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 revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of control and coordination (topic 15). The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 10 questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers, where each answer slide shows the exact specification code to enable students to note the areas which may require extra attention. The PowerPoint also contains additional questions to challenge content from topic 15 of the CIE A-level biology specification (2025 - 2027 update) that isn’t directly covered by the 10 questions.
This lesson has been designed to be used at the end of topic 15, and in the build up to mocks and the final A-level examinations.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of biological molecules (topic 2). The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 10 questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers, where each answer slide shows the exact specification code to enable students to note the areas which may require extra attention. The PowerPoint also contains additional questions to challenge content from topic 2 of the CIE A-level biology specification (2025 - 2027 update) that isn’t directly covered by the 10 questions.
This lesson has been designed to be used at the end of topic 2, and in the build up to mocks and the final A-level assessments.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of nucleic acids and protein synthesis (topic 6). The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 10 questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers, where each answer slide shows the exact specification code to enable students to note the areas which may require extra attention. The PowerPoint also contains additional questions to challenge content from topic 6 of the CIE A-level biology specification (2025 - 2027 update) that isn’t directly covered by the 10 questions, and prior knowledge checks to encourage students to make links to content from topics 1 - 5.
This lesson has been designed to be used at the end of topic 6, and in the build up to mocks and the final A-level assessments.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of inheritance (topic 16). The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 10 questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers, where each answer slide shows the exact specification code to enable students to note the areas which may require extra attention. The PowerPoint also contains additional questions to challenge content from topic 16 of the CIE A-level biology specification (2025 - 2027 update) that isn’t directly covered by the 10 questions, and prior knowledge checks to encourage students to make links to content from topics 1 - 15.
This lesson has been designed to be used at the end of topic 16, and in the build up to mocks and the final A-level assessments.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of homeostasis (topic 14). The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 10 questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers, where each answer slide shows the exact specification code to enable students to note the areas which may require extra attention. The PowerPoint also contains additional questions to challenge content from topic 14 of the CIE A-level biology specification (2025 - 2027 update) that isn’t directly covered by the 10 questions, and prior knowledge checks to encourage students to make links to content from any of topics 1 - 13.
This bundle includes 4 revision lessons which use multiple-choice questions to challenge the students on their knowledge and understanding of the content of topics 1 - 4 of the AQA A-level biology specification. Each lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment, consisting of 20 questions from across the topic, and a PowerPoint that contains the answers (with explanations), as well as additional questions that challenge the students to add detail and also check on prior knowledge.
If you would like to view the quality of these lessons, then download the topic 1 revision lesson as this has been uploaded for free.
This revision lesson uses a 20 question multiple-choice assessment to challenge the students on their understanding of the topic 2 content (Cells). It has been written to check their knowledge from across the AQA A-level biology topic 2 specification and includes questions on the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, the methods of studying cells, mitosis and binary fission, transport across cell membranes and the immune system. The lesson includes a PowerPoint where the answers to the 20 questions are revealed, along with their respective specification codes, to allow the students to pinpoint areas of the specification that require extra attention. The PowerPoint also includes extra questions and tasks to challenge some of the content not directly questioned in the MC assessment.
Lessons challenging their knowledge of topics 1, 3 and 4 have also been uploaded.
At the end of topic 3, or in the lead up to mocks or final A-level exams, students can use this lesson to assess their understanding of topic 3 content. The lesson consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, which have been written to challenge the students on the detail of their knowledge, as well as a PowerPoint which contains the answers, explanations and key points related to the specification. The PowerPoint also contains other topic 3 knowledge checks on content which isn’t directly questioned in the multiple-choice assessment, and prior knowledge checks to encourage the students to recognise the links to topic 1 and 2.
The following topics are challenged by the multiple-choice questions:
Surface area to volume ratio
Gas exchange (in animals and plants)
Digestion and absorption
Mass transport in animals
Mass transport in plants
This lesson has been designed to provide students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of topic 1 of the AQA A-level biology specification. Included in the lesson is an assessment consisting of 20 multiple choice questions and a PowerPoint containing the answers. The PowerPoint also contains explanations and key points related to the specification, as well as additional knowledge checks to challenge the content which isn’t directly covered by the 20 questions. There are also slides titled “Link to the future” where content is linked to upcoming lessons from topics 2 - 8.
