This fully-resourced lesson describes the role of barriers in protecting the body from infection by pathogens when entering the body by the major routes. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 6.11 (i) & (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and describe the following barriers: skin key steps of the blood clotting process mucous membranes stomach acid vaginal and skin flora There are clear links to topics 1, 2 and 3 in each of these barriers, so time is taken to consider these during the descriptions. For example, the presence of keratin in the cytoplasm of the skin cells allows the student knowledge of the properties of this fibrous protein to be checked. Other topics that are revisited during this lesson include blood clotting, protein structure, key terminology and the epithelium that lines the different parts of the airways. All of the exam-style questions and tasks have mark schemes that are embedded in the PowerPoint and a number of them have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the behaviour of chromosomes during the mitotic cell cycle and explains the importance of this type of nuclear division. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 5.1 (b) & 5.2 (a) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and make direct links to a previous lesson which covered the outline of cell cycle Depending upon the exam board taken at iGCSE, the knowledge and understanding of mitosis 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 so that existing errors are addressed and key points are emphasised throughout. Their understanding of interphase is challenged at the start of the lesson to ensure that they realise that it is identical pairs of sister chromatids that enter the M phase. The main part of the lesson focuses on prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase and describes how the chromosomes behave in these stages. There is a focus on the centrioles and the spindle fibres that they produce which contract to drag one chromatid from each pair in opposite directions to the poles of the cell. The remainder of the lesson is 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 quiz 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 is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson that consists of an engaging PowerPoint (154 slides) and associated worksheets that challenge the students on their knowledge of topics B1 - B4 (Cell Biology, Organisation, Infection and response and Bioenergetics) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy specification and can be assessed on PAPER 1. A wide range of activities have been written into the lesson to maintain motivation and these tasks include exam questions (with answers), understanding checks, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions. The lesson has been designed to include as much which of the content that can be assessed in paper, but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention: Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells Structure of a bacterium The functions of the components of blood Specialised cells Active transport Osmosis Structure of DNA Mitosis and the cell cycle Functions of the organelles of animal and plant cells Electron microscopy Calculating size Arteries and veins The risk factors of CHD CHD treatments The structure of the heart Bacterial, fungal and viral diseases The mathematic elements of the Combined Science specification are challenged throughout the resource. Due to the size of this resource, it is likely that teachers will choose to use it over the course of a number of lessons and it is suitable for use in the lead up to the mocks or in the lead up to the actual GCSE exams.

This lesson describes how passive transport is brought about (simple) diffusion and facilitated diffusion. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of specification point 4.2 (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification but also covers 4.2 (iii) as the relationship between the properties of a molecule and the method by which they are transported is discussed. The structure of the cell surface membrane was described in the previous lesson, so this lesson has been written to include continual references to the content of that lesson. This enables links to be made between the movement across a cell membrane with the concentration gradient, the parts of the membrane that are involved and any features that may increase the rate at which the molecules move. A series of questions about the alveoli are used to demonstrate how a large surface area, a short diffusion distance and the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient will increase the rate of simple diffusion. One of two quick quiz rounds is then used to introduce temperature and size of molecule as two further factors that can affect simple diffusion. The remainder of the lesson focuses on facilitated diffusion and describes how transmembrane proteins are needed to move small, polar or large molecules from a high concentration to a lower concentration across a partially permeable membrane

This detailed and engaging lesson describes how the passive transport of water molecules is brought about by osmosis. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of specification point 4.2 (ii) as detailed in the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and water potential is included throughout which will help students to prepare for core practical 6 It’s likely that students will have used the term concentration in their osmosis definitions at GCSE, so the aim of the starter task is to introduce water potential to allow students to begin to recognise osmosis as the movement of water molecules from a high water potential to a lower potential, with the water potential gradient. Time is taken to describe the finer details of water potential to enable students to understand that 0 is the highest value (pure water) and that this becomes negative once solutes are dissolved. Exam-style questions are used throughout the lesson to check on current understanding as well as prior knowledge checks which make links to previously covered topics such as the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the movement of water between cells and a solution when these animal and plant cells are suspended in hypotonic, hypertonic or isotonic solutions.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the action of enzymes as biological catalysts and explains how their specificity is related to their 3D structure. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.10 (i) and (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also introduces some examples of intracellular and extracellular enzymes to prepare students for the next lesson which covers 2.10 (iii). The lesson has been specifically planned to tie in with related topics that were previously covered such as protein structure, globular proteins and intracellular enzymes. This prior knowledge is tested through a series of exam-style questions along with current understanding and mark schemes are included in the PowerPoint so that students can assess their answers. Students will learn that enzymes are large globular proteins which contain an active site that consists of a small number of amino acids. Emil Fischer’s lock and key hypothesis is introduced to enable students to recognise that their specificity is the result of an active site that is complementary in shape to a single type of substrate. Time is taken to discuss key details such as the control of the shape of the active site by the tertiary structure of the protein. The induced-fit model is described so students can understand how the enzyme-susbtrate complex is stabilised and then students are challenged to order the sequence of events in an enzyme-controlled reaction. The lesson finishes with a focus on ATP synthase and DNA polymerase so that students are aware of these important intracellular enzymes when learning about the details of respiration and DNA replication.

