This lesson describes the role of reduced NAD and FAD as sources of electrons and protons for the electron transport system. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover the content of topic 3 point (d) of A2 unit 3 as set out in the WJEC A-level biology specification and explains how ATP is produced by oxidative phosphorylation. The lesson begins with a recognition that the start of this stage doesn’t have a carbon-based molecule as was observed with the Krebs cycle. This leads into a discussion period, where the students are challenged to study their notes on glycolysis and the Krebs cycle to suggest which products of these reactions could initiate this stage. This introduces the reduced coenzymes as the sources of electrons and protons for the electron transport system, and as shown in the cover image, a step-by-step guide walks the students through the key parts of this stage. Students will learn about the creation of a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane and the formation of ATP and water when oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor. This lesson is a follow-on lesson from the previous lessons covering the Krebs cycle, glycolysis and the need for respiration.

This lesson describes glycolysis as the 1st stage of respiration and a source of triose phosphate, pyruvate, reduced NAD and ATP. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover topic 3 point (b) of A2 unit 3 as detailed in the WJEC A-level biology specification. The lesson divides this multi-step reaction into 3 key parts, which are phosphorylation of glucose, the splitting into triose phosphate and then the oxidation of triose phosphate to produce pyruvate, reduced NAD and ATP. The difference between the gross and net gain of ATP from glycolysis is explained as well as the importance of the reduced NAD for the electron transport system or the conversion of pyruvate to lactate. As shown in the cover image, there are plenty of understanding checks to allow students to assess progress, and this includes several quick quiz rounds.

This revision lesson has been designed to be used with students when they finish module 2.1.1 or in the lead up to mock or final examinations. It consists of a 10 question multiple-choice assessment and a PowerPoint which contains the answers, related key points and additional questions to challenge content not directly covered by the multiple-choice questions. As cell structure in module 2.1.1 tends to be the 1st topic covered on the OCR A-level biology A course, a deep and full understanding of the content is critical for understanding of later topics and therefore this lesson acts to identify any errors or misconceptions immediately.

This lesson uses real-life examples in plants and animals to explain the need for all living organisms to carry out respiration to provide energy. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of topic 3 point (a) of A2 unit 3 as detailed in the WJEC A-level Biology specification but can also be used as a revision tool to challenge the students on their knowledge of active transport. As the first lesson in this topic, it has been specifically planned to act as an introduction to this cellular reaction and provides important details about glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation that will support the students to make significant progress when these stages are covered during upcoming lessons. Students met phosphorylation in topic 2 when considering the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis and their knowledge of the production of ATP in this plant cell reaction is challenged in this lesson. The students are also tested on their recall of the structure and function of ATP, as covered in AS unit 1, topic 5, through a spot the errors task. By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to explain why the ATP produced in cellular respiration is needed by root hair cells and by companion cells and will be introduced to uses in animals too, such as nervous transmission. They will also be able to name and describe the different types of phosphorylation and will know that ATP is produced by substrate-level phosphorylation in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle and by oxidative phosphorylation in the final stage of aerobic respiration.

This lesson challenges the students on their knowledge of the content of module 2.1.2 using a multiple-choice assessment of 15 questions. This sub-module of the OCR A-level biology A specification concerns biological molecules and understanding of this content is fundamental to the understanding of a lot of the topics that follow. The answers to the 15 questions are embedded into the accompanying PowerPoint, which also has KEY POINTS, and other knowledge checks to challenge the content that wasn’t directly assessed by the 15 questions. This lesson has been designed to be used for revision purposes when students reach the end of module 2.1.2 or in the lead up to mock examinations or even final A-level examinations.

This lesson describes how the leaching of fertilisers into waterways leads to eutrophication and explores the adverse effects on those habitats. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of topic 5 point § of A2 unit 3 as set out in the WJEC A-level biology specification. The lesson begins with a quick task which requires the students to use their knowledge of biological numbers to flow through the alphabet and this reveals the key term, leaching. This leads into a step-by-step guide through the stages of eutrophication, with descriptions of the algal bloom, restriction of light to aquatic plants, death and decomposition, and the reduction in the dissolved oxygen concentration. Prior knowledge checks are used throughout to support the understanding, and all answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress.

