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 lesson describes the main stages of meiosis, focusing on the events which contribute to genetic variation and explains its significance in life cycles. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.1.6 (f) & (g) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and includes description of crossing over, independent assortment, independent segregation and the production of haploid gametes
In order to understand how the events of meiosis like crossing over and independent assortment and independent segregation can lead to variation, students need to be clear in their understanding that DNA replication in interphase results in homologous chromosomes as pairs of sister chromatids. Therefore the beginning of the lesson focuses on the chromosomes in the parent cell and this first part of the cycle and students will be introduced to non-sister chromatids and the fact that they may contain different alleles which is important for the exchange that occurs during crossing over. Time is taken to go through this event in prophase I in a step by step guide so that the students can recognise that the result can be new combinations of alleles that were not present in the parent cell. Moving forwards, the lesson explores how the independent assortment and segregation of chromosomes and chromatids during metaphase I and II and anaphase I and II respectively results in genetically different gametes. The key events of all of the 8 phases are described and there is a focus on key terminology to ensure that students are able to describe genetic structures in the correct context. The final part of the lesson looks at the use of a mathematical expression to calculate the possible combinations of alleles in gametes as well as in a zygote following the random fertilisation of haploid gametes. Understanding and prior knowledge checks are interspersed throughout the lesson as well as a series of exam-style questions which challenge the students to apply their knowledge to potentially unfamiliar situations.
This lesson has been specifically planned to lead on from the previous two lessons on the cell cycle and the main stages of mitosis and constant references are made throughout to encourage students to make links and also to highlight the differences between the two types of nuclear division
Meiosis, genetic inheritance and the control of gene expression are some of the harder topics on this A-level Biology course and all three are covered in topic 16 (Inherited change) of the CIE A-level Biology specification. The 10 lessons included in this bundle have been planned at length and contain a wide range of tasks that cover the detailed content whilst checking on understanding and key terms and values are introduced through engaging quiz competitions.
The following topic 16 specification points are covered by these lessons:
Topic 16.1
The meaning of a homologous pair of chromosomes
The behaviour of chromosomes in animal and plant cells during meiosis
Genetic variation is caused by crossing over, random assortment and the random fusion of gametes at fertilisation
Topic 16.2
The meaning of key genetic terms
Using genetic diagrams to solve problems involving mohohybrid and dihybrid crosses, including those involving autosomal linkage, sex linkage, codominance, multiple alleles and gene interactions
Use the chi-squared test to test the significance of differences between observed and expected results
Gene mutations occur by substitution, deletion and insertion and may affect the phenotype
Topic 16.3
The genetic control of protein production in a prokaryote as shown by the lac operon
The function of transcription factors in gene expression in eukaryotes
Gibberellins and DELLA protein repressors
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons included in this bundle, then download the autosomal linkage and chi-squared test lessons as these have been uploaded for free
The mathematical element of the OCR A-level Biology A specification is substantial and every year, there are a large number of exam questions that require the application of a range of mathematical skills. Therefore, a clear understanding of how and when to apply these skills is closely related to success on this course and the following calculations are covered by the 9 lessons that are included in this bundle:
Using the chi-squared test to determine significance between the observed and expected results of a genetic cross
Using the Hardy Weinberg principle to calculate the frequency of an allele or a genotype in a population
Calculating the standard deviation to measure the spread of data
Using the Student’s t-test to compare the means of two sets of data
Calculating the temperature coefficient
Calculating the proportion of polymorphic gene loci
Using and interpreting Simpson’s index of diversity to calculate the biodiversity of a habitat
Using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to consider the relationship of the data
The use and manipulation of the magnification formula
A revision lesson is also included in this bundle which acts as a fun and engaging revision of the range of calculations
This lesson describes the relationship between the size of an organism or structure and its surface to volume ratio. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover point 3.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and also have been specifically planned to prepare the students for the upcoming lessons in topic 3 on gas exchange and absorption in the ileum.