This engaging lesson describes how the structure of the mammalian lung is adapted for rapid gaseous exchange. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover point 2.1 (iii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification and focuses on the essential features of the alveolar epithelium as well as the mechanism of ventilation to maintain a steep concentration gradient for the simple diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Gas exchange at the alveoli is a topic that was covered at GCSE and considered during the previous lessons in topic 2.1 so this lesson has been written to challenge the recall of that knowledge and then to build on it. The main focus of the first half of the lesson is the type of epithelium found lining the alveoli and students will discover that a single layer of flattened cells known as simple, squamous epithelium acts to reduce the diffusion distance. The following features of the alveolar epithelium are also covered: Surface area Moist lining Production of surfactant The maintenance of a steep concentration gradient is the role of the respiratory system and the next part of the lesson focuses on the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. As the mechanism of inhalation is a cascade of events, the details of this process are covered in a step by step format using bullet points. At each step, time is taken to discuss the key details which includes an introduction to Boyle’s law that reveals the inverse relationship between volume and pressure. It is crucial that students are able to describe how the actions of the diaphragm, external intercostal muscles and ribcage result in an increased volume of the thoracic cavity and a subsequent decrease in the pressure, which is below the pressure outside of the body. At this point, their recall of the structures of the mammalian gas exchange system is tested, to ensure that they can describe the pathway taken by air when moving into the lungs.

This fully-resourced lesson explains how an enzyme’s specificity is related to their 3D structure and enables them to act as biological catalysts. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first parts of specification point 1.4.2 and considers the details of Fischer’s lock and key hypothesis and Koshland’s induced-fit model to deepen student understanding of the mechanism of enzyme action The lesson has been specifically planned to tie in with related topics that were previously covered such as protein structure and globular proteins. This prior knowledge is tested through a series of exam-style questions along with current understanding and mark schemes are included in the PowerPoint so that students can assess their answers. Students will learn that enzymes are large globular proteins which contain an active site that consists of a small number of amino acids. Emil Fischer’s lock and key hypothesis is introduced to enable students to recognise that their specificity is the result of an active site that is complementary in shape to a single type of substrate. Time is taken to discuss key details such as the control of the shape of the active site by the tertiary structure of the protein. The induced-fit model is described so students can understand how the enzyme-susbtrate complex is stabilised and then students are challenged to order the sequence of events in an enzyme-controlled reaction. The lesson finishes with a focus on ATP synthase and DNA polymerase so that students are aware of these important intracellular enzymes when learning about the details of respiration and DNA replication before they are challenged on their knowledge of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins from topics 1.2 - 1.4 as they have to recognise some extracellular digestive enzymes.

This lesson describes the light-dependent stage, focusing on photoactivation of chlorophyll, photolysis of water and the production of ATP and reduced NADP. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the details of point 13.1 (f) of the CIE A-level Biology specification and also describes cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation The light-dependent stage of photosynthesis is a process which students can find difficult to understand in the necessary detail so this lesson has been planned to walk them through all of the key details. Time is taken to describe the roles of the major protein complexes that are embedded in the thylakoid membrane and this includes the two photosystems, the cytochrome proton pump and ATP synthase. A series of exam-style questions have been written that link to other biological topics in this course such as eukaryotic cell structures and membrane transport as well as application questions to challenge them to apply their understanding. Some of these resources have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work and to be pushed at the same time. Students will learn that there are two pathways that the electron can take from PSI and at the completion of the two tasks which describe each of these pathways, they will understand how ATP is generated in non-cyclic and cyclic photophosphorylation. The final task of the lesson asks them to compare these two forms of photophosphorylation to check that they understand when photolysis is involved and reduced NADP is formed. Due to the detail included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take up to 3 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to complete.

