I currently teach IGCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Also A level Biology. The resources I produce for my lessons are carefully planned and I try to involve a lot of self-learning to allow students to develop these important skills needed for further education.
I currently teach IGCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Also A level Biology. The resources I produce for my lessons are carefully planned and I try to involve a lot of self-learning to allow students to develop these important skills needed for further education.
This is an interactive lesson focusing on the different methods used by forensic scientists to determine the time of death.
This includes:
Algor mortis (body temperature)
Rigor mortis (muscle contraction)
Livor mortis (colour of skin after death)
Entomology (study of insects)
Decomposition
Students click on each link to gain information about each method. The information is in the form of text, diagrams and videos.
Students can summarise this information in their notes if the teacher wishes.
The students are then given information about 5 deceased people and the state of the body when found.
Working in pairs or groups, students use the information to predict and approximate the time of death (they are given a current time and work backwards).
A3 REVISION MATS FOR EDEXCEL BIOLOGY UNIT 5
SUITABLE FOR BOTH A LEVEL AND INTERNATIONAL A LEVEL.
ANSWER SHEET INCLUDED.
THESE RESOURCES HAVE HELPED MY STUDENTS LEARN THE TOPICS AND THEN APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE TO EXAM QUESTIONS.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
MUSCLE
NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION
TYPES OF FIBRE
STRUCTURE OF A NEURONE
CHANGES IN MEMBRANE POTENTIAL
SYNAPSES AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS
BRAIN STRUCTURE
BRAIN SCANS
BRAIN DISORDERS
CONTROL OF HEART RATE
CONTROL OF BREATHING RATE
THERMOREGULATION
A complete lesson with worksheets and exam questions/answers which introduces the reflex arc. There are simple animations which show the route of the impulse. Synapses are not covered in detail as they are not needed for double award syllabus (edexcel IGCSE).
A whole lesson plan allowing students to discover the structure and function of the eye. This lesson is following the double award IGCSE for Edexcel and students need to describe the structure and function of the eye. I have not included information about accommodation.
This lesson is a lovely introduction to the eye and includes an eye dissection task plus a 3D image starter activity; exam question and brief investigation into the response to bright light.
A lesson which introduces the role of auxin in both phototropism and geotropism. I have included 2 video links on youtube and an exam question.
There are 2 tasks which allow the students to develop their understanding of how plants respond to stimuli and how auxin works in roots and shoots.
A PPT with complete lesson with different activities to introduce the idea of surface area and volume and how it is affected by the size of an organism.
Activities include - calculating the surface area and volume of 3 cubes; explaining why certain cells/organs have a large surface area.
There is also an edexcel IGCSE exam question and mark scheme for self assessment.
A level lesson which focuses on reasons for speciation to occur. The powerpoint is a complete lesson which contains individual student tasks to aid note taking and examination style questions.
An A level lesson focusing on productivity of plants. Students are introduced to the terms GPP and NPP plus the calculation. I have included an exam question with markscheme.
We have started using this technique in our science department to allow students to highlight areas where they make mistakes. This could be due to misreading questions; not understanding the material; not understanding the questions; calculation questions or not using correct terminology. Once our students were aware of where the mistakes were being made, we gave them focused targets and it has helped improve their performance.
This resource focuses on Edexcel specification link 6.11
It introduces the different types of immunity.
There is a video resource and questions to check understanding.
The information cards can be printed and put around room for students to collect information to make it more interactive. I was short on time so I went through them on the board as students made their own notes.
A level Biology - Control of the Internal Environment
4 Powerpoint lessons covering:
The principles of mammalian hormone production by endocrine glands
The mode of action of hormones
The production of metabolic waste
Osmoregulation
Kidney structure and function
Urea production
Thermoregulation
A series of three lessons which focuses on A level content from Edexcel Specification but can be applied to other specifications.
Content includes
Understanding what a chromatid is and how it forms
The cell cycle and what occurs at each stage
Control of the cell cycle
The stages of mitosis
Cytokinesis
Cell division in both animal and plant cells
Mitotic index
Learning Objectives:
Understand how to determine the time of death of a mammal by
examining the extent of decomposition, stage of succession,
forensic entomology, body temperature and degree of muscle
contraction.
You will need internet access
This is an interactive forensics activity. It begins with a body that
has been found within a field. Students use their knowledge of
forensics plus the information provided on the site to determine
the time of death. There is no correct time here but hopefully
students will be able to justify their answer.
Students are able to study entomology results, rigor mortis, body
temperature, digestive contents, blood results plus other facts
such as clothing and exercise.
Students will need a copy of the police report to complete and
graph paper.
Students will be given a link to access the task. You do not need
to provide an email address or have a google account to access
the material.
The task can be completed on laptops, tablets and
mobile phones.so they can be set as homework or used in cover
lessons.
A useful revision tool for students preparing for the Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry exam Summer 2022.
The 14 paged booklet includes the specification points for students to plan their revision plus details of core practicals they could be tested on.
There are also a large range of revision questions to test student knowledge.
Great for class revision or homework.
Supports students with revision on specific topics.
An A3 PDF worksheet which summarises each of the core practical methods to gain 5 marks in the first question on unit 3. It also supports the experimental design question in unit 1 and unit 2
I have also included the biotic and abiotic factors to control, where appropriate, and the effect of not controlling this on the experiment.
A practical investigation that enables students to determine whether light intensity affects the population of plants in 2 areas, one being shaded and the other with light. Students randomly generate coordinates for an area marked out. I have suggested using 2 tape measures at right angles. Quadrats are then placed at the sites and the plants are counted. Students then use the data to estimate the total plant population.
A pdf worksheet focusing on the experiment with water plants with and without light. Also contains respiring organisms. The experiment uses bicarbonate indicator which changes colour in the presence of low and high concentrations of carbon dioxide.
The experiment is explained and there are exam-style questions to promote understanding.
Answer sheet included.
Suggested uses: in class activity; homework task; revision task
60 flash cards with exam-style questions for students to prepare. The questions cover all of the topics in unit 5 and give students a chance to prepare model answers for each of these in preparation for the A level exam.
Once completed, my students check their responses with the model answers and then laminate and use as a revision tool.
12 longer response exam questions on a word document.
This document can be modified and the order of questions can be changed or removed.
The total time for this document is 105 minutes.
Mark scheme is included.
I have used this document as a timed revision exercise but the document can be used as a summative exam.
Topics included:
Food chains and webs
Trophic levels
Biomass and energy transfer
Pyramids of numbers and biomass
The questions test both knowledge and application of knowledge.
A simple pdf worksheet where students describe how gram staining works. There are some basic diagrams to help scaffold their answers.
Answer sheet provided.