This lesson describes how lipids and amino acids are used in respiration, as an alternative to glucose. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of topic 3 point (f) of A2 unit 3 as set out in the WJEC A-level biology specification. The lesson begins with a challenge, where the students have to recognise the key term substrate using either 1 or 2 descriptions. The definition of a respiratory substrate is provided and students will learn that although glucose is the chief respiratory substrate, lipids and amino acids can be metabolised to generate molecules of ATP. A quick quiz round is used to introduce the relative energy value per gram of carbohydrate and then this is used as a reference value for the remainder of the lesson. Students will learn that the energy value is higher for lipids and this is explained, making reference to the proton gradient in the final stage of aerobic respiration. The final part of the lesson considers amino acids and makes a link to deamination, and explores how the entry point into respiration depends upon the keto acid which was formed. The lesson contains multiple understanding checks and all answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress.

This lesson guides the students through the stages of the Krebs cycle, describing how ATP and reduced NAD are produced and carbon dioxide released. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been planned to cover the content of topic 3 point [c] of A2 unit 3 as set out in the WJEC A-level biology specification. As shown on the cover image, the lessons starts with a challenge, where students are tasked with recognising that the connection is biological cycles. A prior knowledge check is used to challenge their recall of the mitochondria as the site of aerobic respiration and then to identify the matrix as the site for this particular stage. Moving forwards, the 6 steps of the cycle are explored, and time is taken to consider how dehydrogenation and decarboxylation lead to the reduction of NAD and the release of carbon dioxide, and how ATP is produced by substrate-level phosphorylation. A series of exam-style questions check their understanding, and this includes a link to the next stage and the electron transport system. The answers to all knowledge checks are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress.

This lesson describes how phosphate ions are cycled through rocks, water, soil and organisms, including the roles of saprobionts and mycorrhizae. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the 2nd lesson in a series of 3 lessons which have been designed to cover the content of topic 5.4 (nutrient cycles) of the AQA A-level biology specification. The lesson begins by challenging the students to use a single similarity and difference to recognise that DNA and ATP are being compared. A series of prior knowledge checks are then used to get them to recall that phosphate ions are found in the structure of these biological molecules, as well as in phospholipids. A selection of multiple-choice questions will challenge their knowledge of these molecules further. All answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson focuses on the recycling of phosphorus, and includes details of weathering, assimilation, feeding, and decomposition. A quick quiz round is used to reveal the term, guano, and students will learn that this waste product of seabirds contains a high proportion of phosphate ions, and therefore can be used as a natural fertiliser, which links to the final lesson in this series. The other two lessons in this series covering topic 5.4 are the nitrogen cycle and leaching and eutrophication.

This lesson describes how the use of excess fertilisers to replace lost ions and then leaching can lead to environmental issues like eutrophication. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the final lesson in a series of 3 lessons which have been designed to cover point 5.4 (Nutrient cycles) of the AQA A-level biology specification. The lesson begins with a reminder of the key term, continuous monoculture, which students encountered during a lesson on conservation and farming in topic 4. This process, where the same crops are planted season after season leads to the same mineral ions being removed from the soil and not replenished, and this introduces the idea that the harvesting of crops removes minerals from the ecosystem. Students will understand that removing livestock has a similar effect, before they are challenged to recognise that the addition of natural and artificial fertilisers can replace these ions. At this stage, a series of prior knowledge checks are used to challenge their ability to make links to the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle. All answers are embedded in the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress. Moving forwards, a quick task challenges their knowledge of biological numbers to flow through the alphabet and this reveals the key term, leaching. This leads into a step-by-step guide through the stages of eutrophication. The other two lessons in this series describe the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle.

This lesson describes the simple reflex arc as a basis for rapid, involuntary and protective actions. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of point (d) of topic 8 of A2 unit 3 of the WJEC A-level biology specification. At the start of the lesson, the students are challenged to recognise the connections between three groups of key terms, and this acts to remind them of the sensory, motor and relay neurone, different types of muscle tissue and some reflexes. Time is taken to ensure that students understand that a simple spinal reflex arc is a direct neural pathway through the spinal cord and does not involve processing by the brain. Some of the content was covered at GCSE and in the first lessons of topic 8, so this lesson has been specifically planned to challenge their recall of this content and then to build upon it, and understanding and prior knowledge checks are used throughout to allow them to assess their progress. The students will be able to recognise the different matter of the spinal cord, which is named according to the presence of myelinated or unmyelinated neurones and they will also understand how sensory neurones enter via the dorsal root and motor neurones exit via the ventral root. Moving forwards, two examples of real biological reflexes are used to increase relevance, and students will see how the knee jerk reflex is unusual as it doesn’t contain a relay neurone. References to synapses, myelination and saltatory conduction are included in the lesson and brief details provided before these are covered in upcoming topic 8 lessons.

