Sensory, motor & intermediate neurones (CIE)

This lesson describes the structure and function of sensory and motor neurones as well as the role of intermediate neurones. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been planned to cover the content of point (3) of topic 15.1 of the CIE A-level Biology specification (for assessment in 2025 - 27) and also focuses on the organisation of the nervous system to support students with their understanding of upcoming content in this topic.

The PowerPoint has been designed to contain a wide range of activities that are interspersed between understanding and prior knowledge checks that allow the students to assess their progress on the current topics as well as challenge their ability to make links to topics from earlier in the modules. Quiz competitions like SAY WHAT YOU SEE are used to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way.

The students will be able to compare these neurones based on their function but also distinguish between them based on their structural features. Time is taken to introduce the importance of the myelin sheath that is present in both neurones to allow saltatory conduction to occur.