This fully-resourced lesson describes how enzyme and substrate concentration can affect the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are the 4th in a series of 5 lessons which cover the detail of point 1.4.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. Transcription and translation are also introduced and therefore this lesson could be used in preparation for the detailed lessons in topic 4.2. The first part of the lesson describes how an increase in substrate concentration will affect the rate of reaction when a fixed concentration of enzyme is used. Time is taken to introduce limiting factors and students will be challenged to identify substrate concentration as the limiting factor before the maximum rate is achieved and then they are given discussion time to identify the possible factors after this point. A series of exam-style questions are used throughout the lesson and the mark schemes are displayed to allow the students to assess their understanding and for any misconceptions to be immediately addressed. Moving forwards, the students have to use their knowledge of substrate concentration to construct a graph to represent the relationship between enzyme concentration and rate of reaction and they have to explain the different sections of the graph and identify the limiting factors. The final section of the lesson describes how the availability of enzymes is controlled in living organisms. Students will recognise that this availability is the result of enzyme synthesis and enzyme degradation and a number of prior knowledge checks challenge students on their knowledge of proteins as covered in topic 1.4.1 Please note that this lesson explains the Biology behind the effect of concentration on enzyme-controlled reactions and not the methodology involved in carrying out such an investigation as this is covered in a core practical lesson.

This lesson describes and explains how temperature affects enzyme activity. The PowerPoint and the accompanying resource are part of the 1st lesson in a series of 3 which cover the content detailed in point 1.5 (iv) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and this lesson has been specifically planned to tie in with the previous lesson covering 1.5 (i, ii & iii) where the structure, properties and mechanism of action of enzymes were introduced. The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise optimum as a key term from its 6 synonyms that are shown on the board. Time is taken to ensure that the students understand that the optimum temperature is the temperature at which the most enzyme-product complexes are produced per second and therefore the temperature at which the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction works at its maximum. The optimum temperatures of DNA polymerase in humans and in a thermophilic bacteria and RUBISCO in a tomato plant are used to demonstrate how different enzymes have different optimum temperatures and the roles of the latter two in the PCR and photosynthesis are briefly described to prepare students for these lessons in topics 7 and 5. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson focuses on enzyme activity at temperatures below the optimum and at temperatures above the optimum. Students will understand that increasing the temperature increases the kinetic energy of the enzyme and substrate molecules, and this increases the likelihood of successful collisions and the production of enzyme-substrate and enzyme-product complexes. When considering the effect of increasing the temperature above the optimum, continual references are made to the previous lesson and the control of the shape of the active site by the tertiary structure. Students will be able to describe how the hydrogen and ionic bonds in the tertiary structure are broken by the vibrations associated with higher temperatures and are challenged to complete the graph to show how the rate of reaction decreases to 0 when the enzyme has denatured. Please note that this lesson has been designed specifically to explain the relationship between the change in temperature and the rate of enzyme activity in a reaction and not the practical skills that would be covered in a core practical lesson

This lesson has been designed to cover the content set out in specification point 7.1 (The endocrine system) of topic 7 of the Edexcel GCSE Biology & Combined Science courses. A wide range of activities have been written into the lesson with the aim of engaging and motivating the students whilst ensuring that the content is covered in detail. These activities include a number of quiz competitions which will challenge the students to identify an endocrine organ when presented with three organs as well as introducing them to the names of some of the hormones released by the pituitary gland. The following content is covered in this lesson: Hormones as chemicals which have a slow but long lasting effect on target organs The location of the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands in the human body The location of the pancreas, ovaries and testes in the human body The hormones which are secreted by the endocrine glands The effects of the hormones on their target organs This lesson has been written for GCSE-aged students who are studying on the Edexcel courses but it is suitable for younger students who are looking at the different organ systems

This lesson has been designed to cover the content as detailed in points 7.9 & 7.10 (The importance of homeostasis) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification. Consisting of a detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets, the range of activities will motivate the students whilst ensuring that the content is covered in detail. Students will learn how a constant internal environment is maintained by homeostasis before being introduced to some of the factors which are regulated by these systems. Time is taken to look into osmoregulation and thermoregulation in more detail, so that students can explain that maintenance of the body temperature at the set-point allows enzymes to function at their maximum rate. Progress checks are included throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding of the content and any misconceptions can be addressed whilst quiz competitions, like SAY WHAT YOU SEE and YOU DO THE MATH, are used to introduce new terms and important values in a fun and memorable way. This lesson has been written for GCSE-aged students who are studying the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification but can be used with older students who need to recall the idea of homeostasis before taking it to greater depths in their studies.

This lesson has been designed to cover the higher tier content of specification point 5.3.4 (Hormones in human reproduction) which is found in topic 5 of the AQA GCSE Biology & Combined Science specifications. A wide range of activities will engage and motivate the students whilst the content is covered in detail and understanding checks are included at regular points to enable the students to self-assess their new found knowledge. The following Biology is covered in this lesson: Reproductive hormones in the development of secondary sexual characteristics The role of testosterone as the main male reproductive hormone The role of oestrogen and progesterone in the repair and maintenance of the uterus lining The role of FSH and LH in the maturation of an egg and ovulation The interaction of these four hormones in the control of the menstrual cycle The final part of the lesson involves a number of questions where the students are challenged to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar situations This lesson has been designed for GCSE-aged students who are taking the AQA GCSE Biology or Combined Science course but it is also suitable for younger students who are looking into this topic as part of the reproduction module

