobic respiration
Understand that respiration is a many-stepped process with each step controlled and catalysed by a specific intracellular enzyme
Understand the roles of glycolysis in aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Understand the role of the link reaction and the Krebs cycle in the complete oxidation of glucose and formation of carbon dioxide, ATP, reduced NAD and reduced FAD
Understand how ATP is synthesised by oxidative phosphorylation
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 shared for free
This lesson describes the principle components of the plasma membrane, focusing on the phospholipid bilayer and membrane proteins. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover the detail in point (a) of AS unit 1, topic 3 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and clear links are made to Singer and Nicholson’s fluid mosaic model
The fluid mosaic model is introduced at the start so that it can be referenced at appropriate points throughout the lesson. Students were introduced to phospholipids in topic 1 and so an initial task challenges them to spot the errors in a passage describing the structure and properties of this molecule. This reminds them of the bilayer arrangement, with the hydrophilic phosphate heads protruding outwards into the aqueous solutions on the inside and the outside of the cell. In a link to some upcoming lessons on the transport mechanisms, the students will learn that only small, non-polar molecules can move by simple diffusion and that this is through the tails of the bilayer. This introduces the need for transmembrane proteins to allow large or polar molecules to move into the cell by facilitated diffusion and active transport. Proteins that act as receptors as also introduced and an opportunity is taken to make a link to an upcoming topic so that students can understand how hormones or drugs will bind to target cells in this way. Moving forwards, the structure of cholesterol is covered and students will learn that this hydrophobic molecule sits in the middle of the tails and therefore acts to regulate membrane fluidity. The final part of the lesson challenges the students to apply their newly-acquired knowledge to a series of questions where they have to explain why proteins may have moved when two cells are used and to suggest why there is a larger proportion of these proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane than the outer membrane.
“Overall, at least 10% of the marks in assessments for biology will require the use of mathematical skills”
This sentence is taken directly from the AQA A-level Biology specification and clearly shows that being able to apply these skills in the context of biology will have a significant impact on a student’s chances of success.
This bundle has been created to cover as much of those mathematical skills as possible and the following specification points are covered by these 6 lessons:
Represent phenotypic ratios (monohybird and dihybrid crosses)
Use and manipulate the magnification formula
Use the chi-squared test to test the significance of the difference between observed and expected results
Use the Hardy-Weinberg principle to calculate changes in allele frequency
Calculate an index of diversity for a habitat
A revision lesson is also included in this bundle which acts as a fun and engaging revision of the range of calculations
This lesson describes the transport mechanism of osmosis as the movement of water molecules from a high water potential to a lower water potential. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the second lesson in a series of 4 lessons which have been designed to cover point [c] as detailed in AS unit 1, topic 3 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and also describes how cells are affected by this movement of water
It’s likely that students will have used the term concentration in their osmosis definitions at GCSE, so the aim of the starter task is to introduce water potential to allow students to begin to recognise osmosis as the movement of water molecules from a high water potential to a lower potential, with the water potential gradient. Time is taken to describe the finer details of water potential to enable students to understand that 0 is the highest value (pure water) and that this becomes negative once solutes are dissolved. Exam-style questions are used throughout the lesson to check on current understanding as well as prior knowledge checks which make links to previously covered topics such as the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the movement of water when animal and plant cells are suspended in hypotonic, hypertonic or isotonic solutions and the final appearance of these cells is described, including any issues this may cause.