The students are likely to have been introduced to the ratio at GCSE, but understanding of its relevance tends to be mixed. Therefore, real life examples are included throughout the lesson that emphasise the importance of the surface area to volume ratio in order to increase this relevance. A lot of students worry about the maths calculations that are associated with this topic so a step by step guide is included at the start of the lesson that walks them through the calculation of the surface area, the volume and then the ratio. Through worked examples and understanding checks, SA/V ratios are calculated for cubes of increasing side length and living organisms of different size. These comparative values will enable the students to conclude that the larger the organism or structure, the lower the surface area to volume ratio. A differentiated task is then used to challenge the students to explain the relationship between the ratio and the metabolic demands of an organism and this leads into the next part of the lesson, where the adaptations of larger organisms to increase the ratio at their exchange surfaces is covered. The students will calculate the SA/V ratio of a human alveolus (using the surface area and volume formulae for a sphere) and will see the significant increase that results from the folding of the membranes. This is further demonstrated by the villi and the microvilli on the enterocytes that form the epithelial lining of these folds in the ileum. The final part of the lesson introduces Fick’s law of diffusion so that students are reminded that the steepness of a concentration gradient and the thickness of a membrane also affect the rate of diffusion.
This lesson bundle contains 16 lessons which have been designed to cover the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification points which focus on the structure of DNA and RNA, their roles in replication and protein synthesis, and genetics and inheritance. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 6 of the course:
2.9 (i): Know the basic structure of mononucleotides (deoxyribose or ribose linked to a phosphate and a base, including thymine, uracil, adenine, cytosine or guanine) and the structures of DNA and RNA (polynucleotides composed of mononucleotides linked by condensation reactions to form phosphodiester bonds)
2.9 (ii): Know how complementary base pairing and the hydrogen bonding between two complementary strands are involved in the formation of the DNA double helix
2.10 (i): Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase
2.11: Understand the nature of the genetic code
2.12: Know that a gene is a sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain
2.13 (i): understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription and translation), including the role of RNA polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and stop codons
2.13 (ii): Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA
2.14 (i): Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations (substitution, insertion and deletion of bases)
2.14 (ii): Know that some mutations will give rise to cancer or genetic disorders, but that many mutations will have no observable effect
2.15 (i): Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, codominance, homozygote and heterozygote
2.15 (ii): Understand patterns of inheritance, including the interpretation of genetic pedigree diagrams, in the context of monohybrid inheritance
2.15 (iii): Understand sex linkage on the X chromosome, including red-green colour blindness in humans
2.16: Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems
2.17 (i): Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
2.17 (ii): Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening
3.9 (i): Know that a locus is the location of genes on a chromosome
3.9 (ii): Understand the linkage of genes on a chromosome
3.18: Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA, leading to the synthesis of proteins which, in turn, control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants
3.19: Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein through posttranscriptional changes to messenger RNA (mRNA).
3.20 (i): Phenotype is an interaction between genotype and the environment
3.21: Understand how some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci (polygenic inheritance) as well as the environment and how this can give rise to phenotypes that show continuous variation
6.17: Know how DNA can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
This lesson outlines how penicillin acts on bacteria and why antibiotics do not affect viruses. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 10.2 (a) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and also introduces the concept of bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics, as illustrated by penicillin and tetracycline.
The lesson begins with an engaging task, where the students have to identify the surnames of famous scientists from their descriptions to reveal the surname Fleming. This introduces Sir Alexander Fleming as the microbiologist who discovered penicillin in 1928. Time is taken to describe penicillin as a group of antibiotics that contain a beta-lactam ring in their molecular structure. Using this information and their knowledge of bacterial cell structure from topic 1, the students have to complete a passage describing how penicillin inhibits the formation of cross links in cell wall synthesis. A series of exam-style questions are then used to make links to the upcoming topic of antibiotic resistance.
The next part of the lesson focuses on the differences between bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics and the students will learn that penicillin is bactericidal as the weakening of the cell wall leads to lysis and death. Tetracycline is used as the example of a bacteriostatic antibiotic and students will discover that it is the prevention of the binding of tRNA that inhibits protein synthesis and that this reduction and prevention of growth and reproduction is synonymous with these antimicrobial agents. Students are challenged on their knowledge of translation and will also be given time for a class discussion to understand that these antibiotics work in tandem the body’s immune system to overcome the pathogen
The final part of the lesson explains why antibiotics are ineffective against viruses.