This lesson has been planned to be used at the end of topic 1, and/or in the build up to the final A-level assessments.
Multiple-choice assessments for the other 7 topics are also uploaded.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of the AQA A-level biology topic 6 content. The lesson includes a multiple-choice assessment of 20 questions which have been written to challenge the content of topic 6 (Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments) and a PowerPoint where the answers are revealed, along with explanations and key points related directly to the specification. The PowerPoint also includes other questions about topic 6 that aren’t directly challenged in the 20 questions, as well as prior knowledge checks to encourage the students to make links to content from topics 1 - 5.
This resource has been designed to be used at the end of the teaching of topic 6 and/or in the build up to the final A-level assessments.
Lessons challenging content from the other 7 specification topics are also uploaded.
This revision lesson provides students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of topic 7 and identify those areas which need revisiting. Included in the lesson is a multiple-choice assessment consisting of 20 questions and a PowerPoint revealing the answers, along with explanations and workings for the more difficult questions, and key points which relate to the AQA A-level biology specification.
The title of topic 7 is genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems and content from all four of the sub-topics in this topic is challenged within this assessment. The PowerPoint also contains further questions on topic 7 to challenge knowledge not directly covered in the 20 questions and prior knowledge checks when the content links to work covered in one of the previous 6 topics.
This lesson has been designed to be used at the end of the topic and/or in the build up to the final A-level assessments.
This revision lesson contains an assessment of 20 multiple-choice questions and a PowerPoint with the answers and related key points from the specification. The 20 questions have been written to cover the content of topic 4 of the AQA A-level biology specification, providing the students with an opportunity to assess their understanding and highlight those areas which need further attention.
All 7 sub-topics of topic 4 are covered by at least one question and there are several questions which challenge mathematical skills, which aligns with the high mathematical content of the final assessments.
This bundle contains 7 detailed and engaging lessons which guide students through the key processes involved in modern genetics. Each lesson contains a variety of tasks, including exam-style questions (and answers), guided discussion points, and quick quiz rounds which will introduce the following content in topic 7 and challenge the students on their understanding:
Understand what is meant by the genome
The PCR can be used to amplify DNA samples
DNA samples can be used for gene sequencing and DNA profiling
The role of transcription factors
Post-transcription modification of mRNA
Gene expression can be changed by epigenetic modification
The differences between totipotent, pluripotent and multipotent stem cells
The formation of iPS cells and why their use is less controversial than embryonic cells
The production of recombinant DNA
If you would like to view the quality of these lessons, then download the epigenetic modification lesson as this has been shared for free.
This detailed lesson describes the processes of PCR and electrophoresis to allow students to understand how gene sequencing can be used. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been planned to cover the content of point 7.1 of the Edexcel A-level biology B specification.
The lesson begins by comparing the number of genes in the genome with the number of base pairs, to allow students to learn that the bases in the genes only accounts for about 1.5% of the genome. This challenges them to recall that most is non-coding DNA, and the importance and usefulness of these sections are explored during the lesson. Moving forward, a step-by-step guide describes the key steps in the polymerase chain reaction, and time is taken at each step to qualify the fine details such as the use of Taq polymerase instead of human DNA polymerase.
The remainder of the lesson focuses on the various uses of these DNA samples once they’ve been amplified by the PCR. The steps of the electrophoresis process are described and students will see how DNA profiling can be used in forensic science to identify criminals and for paternity tests.
Understanding and prior knowledge checks are found throughout the lesson, along with the answers, to allow students to assess their grasp of the current topic as well as their ability to identify the links with previously covered topics.
This lesson describes how recombinant DNA can be produced, including the role of restriction endonucleases and DNA ligase. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of point 7.4 (i) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
This lesson begins with the introduction of recombinant DNA technology as a process where fragments of DNA are transferred from one species to another. Over the course of the lesson, the students are guided through 5 steps in the production of the recombinant DNA, with a focus on the enzymes involved, which are reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase, restriction endonuclease, and DNA ligase. Understanding checks and prior knowledge checks are used throughout the lesson and the answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress.