This lesson describes the relationship between the specialised structural features of the mammalian gametes and their functions. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 3.6 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and includes descriptions of the acrosome in the head of the sperm and the zona pellucida in the egg
The lessons at the start of topic 3 (Voice of the genome) described the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, so this knowledge is referenced throughout the lesson and the students are challenged on their recall and understanding through a range of prior knowledge checks. For example, two of the exam-style questions that are included in the resources challenge the students to explain why a sperm cell is classified as an eukaryotic cell and to recognise the centrioles and the nucleus from structural descriptions. Along with the mitochondria, time is then taken to discuss and to describe the role of these organelles in relation to the function of the sperm cell. When considering the role of the haploid nucleus, links are made to the upcoming topic of meiosis and the events that contribute to variation. The importance of the enzymes that are found inside the acrosome is emphasised and this leads into the second half of the lesson where the layers surrouding the plasma membrane of the egg cell (corona radiata and zona pellucida) are examined
The final part of this lesson has been specifically planned to prepare the students for the next lesson in topic 3, where the acrosome reaction, cortical reaction and the fusion of nuclei that are involved in fertilisation are described
This lesson describes the relationship between the specialised features of the mammalian egg and sperm and their functions. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 3.11 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and includes a focus on the acrosome in the head of the sperm and the zona pellucida in the egg
The lessons at the start of topic 3 (Cell structure, Reproduction and Development) described the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, so this knowledge is referenced throughout the lesson and the students are challenged on their recall and understanding through a range of prior knowledge checks. For example, two of the exam-style questions that are included in the resources challenge the students to explain why a sperm cell is classified as an eukaryotic cell and to recognise the centrioles and the nucleus from structural descriptions. Along with the mitochondria, time is then taken to discuss and to describe the role of these organelles in relation to the function of the sperm cell. When considering the fusion of the haploid nuclei to form a diploid nucleus in the nucleus, links are made to the upcoming topic of mitosis and the significance of this form of nuclear division. The importance of the enzymes that are found inside the acrosome is emphasised and this leads into the second half of the lesson where the layers surrounding the plasma membrane of the egg cell (corona radiata and zona pellucida) are examined
The final part of this lesson has been specifically planned to prepare the students for the next lesson in topic 3, where the acrosome reaction, cortical reaction and the fusion of nuclei that are involved in fertilisation are described
This lesson describes the characteristic features of the Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protoctista and Prokaryotae kingdoms. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point (d) in AS unit 2, topic 1 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification
This lesson begins with a knowledge recall as students have to recognise that prior to 1990, kingdom was the highest taxa in the classification hierarchy. Moving forwards, they will recall the names of the five kingdoms and immediately be challenged to split them so that the prokaryotae kingdom is left on its own. An opportunity is taken at this point to check on their prior knowledge of the structure of a bacterial cell as covered in unit 1, topic 2. These prior knowledge checks are found throughout the lesson (along with current understanding checks) as students are also tested on their knowledge of the structure and function of cellulose. This is found in the section of the lesson where the main constituent of the wall can be used to distinguish between plantae, fungi and prokaryotae. Quick quiz competitions, such as YOU DO THE MATH and SAY WHAT YOU SEE are used to introduce key values and words in a fun and memorable way. The final part of the lesson looks at the protoctista kingdom and students will come to understand how these organisms tend to share a lot of animal or plant-like features.
Both of the accompanying resources have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work and this lesson has been written to tie in with the previously uploaded lesson on classification and the binomial naming system
This lesson describes how the cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into systems. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 3.13 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and focuses on the levels of organisation in humans and plants
The lesson begins by using the process of haematopoiesis from haematopoietic stem cells to demonstrate how the red blood cell and neutrophil differ significantly in structure despite arising from the same cell along the same cell lineage. A series of exam-style questions will not only challenge their knowledge of structure but also their ability to apply this knowledge to unfamiliar situations. These differences in cell structure is further exemplified by the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and students are challenged to remember how the shape and arrangement of these cells differ in the trachea and alveoli in relation to their function. The link between specialised cells and tissues is made at this point of the lesson so students are reminded that a tissue is a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function or set of functions. Moving forwards, a quick quiz competition will challenge the students to recognise the liver, kidney, spinal cord and pancreas from a brief functional description and this leads into a series of questions that links back to topics 1 and 2 and earlier in topic 3 where blood clotting, proteins, osmosis, organelles, methods of transport, carbohydrates and enzymes were originally covered. These prior knowledge checks are found throughout the lesson, along with current understanding checks, and all of the mark schemes are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. In terms of organ systems, a quick task challenges them to recognise 8 of the 11 that are found in humans from descriptions and this leaves them to identify the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems as the remaining 3. This leads into a section about cystic fibrosis as this genetic disorder impairs the functioning of these systems.
