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 bundle of 4 revision lessons covers the content in topics 5 - 8 of the AQA A-level Biology specification that are commonly taught during year 13 (A2) of the two-year course.
Each of the lessons has been designed to include a range of exam questions, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions that will motivate the students whilst they evaluate their understanding of the different sub-topics.
Helpful hints are given throughout the lesson to aid the students in structuring their answers and the mathematical elements of the course are constantly challenged as well.
The 4 topics covered by this bundle are:
Topic 5: Energy transfers in and between organisms
Topic 6: Organisms respond to changes in their environment
Topic 7: Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
Topic 8: The control of gene expression
This highly detailed and engaging lesson which explains how a nerve impulse (action potential) is conducted along an axon). The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 8.3 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification which states that students should be able to describe how the changes in the membrane permeability to sodium and potassium ions results in conduction. This topic is commonly assessed in the terminal exams so a lot of time has been taken to design this resource to include a wide range of activities that motivate the students whilst ensuring that the content is covered in the depth of detail that will allow them to have a real understanding. Interspersed within the activities are understanding checks and prior knowledge checks to enable the students to not only assess their progress against the current topic but also to challenge themselves on the links to earlier topics such as methods of movements across cell membranes and saltatory conduction. There are also a number of quiz competitions which are used to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way and discussion points to encourage the students to consider why a particular process or mechanism occurs.
Over the course of the lesson, the students will learn and discover how the movement of ions across the membrane causes the membrane potential to change. They will see how the resting potential is maintained through the use of the sodium/potassium pump and potassium ion leakage. There is a real focus on depolarisation to allow students to understand how generator potentials can combine and if the resulting depolarisation then exceeds the threshold potential, a full depolarisation will occur. At this point in the lesson students will discover how the all or nothing response explains that action potentials have the same magnitude and that instead a stronger stimulus is linked to an increase in the frequency of the transmission. The rest of the lesson challenges the students to apply their knowledge to explain how repolarisation and hyperpolarisation result and to suggest advantages of the refractory period for nerve cells.
This bundle of 3 fully-resourced lessons have been designed to engage and motivate the students whilst they assess their understanding of the content in topics 5, 6 and 8 of the OCR GCSE Physics specification which will be tested in PAPER 2. The detailed PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include exam-style questions with clearly explained answers, differentiated tasks and quick quiz rounds to bring in a competitive edge.
The topics covered are:
Topic 5: Waves in matter
Topic 6: Radioactivity
Topic 8: Global challenges
Due to the high mathematical content of this specification, the PowerPoints contain step-by-step guides to carrying out calculations.
If you want to sample the quality of the lessons, download the topic 8 revision lesson which has been shared for free
This revision lesson has been designed to challenge the students on their use of a range of mathematical skills that could be assessed on the six OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science papers. The mathematical element of the GCSE Combined Science course has increased significantly since the specification change and therefore success in those questions which involve the use of maths can prove to be the difference between one grade and another or possibly even more.
The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities that include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes and explanations so that students can assess their progress. Other activities include differentiated tasks, class discussion points and quick quiz competitions such as “It doesn’t HURT to CONVERT”, “YOU DO THE MATH” and “FILL THE VOID”.
The following mathematical skills (in a scientific context) are covered in this lesson:
The use of Avogadro’s constant
Rearranging the formula of an equation
Calculating the amount in moles using mass and relative formula mass
Calculating the relative formula mass for formulae with brackets
Using the Periodic Table to calculate the number of sub-atomic particles in atoms
Changes to electrons in ions
Balancing chemical symbol equations
Empirical formula
Converting between units
Calculating concentration in grams per dm cubed and volumes of solutions
Calculating size using the magnification equation
Using the mean to estimate the population of a sessile species
Calculating percentages to prove the importance of biodiversity
Calculating percentage change
The BMI equation
Calculating the acceleration from a velocity-time graph
Recalling and applying the Physics equations
Understanding prefixes that determine size
Leaving answers to significant figures and using standard form
Helpful hints and step-by-step guides are used throughout the lesson to support the students and some of the worksheets are differentiated two ways to provide extra assistance.