This lesson describes how iPS cells are formed from fibroblasts and discusses why this method is less controversial than the use of embryonic stem cells. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the 2nd lesson in a series of 2 lessons which covers the content of point 7.3 (stem cells) of the Edexcel A-level biology B specification.
The lesson begins with a SPOT THE ERRORS task, where students have to use their knowledge of pluripotent cells from the previous lesson to identify the 3 errors and make corrections. The aim of this task is to remind them that pluripotent cells are found in embryos and can divide in unlimited numbers before finally becoming fully differentiated somatic cells.
Moving forwards, the students are introduced to fibroblasts as examples of these somatic cells and the opportunity is taken to challenge their knowledge of collagen as this is a substance produced by these cells. The answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their recall of this topic 1 content. A quick quiz is used to introduce the acronym iPS and students will learn that fibroblasts can be reprogrammed to form induced pluripotent cells using specific transcription factors. The remainder of the lesson challenges them to answer questions about the use of iPS cells in regenerative medicine after reading a passage about an example. This allows them to recognise that deriving these cells from adult tissues as opposed to embryonic stem cells raises less problems and the transplant into the same person reduces the risk of rejection.
All 3 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and contain multiple biological examples to challenge the students to apply their understanding of a potentially difficult topic. A variety of tasks are embedded throughout the lessons and cover all of the content of topic 7.2 of the Edexcel A-level biology B specification (Factors affecting gene expression).
If you would like to view the quality of the lessons before deciding on the bundle, then download the epigenetic modification lesson as this has been shared for free.
This bundle contains 5 detailed and engaging lessons, which have been planned to contain a variety of tasks that enable students to assess their understanding of the current topic and encourages them to make links to previously covered topics.
The lessons cover the following content from topic 8.2 of the AQA A-level biology specification:
Totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent and unipotent cells
iPS cells
The stimulation or inhibition of the transcription of target genes
Epigenetic control of gene expression by increased DNA methylation and decreased acetylation of histones
The inhibition of translation of target mRNA by RNA interference
The main characteristics of benign and malignant tumours
If you would like to view the quality of these lessons, then download the DNA methylation and acetylation lesson as this has been uploaded for free.
This detailed lesson describes how gene expression can be changed by epigenetic modification, which is important in ensuring cell differentiation. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources describe DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA as methods of modification and are part of the final lesson in a series of 3 lessons that cover the content in point 7.2 of the Edexcel A-level biology B specification (Factors affecting gene expression).
HIV, atherosclerosis and cystic fibrosis are included in the lesson to demonstrate the application of this control of gene expression in real biological examples. Students are challenged throughout the lesson on their current understanding as well as their knowledge of previously covered topics which have links and the answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow them to assess their progress.
The other lessons in this series are uploaded and are titled “transcription factors” and “RNA splicing”.
This lesson describes the pathway by which the translation of mRNA into proteins can be prevented by siRNA and miRNA molecules. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the final lesson in a series of 4 lessons that cover the detail of point 8.2.2 of the AQA A-level biology specification.
The lesson begins with an exisiting knowledge check, as the students are challenged to recognise the processes of DNA methylation and histone acetylation, before RNA interference is introduced as another way by which gene expression is controlled in eukaryotes. Moving forwards, a quick quiz round introduces small interfering RNA (siRNA) and students will learn how this double-stranded, non-coding RNA is normally just 21 base pairs long. A step by step guide then describes the action of siRNA in preventing translation, through the cutting of the target mRNA into fragments which are then degraded. Time is taken to consider the possible application of siRNA molecules in the treatment of HIV and then cystic fibrosis, and the latter involves a series of exam-style questions which challenge the students on their understanding of this topic as well as the recall of content from the other 7 AQA topics.
The remainder of the lesson focuses on microRNA (miRNA) and students will understand how this molecule is produced and how its action differs to that of siRNA in mammalian cells.