The remainder of the lesson focuses on specialised plant cells and the differing shapes and features of the palisade and spongy cells in the mesophyll layer and the guard cells are covered at length and in detail. The cells found in the xylem and phloem tissue are also discussed.
This lesson describes how the surfaces in insects, fish and mammals are adapted for gas exchange. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover the detail of point 4.3 (i) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
The lesson has been intricately planned to challenge the students on their understanding of the surface area to volume ratio (as covered in topic 4.1) and to make direct links to upcoming lessons on the transport systems in humans. The lesson begins by explaining that single-celled organisms are able to diffuse oxygen and carbon dioxide across their body surface but that as organisms increase in size and their SA/V ratio decreases, they need adaptations at their gas exchange surfaces to be able to obtain the oxygen to meet their metabolic demands. This leads into the next part of the lesson which describes the roles of the following structures in insects and bony fish:
spiracles, tracheae, tracheoles and tracheole fluid
operculum, gill arch, gill filaments and lamellae
The next task challenges the students to use their knowledge of topics 1, 2 and 3 to come up with the letters that form the key term, countercurrent flow. This is a key element of the lesson and tends to be a principle that is poorly understood, so extra time is taken to explain the importance of this mechanism. Students are shown two diagrams, where one contains a countercurrent system and the other has the two fluids flowing in the same direction, and this is designed to support them in recognising that this type of system ensures that the concentration of oxygen is always higher in the oxygenated water than in the blood in the lamellae.
As the alveoli as a structure of gas exchange was introduced at GCSE, this final part of the lesson has been written to challenge the recall of that knowledge and to build on it.
The main focus is the type of epithelium found lining the alveoli and students will discover that a single layer of flattened cells known as simple, squamous epithelium acts to reduce the diffusion distance. Again, students will have met this in a lesson in topic 2 on specialised cells (and tissues) so a number of prior knowledge checks are used alongside current understanding checks.
The following features of the alveolar epithelium are also covered:
Surface area
Moist lining
Production of surfactant
The maintenance of a steep concentration gradient
As a constant ventilation supply is critical for the maintenance of the steep concentration gradient, the final task considers the mechanism of ventilation
This lesson describes the levels of organisation, including the aggregation of cells into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into organ systems. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point (d) of AS unit 1, topic 2 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and focuses on the levels of organisation in humans and plants. Please note that the lesson does not contain prepared slides of tissue as this is covered in a later lesson.
The lesson begins by using the process of haematopoiesis from haematopoietic stem cells to demonstrate how the red blood cell and neutrophil differ significantly in structure despite arising from the same cell along the same cell lineage. A series of exam-style questions will not only challenge their knowledge of structure but also their ability to apply this knowledge to unfamiliar situations. These differences in cell structure is further exemplified by the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and students are challenged to remember how the shape and arrangement of these cells differ in the trachea and alveoli in relation to their function. The link between specialised cells and tissues is made at this point of the lesson so students are reminded that a tissue is a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function or set of functions. Moving forwards, a quick quiz competition will challenge the students to recognise the liver, kidney, spinal cord and pancreas from a brief functional description and this leads into a series of questions that links back to topics 1 and earlier in topic 2 where proteins, organelles and carbohydrates were originally covered. These prior knowledge checks are found throughout the lesson, along with current understanding checks, and all of the mark schemes are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. In terms of organ systems, a quick task challenges them to recognise 8 of the 11 that are found in humans from descriptions and this leaves them to identify the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems as the remaining 3.
The remainder of the lesson focuses on specialised plant cells and the differing shapes and features of the palisade and spongy cells in the mesophyll layer and the guard cells are covered at length and in detail. The cells found in the xylem and phloem tissue are also discussed.
