A questionnaire that can be given to students as part of a homework or research task on the subject of MMR vaccinations. The questions are thought provoking and force students to think about how they would act in the situation of getting their own children vaccinated. This activity works well as a starter activity to ignite debate - particularly when students are tasked with using this questionnaire on members of their own family and reporting the results back to class.

This resource is aimed at GCSE (14-16 year old) biology students and consists of two worksheets. The first worksheet is an introduction to the concept of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems and involves a mix and match task to sort key definitions. The worksheet also has a table to fill in with specific examples of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. The second worksheet consists of eleven questions that are related to an online video that neatly (in the space of 3-4 minutes) introduces the topic of the digestive system. Students watch the video (link to the video is provided on the worksheet) and answer the questions as they go. This is ideal to use as a starter task for a lesson on the digestive system.

A worksheet resource that could be used by either 14-16 or 16-18 year old biology students, this resource provides an 'active video' task on the history of thalidomide with a series of question prompts that students complete while watching the video clip. the video clip can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0QpnqjKGJo The video clip provides an overview of the thalidomide tragedy and how the United States stood their ground in refusing a drug licence while the disaster played out across the rest of the world. This is a good activity to set the scene for any topic on how drugs are developed and the importance of drug testing and clinical trials. Key words: Thalidomide, disaster, focomelia, drugs, clinical trials, pharmaceutical, USA, regulations

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students consisting of a lengthy passage of text on the topic of passive and active transport. The passage requires key words to be added in the appropriate places. Once complete, students have a written record summary of both passive and active transport processes. This is a good activity to complete at the end of this topic and reinforces key words and vocabulary with students. Suggested answers to each missing space are given at the end of this worksheet

This activity sheet is suitable for A-Level Biology and BTEC Level 3 Science students; it is part of my DRAW IT series and contains a list of descriptions that detail how competitive and non-competitive inhibitors work. Students are tasked with reading each description carefully and then illustrating each description; meanwhile, other students in the class can be given the textbook style diagrams and are asked to provide a written commentary. After both sets of students have finished, they can then be paired up and tasked with comparing their written notes/ illustrations and explain the process to each other. Finally, the lesson can be concluded by asking students to verbally describe each step in the process during a question and answer plenary. I first devised DRAW IT tasks as a way of turning fairly dry subject material into something more interactive and student led. DRAW IT tasks can easily change a teacher led session into a much more engaging, enjoyable and competitive classroom activity.

A single powerpoint slide that can be printed A3 size and used as a homework task for A-Level Biology students. Many students do not appreciate the link between their knowledge of biochemistry, photosynthesis and plant growth. This activity will make clear that every biological molecule present in a plant can trace itself to the glucose first produced in photosynthesis and subsequent modification into proteins, lipids and nucleic acids via the addition of further minerals.

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students that reviews the causes, mechanisms and treatment of cholera. Useful as a starter or plenary activity following a lesson on this topic.

A worksheet that displays data for an investigation into the mental arithmetic ability of male and female students. The task is then to analyse the data using 95% confidence limits and standard error statistical test. A useful starter or plenary exercise or this could be adapted into a full investigation in its own right. Key words: Investigation, mental arithmetic, 95% confidence limits, statistics, null hypothesis, standard error, standard deviation, male, female

A quiz that tests students understanding on the first part of the nitrogen cycle, involving nitrogen fixation. There is a series of twenty one questions that require simple responses. This is ideal to use as a lesson starter activity as a check on whether students can remember the detail of what they have been taught and serves to reinforce vocabulary.

A resource aimed at BTEC Level 3 Applied Science students, this worksheet provides a series of research prompts for students to explore the nature of a scientific theory. The context of the theory of evolution is used in this task, with students being required to research the evidence for this theory and some of the competing and discredited ideas that were believed (and still are by some individuals) until the evidence for evolution by natural selection became overwhelming.