Due to the detail of this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 hours of GCSE teaching time to cover the tasks and for this reason it can be used over a number of lessons as well as during different times of the year for revision
The following specification points in topic 18.1 of the CIE A-level Biology specification are covered by these three lessons:
[a] Define the terms species, ecosystem and niche
[b] Explain that biodiversity is considered at three levels
[c] Explain the importance of random sampling in determining the biodiversity of an area
[d] Use suitable methods to assess the distribution and abundance of organisms in a local area
[e] Use Spearman’s rank correlation
[f] Use Simpson’s index of diversity
The lessons are detailed, engaging and contain exam-style questions with mark schemes embedded in the PowerPoint to allow the students to apply and assess their understanding
This bundle of 2 lessons covers all of the content in the sub-topic C3.2 (Energetics) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Distinguish between endothermic and exothermic reactions
Draw and label a reaction profile for both reactions
Explain activation energy
Calculate energy changes in a chemical reaction by considering bond making and bond breaking energies
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 3 lessons covers all of the content in Topic C1f (Ionic bonding) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification. The topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
Understand how ions are formed
Know the charges the group atoms and charged molecules
Write formulae for ionic compounds
Draw dot and cross diagrams for ionic compounds
Understand ionic bonding in terms of electrostatic attraction
Understand why giant ionic lattices have high melting and boiling points
Know which type of ionic compounds can conduct electricity and which cannot
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle contains 4 detailed and engaging lessons that cover the content in topic 2.3 of the CIE International A-level Biology course. Due to the importance of proteins and water in living organisms, this mini-topic is fundamental to the whole course and planning has taken account of this with extra time given to key details that must be understood.
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include discussion points, current understanding and prior knowledge checks and quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered in this bundle:
The structure of an amino acid and the formation and breakage of a peptide bond
The meanings of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure
The types of bonding that hold protein molecules in shape
The molecular structure of haemoglobin as an example of a globular protein
Collagen as an example of a fibrous protein
The relationship between the properties of water and its roles in living organisms
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the haemoglobin and collagen lesson as this has been shared for free
The wide range of tasks that are found within the 3 lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contained in this bundle have been designed to cover the detailed specification content of topic 1.3 of the AQA A-level Biology course. The exam-style questions, differentiated tasks, discussion periods and quick quiz competitions introduce the following points:
The composition of a triglyceride and the formation by condensation reactions
The R group of a fatty acid may be saturated or unsaturated
The phosphate-containing group in a phospholipid
The relationship between the structure and properties of triglycerides and phospholipids
The emulsion test for lipids
The emulsion test lesson also contains a section where the students understanding of the previous two lessons is challenged
This extensive revision lesson challenges students on their knowledge and understanding of the content of topics 5 - 8 of the AQA A-level specification. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain a selection of tasks which challenge the following points:
Directional, stabilising and disruptive selection
Saltatory conduction and other factors affecting conductance speed
The structure of a motor neurone
Sensory receptors, depolarisation and initiation of an action potential
Hardy-Weinberg principle
Genetic terminology
Codominance and sex-linkage
Autosomal linkage
Chi-squared test
Phosphorylation
The stages of aerobic respiration
Explaining lower ATP yields in anaerobic respiration
Skeletal muscle contraction
Structure and function of slow and fast twitch muscle fibres
The control of heart rate
Electrophoresis and genetic fingerprinting
The secondary messenger model
The students are tested through a variety of tasks including exam questions, understanding checks, and quiz rounds to maintain engagement. Due to the mathematical content in all A-level exams, there is also a focus on these skills. The answers to all questions are embedded into the PowerPoint so students can use this resource outside of the classroom.
The delivery of the whole lesson will likely need at least 2 or 3 hours of contact time so this resource could be used with students in the final weeks building up to their paper 2 exam, or alternatively with students before their mocks on these topics.
A detailed and engaging lesson presentation (74 slides) which consists of a series of exam questions, quick tasks and competitions to enable the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within Module 2. All of the exam questions have displayed mark schemes with explanations so that students can recognise errors and misconceptions and address them. Students will thoroughly enjoy the numerous competitions which include "Name the 007 bonds" and "Biology catchphrase".
An engaging lesson presentation (70 slides) which covers a range of communicable diseases which are caused by each of the four pathogens and discusses how the spread of these diseases can be prevented. The lesson begins by challenging the students to make the link between communicable diseases and pathogens and ensures that they are comfortable with protoctists as this is a pathogen that a lot of them will not have met or at least known the name for. Moving forwards, a focus is given to each pathogen, looking at why they are so effective at causing disease and also looks at examples of diseases that they cause. A range of quiz competitions are used to introduce key terms and maintain engagement. The remainder of the lesson focuses on how the spread of these communicable diseases can be prevented and attempts are made to link to other topics such as contraception. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals so that students can constantly assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be immediately addressed.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but can be used with both younger and older students.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the functions of each of the organelles in these cells. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and therefore this lesson also describes how all living organisms are made of cells and that these cells are organised into tissues, organs and organ system in multicellular organisms.
