I am a highly qualified and experienced secondary school teacher with a passion for providing an inspirational, high-quality education to students aged 11-18. My resources provide useful visual support for teachers during lessons and activities to aid learning of scientific concepts.
I am a highly qualified and experienced secondary school teacher with a passion for providing an inspirational, high-quality education to students aged 11-18. My resources provide useful visual support for teachers during lessons and activities to aid learning of scientific concepts.
PowerPoint, worksheet and model answer sheet covering OCR Biology A 3.1.1 Exchange surfaces (f) the mechanisms of ventilation and gas exchange in bony fish and insects
PowerPoint, worksheet and model answer sheet covering OCR Biology A 2.1.5 Biological membranes (d) (i) the movement of molecules across membranes - Active Transport
PowerPoint, worksheet and model answer sheet covering OCR Biology A 5.2.1 Photosynthesis (b) the structure of a chloroplast and the sites of the two main stages of photosynthesis
PowerPoint, worksheet and model answer sheet covering OCR Biology A 5.2.2 Respiration (d) the link reaction and its site in the cell (e) the process and site of the Krebs cycle (f) the importance of coenzymes in cellular respiration
This resource introduces the limiting factors and the factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis. Students describe and explain a series of graphs before discussing why greenhouses are used to optimise conditions for photosynthesis.
This resource introduces a series of experiments relating to the reactants and products of photosynthesis. The experiments provide evidence that carbon dioxide, chlorophyll and sunlight are required for photosynthesis to occur, and that oxygen and glucose are produced.
This resources revises the difference between plant and animal cells, introduces the main cell organelles, their structure and function, as well as the main differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
This resource covers the control of blood sugar and what happens if you are unable to produce enough insulin. It includes useful links to animations on blood glucose control and questions for students to answer.
This resource covers pyramids of biomass and calculating the efficiency of biomass transfer. It explains how pyramids of biomass are draw, why biomass decreases at each topic level, and the equation for calculating the efficiency of biomass transfer.
This resource introduces the water cycle, the key terms relating to the water cycle, and how polluted water effects the water cycle. The resource includes activities for the students to complete, for example students describe the journey of a water molecule from a river high in the mountains, through the atmosphere and eventually back to the starting point. The resource also includes an experiment that students could complete to investigating the effect of pollution (acid rain) on seed germination.
This resource introduces standard form, what it is and why it is useful. It includes a useful link to an animation on the topic, and questions with answers to give students practice on writing numbers in standard form.
This resources goes step-by-step through the stages of the cells cycle. It provides useful visual aids for explanations as well as short descriptions about what happens at each stage.
This resource begins with a useful visual to introduce the topic of mutations and initiate discussion on point mutations. Students are then invited to watch two videos (links provided) before researching and answering a series of questions about mutations. I usually allow 20 minutes for the students to answer the questions on the worksheet, before going through the answers as a class (using the PowerPoint slides). If there is time, I then explain how mutations in bacteria enable them to become resistant to antibiotics.
This PowerPoint resource helps students label and use the light microscope. I usually print off the second slide in advance of the lesson to use as a worksheet for students to complete. The worksheet instructs students to label a light microscope using the information available. The PowerPoint resource includes a quick quiz to test student knowledge and instructions on how to use a light microscope.
This resource introduces natural selection and three key examples of rapid changes in species brought about by evolution: bacterial resistance to antibiotics, pesticide resistance in insects, and the peppered moth before, during and after the industrial revolution. I use the first slide to introduce the process of natural selection. I then use an incredibly useful resource, available for download from TES on “sticky dogs”, which I get the class to evaluate. I then introduce the peppered moth example, before getting the students to complete the 6 mark past paper question to time. We go through the mark scheme to this question together before I introduce bacterial resistance and pesticide resistance. The students then complete the tasks set on the final slide.
This lesson introduces students to the science of taxonomy and encourages them to consider why and how we classify living things. The resource includes a fun practical activity that invites students to classify a selection of food items into groups, based on their similarities and differences. Depending on how much time you have available, I then challenge my students to work in groups of five to complete the five kingdoms comparison table on their worksheet. If they finish early, or as a homework activity, I then invite my students to make a set of five top trump cards, one for each of the kingdoms.
The objective of this lesson is to help students understand what is meant by the term ‘balanced diet’ and how energy requirements vary with activity levels, age and pregnancy. This lesson builds upon prior knowledge that a balanced diet should include appropriate proportions of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, vitamins, minerals, water and dietary fibre. Students begin by critiquing BMI as a indication of healthy body mass before considering how and why energy requirements vary from person to person. The lesson encourages students to consider what happens if they don’t get the right amount of the right nutrients, and includes a possible homework activity, to design a TV advert on behalf of the government to encourage young people to eat a balanced diet.
This high quality and easy-to-use resource on ‘gas exchange in other organisms’ is specifically designed for students studying OCR A-Level Biology. It includes information about the mechanisms of ventilation and gas exchange in bony fish and insects.
Students should begin by watching my video tutorial, which is freely available on my YouTube channel: BiologyWithNewhouse - I have included a link to my video tutorial in the activity sheet. Students should then use information from the video tutorial to help them complete the activity sheet. This can be done entirely independently, as a flip-learning exercise, or with teacher support.