This lesson introduces Topic 21 - Energy and Ecosystems of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Having also taught AQA and Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of these courses. Through this fully resourced lesson students will examine how energy is transferred within food chains and webs. Students will start by recalling their GCSE knowledge of food chains and webs. They will describe how energy is transferred between organisms in an ecosystem, they will complete a group reading comprehension task before applying their knowledge to past paper questions.

This lesson continues with Topic 22 - Nutrient Cycles of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Having also taught AQA and Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of these courses. Through this fully resourced lesson students will explore the causes and consequences of global warming. They will start by identify the major greenhouse gases, they will then explain why greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are increasing through creating and annotating a diagram to show the Earth’s greenhouse effect. The main activity in this lesson is an extended writing task where students are tasked with analysing data to determine whether the relationship between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and global temperature shows correlation or causation.

This lesson continues with Topic 21 - Energy and Ecosystems of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Through this fully resourced lesson students will consolidate their understanding of energy and ecosystems through applying their understanding to unfamiliar scenarios and diagrams. They will start by being given time to observe their germinating seeds in continuation of RP9 for the last time. In this lesson they will also take measurements of the length of the root and shoot of their germinated seeds and carry out a Spearman’s rank calculation in order to see if there is a significant difference in germination and initial growth in the seedlings at different densities of sowing. The PowerPoint resource guides students through this process. Students will then attempt a number of past paper questions and reflect upon reflect upon their understanding of Chapter 21 - Energy and Ecosystems and their progress this academic year so far.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will determine the hormones produced by a number of different endocrine glands. Students will first name and label the main endocrine glands in the body, they will then describe the role a number of different hormones have in the body through a short research and presentation task, they will then finish by comparing what is meant by primary sexual characteristics and secondary characteristics. Throughout the lesson students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will be introduced to the endocrine system. The learning objective for this lesson is for students to explain the function of the endocrine system. They will first define the term hormone and give examples, they will then describe what the endocrine system is and its role in homeostasis and they will finally compare the endocrine and nervous systems that they should have learned previously. Students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will determine allele and genotype frequencies based upon the Hardy-Weinberg principle. This lesson requires students to have already been introduced to the Hardy-Weinberg principle and its conditions as well as the equation p+q=1 and what it represents. Students will first determine how genotypes are represented by the Hardy-Weinberg principle (p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1). Students will then calculate a number of allele and genotype frequencies based upon exam style questions, worked answers are then provided for each question. Students will finish by applying their knowledge of the Hardy-Weinberg principle to more exam style questions.

This assessment has been designed to be used approximately in week 6 of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology (Year 13/Grade 12) course once the following chapters have been taught: Topic 18 Populations Topic 19 Photosynthesis Topic 20 Respiration This is a 20 mark assessment that students should be given 25-30 minutes to complete. This resource includes the assessment, mark scheme and a supporting lesson PowerPoint that should be used as a revision starter activity and reflection plenary.

This collection of teaching resources provides a continuation to the Populations (Chapter 18) topic of the Oxford AQA International A Level course. These resources are also suitable for the AQA and Pearson Edexcel courses. Through this series of 5 fully resourced lessons students will acquire knowledge and skills in the following areas: Lesson 1: Baseline Assessment - This assessment will prepare students for the expectations of A Level Biology, it will also provide teachers with an initial indication of students strengths and areas for development. It mostly includes assessment of knowledge acquired through AS topics and working scientifically skills. Lesson 2: Variation in Population Size - Students will determine the factors that affect the size of a population. Lesson 3: Competition between Organisms - Students will determine the effect of competition on population size. Lesson 4: Investigating Competition - Students will establish how competition between seedling growth can be investigated using the replacement technique. Lesson 5: Predation - Students will discuss how predator-prey relationships cause cyclical fluctuations in population.

In this lesson students will discuss how predator-prey relationships cause cyclical fluctuations in population.

This lesson continues with Topic 20 - Respiration of the Oxford AQA A Level Biology course. Having also taught Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of this course. Respiratory Substrates - Oxford AQA A Level Biology Through this fully resourced lesson students will determine the respiratory quotient of different respiratory substrates. Students will start by recalling their prior knowledge of biological molecules from AS Unit 1, they will then discuss how different respiratory substrates enter at different stages of respiration before exploring the equation and concept of respiratory quotients.