This lesson describes the movement of water from the root to the leaf and includes the transpiration stream and the cohesion-tension theory. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point (n) of topic 3 in AS unit 2 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification
This lesson has been written to follow on from a previous lesson, which finished with the description of the transport of the water and mineral ions from the endodermis to the xylem. Students are immediately challenged to use this knowledge to understand root pressure and the movement by mass flow down the pressure gradient. Moving forwards, time is taken to study the details of transpiration pull and the interaction between cohesion, tension and adhesion in capillary action is explained. Understanding is constantly checked through a range of tasks and prior knowledge checks are also written into the lesson to challenge the students to make links to previously covered topics such as the structure of the transport tissues. The final part of the lesson considers the journey of water through the leaf and ultimately out of the stomata in transpiration. A step by step guide using questions to discuss and answer as a class is used to support the students before the final task challenges them to summarise this movement out of the leaf.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the events of the cell cycle so that students can understand how the genetic material behaves in interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification points 2.3 (i), (ii) and (iii) as detailed in the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
Depending upon the exam board taken at GCSE, the knowledge and understanding of mitosis and the cell cycle will differ considerably between students and there may be a number of misconceptions. This was considered at all points during the planning of the lesson and to address existing errors, key points are emphasised throughout. The cell cycle is introduced at the start of the lesson and the quantity of DNA inside the parent cell is described as diploid and as 2n. A quiz competition has been written into the lesson and this runs throughout, challenging the students to identify the quantity of DNA in the cell (in terms of n) at different points of the cycle. Moving forwards, the first real focus is interphase and the importance of DNA replication is explained so that students can initially recognise that there are pairs of identical sister chromatids and then can understand how they are separated later in the cycle. The main part of the lesson focuses on prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase and describes how the chromosomes behave in these stages. An exam style question will check on their knowledge of the organelles from 2.1 and this acts to remind them that centrioles are responsible for the production of the spindle apparatus, Students will understand how the cytoplasmic division that occurs in cytokinesis results in the production of genetically identical daughter cells. This leads into a series of understanding and application questions where students have to identify the various roles of mitosis in living organisms as well as tackling a Maths in a Biology context question. The lesson concludes with a final round of MITOSIS SNAP where they only shout out this word when a match is seen between the name of a phase, an event and a picture
This fully-resourced lesson distinguishes between active and passive, natural and artificial immunity and explains how vaccinations can be used to control disease. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 11.2 (d) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and there is also a description and discussion on the concept of herd immunity.
In topic 11.1, students were introduced to the primary and secondary immune responses so the start of this lesson uses an imaginary game of TOP TRUMPS to challenge them on the depth of their understanding. This will act to remind them that a larger concentration of antibodies is produced in a quicker time in the secondary response. The importance of antibodies and the production of memory cells for the development of immunity is emphasised and this will be continually referenced as the lesson progresses. The students will learn that this response of the body to a pathogen that has entered the body through natural processes is natural active immunity. Moving forwards, time is taken to look at vaccinations as an example of artificial active immunity. Another series of questions focusing on the MMR vaccine will challenge the students to explain how the deliberate exposure to antigenic material activates the immune response and leads to the retention of memory cells. A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the variety of forms that the antigenic material can take along with examples of diseases that are vaccinated against using these methods. The eradication of smallpox is used to describe the concept of herd immunity and the students are given time to consider the scientific questions and concerns that arise when the use of this pathway is a possible option for a government. The remainder of the lesson looks at the different forms of passive immunity and describes the drawbacks in terms of the need for a full response if a pathogen is re-encountered
This fully-resourced lesson describes the structure, different roles and modes of action of the B and T lymphocytes in the specific immune response. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 4.1.1 (f) as detailed in the OCR A-level Biology A specification and the structure of antibodies and the roles of memory cells is also briefly introduced so that students are prepared for an upcoming lesson on the secondary immune response (4.1.1 g)
Antigen presentation was introduced at the end of the previous lesson so the task at the start of this lesson challenges students to recognise the name of this process and then they have to spot the errors in the passage that describes the details of this event. This reminds them that contact between the APC and T lymphocytes is necessary to elicit a response which they will come to recognise as the cellular response. A series of quick quiz rounds reveals key terms in a memorable way and one that is introduced is helper T cells. Time is then taken to describe the importance of cell signalling for an effective response and students will learn how the release of chemicals by these cells activates other aspects of the response. The role of the killer T cells and their production of cytotoxins is also described before an exam-style question is used to check on their understanding at this point of the lesson. This leads into the section of the lesson that deals with the humoral response and students will understand how this involves the antibodies that are produced by the plasma cells that are the result of clonal selection and expansion. The T and B memory cells are also introduced so that students can understand how they are retained in the body even after the pathogen has been overcome and will play a critical role in the development of immunity. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the role of the antibodies and the attachment of phagocytes to opsonins
This fully-resourced lesson describes genetic biodiversity as the number of genes in a population and considers how it can be assessed. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying differentiated resources have been primarily designed to cover point 4.2.1 (e) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification but also introduces inheritance and codominance so that students are prepared for these genetic topics when they are covered in module 6.1.2
In order to understand that 2 or more alleles can be found at a gene loci, students need to be confident with genetic terminology. Therefore the start of the lesson focuses on key terms including gene, locus, allele, recessive, genotype and phenotype. A number of these will have been met at GCSE, as well as during the earlier lessons in module 2.1.3 when considering meiosis, so a quick quiz competition is used to check on their recall of the meanings of these terms. The CFTR gene is then used as an example to demonstrate how 2 alleles results in 2 different phenotypes and therefore genetic diversity. Moving forwards, students will discover that more than 2 alleles can be found at a locus and they are challenged to work out genotypes and phenotypes for a loci with 3 alleles (shell colour in snails) and 4 alleles (coat colour in rabbits). Two calculations are provided to the students that can calculate the % of loci with more than one allele and the proportion of polymorphic gene loci. At this point, the students are introduced to codominance and again they are challenged to apply their understanding to a new situation by working out the number of phenotypes in the inheritance of blood groups. The lesson concludes with a brief consideration of the HLA gene loci, which is the most polymorphic loci in the human genome, and students are challenged to consider how this sheer number of alleles can affect the chances of tissue matches in organ transplantation
This lesson bundle contains 5 detailed lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources which have been designed to cover the content of module 5.1.4 (Hormonal communication) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. They contain a wide variety of tasks which include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes that challenge the students on their current understanding as well as their ability to make links to previously covered topics.
The following specification points are covered in this bundle:
Endocrine communication by hormones
The structure and functions of the adrenal glands
The histology of the pancreas
The regulation of blood glucose concentration by the release of insulin and glucagon
The control of insulin secretion
The difference between type I and II diabetes mellitus
The potential treatments for diabetes mellitus
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the endocrine communication lesson as this has been uploaded for free
This lesson bundle contains 9 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources which have been intricately planned to deliver the detailed content of topic 6 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and to make links to the 5 previously covered topics. In addition to the detailed content, each lesson contains exam-style questions with mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint, differentiated tasks, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
DNA can be amplified using the PCR
Comparing the structure of bacteria and viruses
Understand how Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infact human cells
The non-specific responses of the body to infection
The roles of antigens and antibodies in the body’s immune response
The differences in the roles of the B and T cells in the body’s immune response
Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein
The development of immunity
The major routes that pathogens may take when entering the body
The role of barriers in protecting the body from infection
The difference between bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the immune response and post-transcriptional changes lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This fully-resourced lesson guides students through the construction of genetic crosses and pedigree diagrams for the inheritance of a single gene. The clear PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 8.2 (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and includes the inheritance of multiple allele characteristics as well as those that demonstrate codominance.
In order to minimise the likelihood of errors and misconceptions, step by step guides have been included throughout the lesson to support the students with the following:
Writing parent genotypes
Working out the different gametes that are made following meiosis
Interpreting Punnett crosses to work out phenotypic ratios
Students can often find pedigree trees the most difficult to interpret and to explain so exemplar answers are used as well as differentiated worksheets provided to support those students who need extra assistance.
This lesson looks at the homologous series of alcohols, focusing on the properties that they share and guiding students through naming and drawing displayed formula to represent them. It has been designed for GCSE students and time is taken to embed a few selected key details as dictated by the exam board specification.
The lesson begins with students meeting the formula for ethanol. This substance will provide the backbone to their understanding as they are guided through drawing the displayed formula so they can visualise how it is done and use to draw diagrams for the others. Students are shown how the general formula for the alkanes and alkenes can be worked out and then challenged to use this to work out the general formula for the alcohols. There is a brief look at the reactions with oxygen and the products that can be made depending upon whether sufficient oxygen is available or not.
This lesson uses 17 multiple-choice questions to challenge students to apply their understanding to the calculation sections of the course. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are designed to act as revision during the final weeks leading up to the AQA GCSE Combined chemistry exams and the following topics are covered:
Atoms and ions
Isotopes
Concentration of solutions
Mole calculations using Avogadro’s constant
Calculating relative formula mass
Mole calculations using mass and relative formula mass
Calculating masses in reactions
Calculating energy changes in reactions
Calculating the mean rate of reaction
All 17 questions have answers embedded into the PowerPoint along with explanations and are followed by additional tasks to further check understanding if it was initially limited.
These 9 lessons are highly detailed and are filled with a wide range of tasks that will engage the students whilst covering the following specification points in topics 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 of the AQA A-level Biology specification:
4.4
Genetic diversity as the number of different alleles of genes in a population and a factor enabling natural selection to occur
The principles of natural selection in the evolution of populations
Directional and stabilising selection
Natural selection results in anatomical, physiological or behavioural adaptations
4.5
Two organisms belong to the same species if they are able to produce fertile offspring
The taxonomic hierarchy comprising domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species
The use of the binomial name to identify species
4.6
Biodiversity can relate to a range of habitats
Species richness
Calculating an index of diversity
The balance between conservation and farming
4.7
Investigating genetic diversity with, or between species, by comparing observable characteristics or nucleic acids and the structure of proteins
Calculating and interpreting the mean and standard deviation
If you download the natural selection and standard deviation lessons which have been shared for free then you will be able to see the quality of lessons included in this bundle
An engaging lesson presentation that runs the lesson in a quiz format, with numerous rounds, in order to introduce the students to the different stages of the life cycle of a star. The lesson begins by introducing students to the first three stages (nebula, protostar, main sequence) which all stars go through regardless of their mass. Key details about each stage are discussed and considered. Moving forwards, this lesson ensures that students understand that the stages after the main sequence are dependent upon the mass of the star. Key links are made to associated topics such as nuclear fusion.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but could be used with KS3 students if they are doing a project on space and stars
This fully-resourced looks at the phenomenon known as the Bohr effect and describes and explains how an increased carbon dioxide concentration effects the dissociation of adult oxyhaemoglobin. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 8.1 (g) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification and continually ties in with the previous lesson on the role of haemoglobin in carrying oxygen.
The lesson begins with a terminology check to ensure that the students can use the terms affinity, oxyhaemoglobin and dissociation. In line with this, they are challenged to draw the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve and are reminded that this shows how oxygen associates with haemoglobin but how it dissociates at low partial pressures. Moving forwards, a quick quiz is used to introduce Christian Bohr and the students are given some initial details of his described effect. This leads into a series of discussions where the outcome is the understanding that an increased concentration of carbon dioxide decreases the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen. The students will learn that this reduction in affinity is a result of a decrease in the pH of the cell cytoplasm which alters the tertiary structure of the haemoglobin. Opportunities are taken at this point to challenge students on their prior knowledge of protein structures as well as the bonds in the tertiary structure. The lesson finishes with a series of questions where the understanding and application skills are tested as students have to explain the benefit of the Bohr effect for an exercising individual.
This lesson is fully-resourced, engaging and detailed and explains how the Contact process is one of the 3 steps involved in making sulfuric acid. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources, which are differentiated, have been written to cover point C6.1(d) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Chemistry specification.
The lesson begins with a challenge where students have to use the 1st letters of the answers to questions on previously covered topics to come up with the word CONTACT. At this point, the students are introduced to the contact process as the 2nd step in a 3 stage process to make sulfuric acid. The lesson goes through the details of each of the 3 steps but particular time is spent exploring the conditions needed for the contact process in step 2. Students are continuously tested on their knowledge of reversible reactions and the key concepts to do with equilibrium position and equilibrium yield are explained so they can understand how the conditions of 2 atmospheres and 450 degrees celsius are chosen. Again through a prior knowledge check of empirical formula, the students will be introduced to vanadium oxide as the catalyst. As well as exam-style questions with displayed answers to check on current understanding, there are discussion points as well as quick quiz competitions to introduce key terms and values in a memorable way.