This lesson bundle contains 7 lessons which have been designed to cover the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification points which focus on the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and the functions of their components. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with the accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 4 of the course:
2.2 (i): Know the structure and function of cell membranes
3.1: Know that all living organisms are made of cells, sharing some common features
3.2: Know the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, including nucleus, nucleolus, ribosomes, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, centrioles, lysosomes, and Golgi apparatus
3.3: Understand the role of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and the Golgi apparatus in protein transport within cells, including their role in the formation of extracellular enzymes
3.4: Know the ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells, including cell wall, capsule, plasmid, flagellum, pili, ribosomes, mesosomes and circular DNA
3.6: Understand how mammalian gametes are specialised for their functions (including the acrosome in sperm and the zona pellucida in the egg)
3.13: Understand how the cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into systems
4.7: Know the ultrastructure of plant cells (cell walls, chloroplasts, amyloplasts, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella) and be able to compare it with animal cells.
This lesson bundle contains 6 lessons which have been designed to cover the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification points which focus on the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and the functions of their components. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with the accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 4 of the course:
2.2 (i): Know the structure and function of cell membranes
3.1: Know that all living organisms are made of cells, sharing some common features
3.2: Understand how the cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into systems
3.3: Know the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, including nucleus, nucleolus, ribosomes, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, centrioles, lysosomes, and Golgi apparatus
3.4: Understand the role of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and the Golgi apparatus in protein transport within cells, including their role in the formation of extracellular enzymes
3.5: Know the ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells, including cell wall, capsule, plasmid, flagellum, pili, ribosomes, mesosomes and circular DNA
3.11: Understand how mammalian gametes are specialised for their functions (including the acrosome in sperm and the zona pellucida in the egg)
4.1 (i): Know the ultrastructure of plant cells (cell walls, chloroplasts, amyloplasts, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella) and be able to compare it with animal cells
4.1 (ii): understand the function of the structures listed in (i)
This lesson bundle contains 16 lessons which have been designed to cover the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification points which focus on the structure of DNA and RNA, their roles in replication and protein synthesis, and genetics and inheritance. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 6 of the course:
2.5 (i): Know the basic structure of mononucleotides (deoxyribose or ribose linked to a phosphate and a base, including thymine, uracil, cytosine, adenine or guanine) and the structures of DNA and RNA (polynucleotides composed of mononucleotides linked through condensation reactions)
2.5 (ii): Know how complementary base pairing and the hydrogen bonding between two complementary strands are involved in the formation of the DNA double helix
2.6 (i): Understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription) including the role of RNA polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and stop codons
2.6 (ii): Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA
2.7: Understand the nature of the genetic code
2.8: Know that a gene is a sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain
2.11 (i): Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase
2.12 (i): Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations
2.12 (ii): Understand how cystic fibrosis results from one of a number of possible gene mutations
2.13 (i): Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, incomplete dominance, homozygote and heterozygote
2.13 (ii): Understand patterns of inheritance, including the interpretation of genetic pedigree diagrams, in the context of monohybrid inheritance
2.14: Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems
2.15 (i): Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
2.15 (ii): Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening
3.8 (i): The loci is a location of genes on a chromosome
3.8 (ii): The linkage of genes on a chromosome and sex linkage
3.12: Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA leading to synthesis of proteins, which in turn control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants, including the lac operon
3.14 (i): Phenotype is an interaction between genotype and the environment
3.15: Understand how some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci (polygenic inheritance) as well as the environment and how this can give rise to phenotypes that show continuous variation
6.4: Know how DNA can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
6.10: Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein through posttranscriptional changes to messenger RNA (mRNA).
This lesson bundle contains 9 lessons which have been designed to cover the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification points which focus on the structure and function of the biological molecules, including water, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content that’s found in topics 1, 2 and 4 of the course:
1.1: Understand the importance of water as a solvent in transport, including its dipole nature
1.2 (i): Know the difference between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides, including glycogen and starch (amylose and amylopectin)
1.2 (ii): Be able to relate the structures of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides to their roles in providing and storing energy
1.4: Know how monosaccharides join to form disaccharides (sucrose, lactose and maltose) and polysaccharides (glycogen and amylose) through condensation reactions forming glycosidic bonds, and how these can be split through hydrolysis reactions
1.5 (i): Know how a triglyceride is synthesised by the formation of ester bonds
during condensation reactions between glycerol and three fatty acids.