This resource contains an engaging PowerPoint and an accompanying worksheet which together cover the content of specification point 5.3.7 (Negative feedback) as found on the AQA GCSE Biology & Combined Science higher tier specifications. Over the course of the lesson, students will learn about the effects of the release of adrenaline and thyroxine and will understand how the latter is controlled by negative feedback. Due to the obvious connection to the previously learned endocrine system topic, regular opportunities are taken to check on this prior knowledge and these work well with the understanding checks which allow the students to assess their progress. Quiz competitions which include SAY WHAT YOU SEE and FROM NUMBERS 2 LETTERS are used to introduce key terms and abbreviations in a fun and memorable way, whilst the key details of the content is always at the forefront of the design of the lesson. This lesson has been written for students studying the higher tier of the AQA GCSE Biology or Combined Science courses but it is also suitable for use with A-level students who need to recall the key details of these two hormones

The engaging Powerpoint and accompanying worksheet which come as part of this lesson resource have been designed to cover specification point 5.2.4 (Control of body temperature) as detailed in the AQA GCSE Biology specification. A wide range of activities which include Biology and Maths tasks and quiz competitions are interspersed with understanding and prior knowledge checks so that students are engaged and motivated whilst learning the key content in a memorable way and checking their progress. Students will learn that the body temperature is maintained at 37 degrees celsuis by a homeostatic control system called thermoregulation and will be challenged to recall the topic of enzymes to explain why this is so important. Time is taken to look at the responses brought about the effectors such as vasodilation and shivering and students will recognise how these lead a decrease or increase in body temperature back to the set point. Links are also made between the Sciences so that there is a deeper understanding of exactly why sweating cools the body down. This lesson has been designed for students studying the AQA GCSE Biology course but is suitable for older students who are studying Biology at A-level and need to recall the key details of thermoregulation.

This fully-resourced lesson has been designed to cover specification points 2.2 (a and b) about chromosomes and their role in mitosis as detailed in topic 2.2 (Cell division and stem cells) of the WJEC GCSE Biology specification. The wide range of activities will engage and motivate the students whilst ensuring that the content is covered in detail. In order for a deep understanding to be achieved, the other stages of the cell cycle (interphase and cytokinesis) are discussed so that students can recognise how th events that happen before and after this form of cell division results in genetically identical cells. A selection of summary questions will challenge the students on their understanding and ability to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar situations with questions about organisms other than humans. The lesson finishes by looking at the functions of mitosis in living organisms. This lesson has been designed for GCSE-aged students studying the WJEC GCSE Biology course but is also suitable for older students who are learning about mitosis and the cell cycle at A-level and need to go back over the key points

This engaging and detailed resource, which contains a PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets, has been designed to cover the content of point 2.5 (e) of the WJEC GCSE Biology specification that states that students should know the structure and functions of the following 9 parts of the eye: sclera cornea pupil iris lens choroid retina blind spot optic nerve The lesson was designed to include a wide range of activities to engage and motivate the students so that the knowledge is more likely to stick. These activities include Have you got an EYE for the IMPOSSIBLE, as shown in the cover image, where students have to pick out the 8 structures of the human eye from the list and avoid the IMPOSSIBLE answer. There is also a particular focus on the light-sensitive cells in the retina, the pupil reflex and the change in the shape of the lens to accommodate near and distant objects. This lesson has been designed for students studying the WJEC GCSE Biology course but is suitable for both older and younger students who may be studying the eye.

This is a detailed lesson resource that covers the content of point 5.1.3 (a) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply their understanding of the roles of mammalian sensory receptors. There is a particular focus on the Pacinian corpuscle to demonstrate how these receptors act as transducers by converting one form of energy into electrical energy which is then conducted as an electrical impulse along the sensory neurone. The lesson begins by looking at the different types of stimuli that can be detected. This leads into a written task where students have to form sentences to detail how thermoreceptors, rods and cones, hair cells in the inner ear and vibration receptors in the cochlea convert different forms of energy into electrical energy. Students will be introduced to the term transducer and will be challenged to work out what these cells carry out by using their sentences. As stated above, students will meet a Pacinian corpuscle and learn that this receptors detects pressure changes in the skin using the concentric rings of connective tissue in its structure. The rest of the lesson focuses on how ions are involved in the maintenance of resting potential and then depolarisation. Time is taken to look into the key details of these two processes so students are confident with this topic when met again during a lesson on the generation of action potentials. All of the tasks are differentiated to allow students of different abilities to access the work. As well as understanding checks to allow the students to assess their progress against the current topic, there are also a number of prior knowledge checks on topics like inorganic ions and methods of movement. This lesson has been designed for students studying the OCR A-level Biology course