As cells are the building blocks of living organisms, it makes sense that they would be heavily involved in all of the 8 topics in the Edexcel course and intricate planning has ensured that links to previously covered topics as well as upcoming ones are made throughout the lesson. The cell theory is introduced at the start of the lesson and the first 2 principles are explained. Students will see how epithelial cells are grouped together to form different types of epithelium in the respiratory tract and their prior knowledge of gas exchange at the alveoli from topic 2 is tested with a series of questions.
The rest of the lesson uses a wide range of activities, that include exam-style questions, class discussion points and quick quiz competitions, to maintain motivation and engagement whilst describing the relationship between the structure and function of the following organelles:
nucleus
nucleolus
centrioles
ribosomes
rough endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus
lysosomes
smooth endoplasmic reticulum
mitochondria
cell surface membrane
All of the worksheets have been differentiated to support students of differing abilities whilst maintaining challenge
Due to the detail that is included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to go through all of the tasks
This highly detailed and engaging lesson presentation (143 slides) acts as an excellent revision tool for students who are approaching their 1st OCR Gateway A GCSE Chemistry paper which includes the topics found in modules C1 - C3. This lesson uses a range of exam questions with explained answers, quick tasks and quiz competitions (such as UNLOCK the SAFE) to encourage the students to assess their understanding of the specification content and ultimately recognise any areas which will need further attention before the exam.
The topics that are covered in this revision lesson include:
Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
Atomic structure
Using the Periodic Table
Mole calculations
Balancing symbol equations
Conservation of mass
Pure and impure substances
Chromatography
Calculating energy changes in reactions
Reaction profiles
Endothermic and exothermic reactions
The detail in this presentation means that it is likely to be spread over a number of lessons and small chunks can be used at a time when revision needs to be specific.
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within Topic C2 (Inorganic chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification which has its’ first assessment in 2019.
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Group 1 (alkali metals)
Group 7 (halogens)
Gases in the atmosphere
Reactivity series
Extraction and uses of metals
Acids, alkalis and titrations
Chemical tests
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment. The detail of this lesson means that it could be used over a number of lessons at school so that each topic is covered in sufficient depth.
This bundle of 4 lessons covers the majority of the content in the sub-topic B5.2 (Natural selection and evolution) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
Developments in biological classification systems
Explain how evolution occurs through natural selection
Describe the evidence for evolution
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 3 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic C7 (Organic Chemistry) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Hydrocarbons (alkanes)
Fractional distillation of crude oil
Cracking hydrocarbons
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
Each of the 4 lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to cover the content as detailed in topic 4.3 (Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or meiosis) of the AQA A-Level Biology specification. The specification points that are covered within these lessons include:
Base deletions and base substitutions as examples of gene mutations
The degenerate nature of the genetic code
Mutagenic agents increase the rate of mutation
Chromosome mutations arise spontaneously during meiosis
Meiosis produces genetically different daughter cells
Crossing over and independent segregation as events that contribute to genetic variation
The lessons have been written to include a wide range of activities and numerous understanding and prior knowledge checks so students can assess their progress against the current topic as well as be challenged to make links to other topics within this topic and earlier topics
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the gene mutations lesson which is free
This bundle of 4 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic B4 (Natural selection and genetic modification) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
The theory of evolution by natural selection
Resistant bacteria as evidence for natural selection
Classification
Selective breeding and the impact
The main stages of genetic engineering
The risks of genetic engineering
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 5 revision lessons covers 5 of the 12 Biology topics that are found on the CIE IGCSE Combined Science specification for examination in June and November 2020 and 2021. Each of the lessons has been designed to include exam questions, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions that challenge the students on their recall of the content and their ability to apply knowledge. Students will be engaged and motivated by the range of activities whilst recognising those areas that need further attention.
The following topics are included in this bundle:
Topic B2: Cells
Topic B3: Biological molecules
Topic B4: Enzymes
Topic B6: Animal nutrition
Topic B8: Gas exchange and respiration
If you like these lessons, please look at my revision lessons for the Chemistry and Physics topics of the Combined Science specification as well as the IGCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics