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.
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Nutrient cycles (5.4 AQA A-level biology)
Topic 5.4 of the AQA A-level biology specification is titled Nutrient cycles, and students are expected to understand how nutrients are recycled within ecosystems, as exemplified by the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle, and be able to describe environmental issues that arise when fertilisers leach into waterways. These 3 lessons have been planned at length to ensure they cover all the detailed content in the specification and also contain prior knowledge checks and links to the future so students understand how this topic links with parts of topics 1 - 4 and 6 - 8. If you would like to observe the quality of the lessons before purchasing the bundle, then download the phosphorus cycle lesson as this has been shared for free.
£6.00
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Topics 5.3 & 5.4 (AQA A-level biology)
All 6 lessons in this bundle are detailed, engaging and include regular understanding checks, with answers embedded into the PowerPoint, to allow students to assess their progress. They have been designed to cover all of the content included in topics 5.3 and 5.4 of the AQA A-level biology specification.
£10.00
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Topic 5: Energy transfers in and between organisms (AQA A-level Biology)
Normally the first topic to be taught in the second year of the AQA A-level Biology course, topic 5 contains some very important biological processes which include photosynthesis, respiration and energy transfer between organisms. All 17 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been planned at length to ensure that students remain motivated and engaged whilst being constantly challenged on their current understanding. Links to previously-covered topics are also made throughout the lessons. The following specification points are covered in these lessons: TOPIC 5.1 * The light-dependent reaction of photosynthesis * The use of reduced NADP and ATP from the light-dependent reaction in the light-independent reaction * The light-independent reaction of photosynthesis * Environmental factors that limit the rate of photosynthesis TOPIC 5.2 * Respiration produces ATP * Glycolysis as the first stage of aerobic and anaerobic respiration * The conversion of pyruvate to lactate or ethanol in the anaerobic pathways * The link reaction and the Krebs cycle * Synthesis of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation * Other respiratory substrates TOPIC 5.3 * Gross primary production and net primary production * The net production of consumers * Farming practices designed to increase the efficiency of energy transfer TOPIC 5.4 * The role of microorganisms in the nitrogen cycle * The phosphorus cycle, including the role of saprobionts and mycorrrhizae * The use of artificial and natural fertilisers * The environmental issues arising from the use of fertilisers including leaching and eutrophication. If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the chloroplast structure, anaerobic respiration, oxidative phosphorylation, GPP and phosphorus cycle lessons as these have been uploaded for free
£22.00
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