This lesson continues with Topic 22 - Nutrient Cycles of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Having also taught AQA and Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of these courses. Through this fully resourced lesson students will determine the role of microorganisms in the nitrogen cycle. They will start by recalling why nitrogen is needed by oraganisms and how they obtain. Students will then study a nitogen cycle in order to discuss its key features, processses and microorganisms involved. Then as a group students will create their own nitreogen cycle before applying their knowledge to a number of practice and past paper questions. Peer assessment is embedded at the end of the lesson and mark schemes and suggested responses provided throughout.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will determine how natural selection is the mechanism for evolution. Students will first identify how adaptations lead to increased survival rate, they will then describe the 4 basic principles of natural selection and finally explain why natural selection could not occur if organisms did not have to compete for resources. Students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will consider the two main treatment methods for kidney failure. They will identify the two main treatments for kidney failure and they will then describe these treatment methods through interpretation of diagrams and reading comprehension. They will finally evaluate the use of kidney dialysis and transplants through an extended writing task. Students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will explore the human excretory organs and their products. They will first define excretion, then will then differentiate between excretion and egestion before finally determining the waste products of the main excretory organs. Students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions.

This lesson continues with Topic 21 - Energy and Ecosystems of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Having also taught AQA and Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of these courses. Through this fully resourced lesson students will explore how productivity is increased in agricultural ecosystems. They will start by compare natural and agricultural ecosystems. They will then observe their germinating seeds in continuation of RP9 before exploring the concept of productivity including calculations and studying how agricultural ecosystems are manipulated to improve productivity through creating a a leaflet or presentation to educate young farmers about how to increase the productivity of their crops.

This lesson continues with Topic 21 - Energy and Ecosystems of the Oxford AQA International A Level Biology course. Having also taught AQA and Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of these courses. Through this fully resourced lesson students will explore features of intensive rearing of livestock. They will start by being given time to observe their germinating seeds in continuation of RP9 before exploring the transfer of energy through livestock including the equation, P = I - (F + R + U), for this and explaining how rearing animals intensively increases the efficiency of energy conversion. Students will also evaluate data considering economic, environmental and ethical issues involved with increasing productivity in the final part of this lesson.

Through this fully resourced lesson students will analyse how natural selection causes allele frequencies to be altered over time. Students will first recall the Hardy-Weinberg principle and the conditions it requires, they will then explain what is meant by genetic drift, the founder effect and the bottleneck effect. Students will finally determine the different ways natural selection alters phenotypes through exploring stabilising, directional, disruptive and sexual selection. Throughout the lesson students will also have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to exam style questions. This is quite a long lesson with a many new key terms being introduced which may require 2 lessons to cover depending upon the pace and ability of the class.

This collection of 6 fully resourced lessons provide teachers and students with everything needed to cover the Oxford AQA International A Level Photosynthesis topic (Chapter 19). Although these resources have been planned with the above mentioned specification in mind, I also have experience of teaching the AQA and Pearson Edexcel courses for which these lessons are also suitable. Through these lessons students will acquire knowledge and skills in the following areas: Lesson 1: An Overview of Photosynthesis - Students will deduce the main stages of photosynthesis. Lesson 2: The Light Dependent Reaction - Students will apply knowledge of concepts of reduction and oxidation to the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Lesson 3: The Light Independent Reaction - Students will outline the events of the Calvin Cycle in the production of useful organic molecules. Lesson 4: Factors affecting Photosynthesis - Students will discover the effect of limiting factors on the rate of photosynthesis. Lesson 5: Measuring Photosynthesis (Required Practical 7) - Students will explore the effect of specific limiting factors on the rate of photosynthesis. Lesson 6: Revision of Photosynthesis - Students will consolidate their understanding of photosynthesis through applying their understanding to unfamiliar scenarios and diagrams.

This lesson continues with Topic 20 - Respiration of the Oxford AQA A Level Biology course. Having also taught Pearson Edexcel for a number of years I can confirm that this lesson is also suitable for the delivery of this course. Through this fully resourced lesson students will differentiate between anaerobic respiration in plants, microorganisms and animals. This includes an understanding of how lactate in animals and ethanol and carbon dioxide are produced in plants as well as how NAD is regenerated in order that ATP can continue to be produced in the absence of oxygen.

In this lesson students will determine the effect of competition on population size.