1.5 (ii): Know the differences between saturated and unsaturated lipids
2.6 (i): Know the basic structure of an amino acid
2.6 (ii): Understand the formation of polypeptides and proteins (amino acid
monomers linked by peptide bonds in condensation reactions)
2.6 (iii): Understand the significance of a protein’s primary structure in determining its three-dimensional structure and properties (globular and fibrous proteins and the types of bonds involved in its three-dimensional structure)
4.3: Understand the structure and function of the polysaccharides starch and
cellulose, including the role of hydrogen bonds between β-glucose molecules in
the formation of cellulose microfibrils
This lesson describes and discusses the different methods of protecting endangered species. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover point 18.3 [c] of the CIE A-level Biology specification and the methods described include zoos, botanic gardens, national parks, marine conservation zones and seed banks
Hours of research has gone into the planning of this lesson to source interesting examples that increase the relevance of the biological content concerning in situ conservation, and these include the Lizard National Nature Reserve in Cornwall, the Lake Télé Community reserve in the Republic of Congo and the marine conservation zone in the waters surrounding Tristan da Cunha. Students will learn how this form of active management conserves habitats and species in their natural environment, with the aim of minimising human impact whilst maintaining biodiversity. The main issues surrounding this method are discussed, including the fact that the impact of this conservation may not be significant if the population has lost much of its genetic diversity and that despite the management, the conditions that caused the species to become endangered may still be present. A number of quick quiz competitions are interspersed throughout the lesson to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way and one of these challenges them to use their knowledge of famous scientists to reveal the surname, Fossey. Dian Fossey was an American conservationist and her years of study of the mountain gorillas is briefly discussed along with the issue that wildlife reserves can draw poachers and tourists to the area, potentially disturbing the natural habitat.
To enrich their understanding of ex situ conservation, the better known examples of ZSL London zoo, Kew Gardens and the Millennium Seed Bank Project in Wakehurst are used. Students will understand how conserving animal species outside of their natural habitat enables human intervention that ensures the animals are fed and given medical assistance when needed as well as reproductive assistance to increase the likelihood of the successful breeding of endangered species. As with the in situ method, the disadvantages are also discussed and there is a focus on the susceptibility of captive populations to diseases as a result of their limited genetic diversity. The final part of the lesson considers how seed banks can be used to ensure that plant species avoid extinction and how the plants can be bred asexually to increase plant populations quickly.
Due to the extensiveness of this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2/3 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to cover the tasks and content that is included in the lesson.
This lesson describes the inheritance of two non-interacting unlinked genes and guides students through the calculation of phenotypic ratios. The PowerPoint and the accompanying question sheet (which is differentiated) have been designed to cover point 8.2 (iii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
As the previous lesson described the construction of genetic crosses and pedigree diagrams, students are aware of the methods involved in writing genotypes and gametes for the inheritance of a single gene. Therefore, the start of this lesson builds on this understanding to ensure that students recognise that genotypes contain 4 alleles and gametes contain 2 alleles when two genes are inherited. The students are taken through the steps of a worked example to demonstrate the key steps in the calculation of a phenotypic ratio before 2 exam-style questions challenge them to apply their newly-acquired knowledge. Mark schemes are displayed within the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. The phenotypic ratio generated as the answer to the final question is 9:3:3:1 and time is taken to explain that this is the expected ratio when two heterozygotes for two genes are crossed which they may be expected to use when meeting the chi squared test in an upcoming lesson
Each of the 3 lessons in this bundle have been planned extensively to ensure that they contain lots of engaging biological examples that will catch the interest of the students whilst covering the difficult content of topic 18.3 (Conservation) of the CIE A-level Biology specification. The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets are filled with a wide range of tasks that include guided discussion periods, exam-style questions (with mark schemes) and quick quiz competitions and these combine to cover the following specification points:
The reasons for the need to maintain biodiversity
Methods of protecting endangered species, including the roles of zoos, botanic gardens, national parks, marine conservation zones and seed banks
The roles of non-governmental organisations such as WWF and CITES in local and global conservation
If you would like to view the detailed content of this bundle, then download the “WWF, CITES and conservation” lesson as this has been uploaded for free