This lesson focuses on the main areas of the spinal cord but also introduces key nervous system structures to prepare students for upcoming topic 8 lessons. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been planned to cover the content of points (b & c) of topic 8 of A2 unit 3 of the WJEC A-level biology specification. The lesson begins with a challenge, where students must use their knowledge of content from earlier topics to reveal 5 numbers that add up to 33. They will learn that this is the normal number of vertebrae in the human vertebral column and this leads into the recognition that these bones act to surround and protect the spinal cord. The meninges are introduced and then a quick quiz round is used to reveal the term, grey matter. Students will see that this is found in the centre of the spinal cord and is surrounded by an outer region of white matter. The idea of myelination is introduced, and initial details provided about the increased conductance speed in myelinated neurones because of saltatory conduction. Moving forwards, students will meet the terms dorsal and ventral and see on a diagram that nerves enter and leave the cord by these roots. The role of cerebrospinal fluid is explored and a series of exam-style questions are used to challenge their knowledge from topic 4 as well as their mathematical skills. The answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress. The lesson finishes with the introduction of the cauda equina as the bundle of nerves at the distal end of the spinal cord.

This lesson describes how epigenetics is the control of gene expression by factors other than changes in the DNA sequence. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been planned to cover the content of point (h) from topic 3 of A2 unit 4 of the WJEC A-level biology specification. As shown in the cover image, the lesson began with a challenge, where the students had to recognise that the prefix epi could go before 4 terms. They will learn that this prefix means on or above in Greek meaning epigenetics can be described as factors causing changes to gene function beyond the genetic code. One of several discussion periods is used to encourage them to identify what is not involved here (i.e. gene mutations), and so, epigenetics is introduced as heritable changes in gene function without changes to the base sequence. Moving forwards, the process of DNA methylation is introduced, and students are challenged to predict how the addition of a methyl group could inhibit transcription before they have to use their prior knowledge of key terms to complete a passage about this concept. The details of a study which considered the correlation between DNA methylation and atherosclerosis are provided to broaden their knowledge and then they have to answer questions about the study using their knowledge of content from previously covered topics. The remainder of the lesson discusses acetylation and students will learn that the removal of acetyl groups from histones causes the chromatin to become highly condensed and prevents the transcription of the gene.

This lesson describes the differences between skeletal, smooth (involuntary) and cardiac muscle. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources form part of the 1st lesson in a series of 3 lessons which have been planned to cover the content of point 5.1.5 (l) (i) of the OCR A-level biology A specification. The other two lessons are “neuromuscular junctions” and “the sliding filament model of muscular contraction”. The lesson begins with a bit of fun by challenging the students to identify the prep room skeleton from a description and then to recognise that the reason the skeleton doesn’t have free movement or locomotion is because “he” lacks muscles. More specifically, it is the lack of skeletal muscles which prevents bones from moving and this leads into the introduction of this type of muscle tissue as being attached to bones. Time is taken to consider tendons, and more specifically the protein collagen, and students are challenged on their recall of this fibrous protein from module 2.1.2. This lesson contains numerous prior knowledge checks like this, to encourage them to identify the links between topics and modules. All answers to these prior knowledge and understanding checks are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress. The structure of skeletal muscle is covered in the 3rd lesson in this series, but this lesson does focus on the structural and functional differences between smooth and cardiac muscle. Students are introduced to intercalated discs and gap junctions in cardiac muscle and are challenged to explain how these features support the stages of the cardiac cycle. Earlier in this module, they covered the regulation of heart rate and a SPOT THE ERRORS task will challenge the detail of their knowledge of this control system. The remainder of the lesson focuses on smooth muscle, using examples in the gut wall, iris and arterial walls to increase relevance.