An original Christmas science investigation that requires minimal preparation of resources and is ideal for that final lesson before the Christmas holiday/vacation begins! In this investigation, students are asked to stare at an image relating to Christmas. Some examples are provided in the resource (e.g. holly, santa, christmas tree baubles, etc) but you could supplement these with your own if desired. Gradually, light sensitive cones in the retina of the eye become fatigued causing the appearance of a ghostly afterimage in the field of view for a few seconds/minutes afterwards. Quite literally, students will see the apparition of a giant christmas image everywhere they look! The investigation requires students to take it in turns varying the length of time they are exposed to the image and determine the effect this has on the time foor the afterimage to remain. Follow up optional extension questions require students to explain the reason for the colour of the afterimage. The activity would best be delivered to either high ability GCSE biology students or advanced level biology students with some prior discussion on the trichromatic theory of colour vision.

A comprehensive six page worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource deals with all the major aspects of how a nerve impulse originates and is propagated along a neurone. The worksheets include diagrams that show the different open and closed positions of sodium and potassium channels with space for students to show their own positions of the relevant ions (this is with reference to an online animation - weblink included on the worksheet). The worksheet also has a labelling exercise for the classic action potential graph as well as details on saltatory conductance and factors affecting speed of impulse transmission. Key words: nerve, neurone, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period, action potential, resting potential, sodium, potassium, diffusion, ATP, ATPase pump

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource provides two sequencing tasks: one for the events that lead to generation of an action potential and one for the events of synaptic transmission. Both of these topics are frequently examined by most major exam boards and so this is a useful task to reinforce the factual content of these topics with students. Key words: synapse, action potential, nerve, neurone, transmission, vesicle, neurotransmitter, diffusion, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource provides several prompts for students to research and learn about the nature of the nerve impulse and action potential. Extension tasks are also provided along with weblinks to animations and information sources. This is a good activity to set a class as a homework or as an independent learning task prior to teaching of the topic in class. Key words: Nerve, neurone, nerve impulse, action potential, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period, resting potential, propagation, sodium, potassium, influx, efflux, membrane

A comprehensive six page worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource tells the story of how the work of several scientists ultimately led to the discovery and understanding of DNA. The worksheet includes diagrams, images and information relating to classic experiments performed by scientists (including Friedrich Meischer, Fred Griffiths, Oswald Avery, Alfred Hershey, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick.

A complete summary of all three main statistical tests required for AQA Biology: 95% confidence limits and standard error, spearman rank and chi-squared. The worksheet focuses on the basic routine of each test rather than getting bogged down with detailed explanations of the theory behind them. A useful resource to give to students as a summary once statistical tests have been taught. Each summary provides data for students to analyse and practice each test. There is also a quick quiz at the start, whereby students need to select the appropriate statistical test for each investigation. Key words: Statistical tests, 95% confidence limits, standard error, chi-squared, spearman rank, maths, degrees of freedom, critical value, probablity, null hypothesis

This resource consists of two worksheets aimed at advanced biology students or level 3 applied science students. The first worksheet is a simple review of how an electron microscope functions and the key points about magnification, resolution and TEM/SEM (the image is that of a tapeworm head). The second worksheet is a table comparing electron microscopes with light microscopes. Three different web references are given and students are required to use these to complete the table. At the end of the exercise, they should be able to confidently compare and contrast light microscopes with electron microscopes.

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students which provides a neat summary of the key points in the Nitrogen Cycle. The resource covers naming of key compounds (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, ammonium ions), deamination, ammonification, decomposition and denitrification. The resource also has two 'challenge' questions for more able students to apply their knowledge. Key words: Nitrogen cycle, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, deamination, ammonification, decomposition, denitrification

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource contains a number of exercises that require students to make measurements from diagrams and calculate magnification. The exercises also require changing the subject of the magnification formula to work out real size of cells and using a scale bar to calculate magnification. Finally. there are questions about the nature of magnification and resolution and the electron microscope.

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource requires students to calculate the magnification of a mitochondrion by making simple measurements and unit conversions. The final questions are 'challenge questions' that require deeper thought: why mitochondria are required for every cellular activity, the raw materials needed by a mitochondrion and the resolution required to observe mitochondria using a TEM. This worksheet is a useful starter or plenary task to review a previous lesson on these topics.