This fully-resourced lesson describes how vaccinations are used to control disease and how immunity can be natural, artifical, active and passive. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 6.7 (v) & (vi) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and there is also a description and discussion on the development of herd immunity. The previous lesson finished with a series of exam questions where students observed differences between the primary and secondary immune responses so the start of this lesson uses an imaginary game of TOP TRUMPS to challenge them on the depth of their understanding. This will act to remind them that a larger concentration of antibodies is produced in a quicker time in the secondary response. The importance of antibodies and the production of memory cells for the development of immunity is emphasised and this will be continually referenced as the lesson progresses. The students will learn that this response of the body to a pathogen that has entered the body through natural processes is natural active immunity. Moving forwards, time is taken to look at vaccinations as an example of artificial active immunity. Another series of questions focusing on the MMR vaccine will challenge the students to explain how the deliberate exposure to antigenic material activates the immune response and leads to the retention of memory cells. A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the variety of forms that the antigenic material can take along with examples of diseases that are vaccinated against using these methods. The eradication of smallpox is used to describe the concept of herd immunity and the students are given time to consider the scientific questions and concerns that arise when the use of this pathway is a possible option for a government. The remainder of the lesson looks at the different forms of passive immunity and describes the drawbacks in terms of the need for a full response if a pathogen is re-encountered.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the structure and general properties of slow and fast skeletal muscle fibres. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources are the second in a series of 2 lessons that cover the content detailed in point 6.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and due to the obvious links, this lesson also challenges the students on their knowledge of respiration, cell structures and biological molecules like glycogen and haemoglobin The following structure and properties are covered over the course of this lesson: Reliance on the aerobic or anaerobic pathways to generate ATP Resistance to fatigue mitochondrial density capillary density myoglobin content (and colour) fibre diameter phosphocreatine content glycogen content A wide variety of tasks are used to cover this content and include knowledge recall and application of knowledge exam-style questions with fully-displayed mark schemes as well as quick quiz competitions to maintain motivation and engagement. This lesson has been specifically planned to tie in with the previous lesson in topic 6.3, titled “Contraction of skeletal muscles”, and this lesson has been uploaded for free

This fully-resourced lesson describes the structure of the human retina and explains how the rhodopsin in rod cells allows vision in low light intensity. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 9.7 (i), (ii) & (iii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification but also makes links to previously covered topics such as cell structure and nervous transmission. It is likely that students will be aware that the human retina contains rod and cone cells, so this lesson builds on that knowledge and adds the detail needed at this level. Students will discover that the optical pigment in rod cells is rhodopsin and that the bleaching of this into retinal and opsin results in a cascade of events that allows an action potential to be initiated along the optic nerve. Time is taken to go through the events that occur in the dark and then the students are challenged to use this as a guide when explaining how the events differ in the light. Key terms like depolarisation and hyperpolarisation, that were met in topic 9.5, are used to explain the changes in membrane potential and the resulting effect on the connection with the bipolar and ganglion cells is then described. Cone cells are also introduced, with the main focus being their distribution in the centre of the fovea which is used to explain colour vision in bright light.

This fully-resourced lesson looks at the use of electrocardiograms to aid the diagnosis of abnormal heart rhythms. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 7.12 (iii) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but also can be used as a revision lesson as the students are challenged on their prior knowledge of the cardiac cycle and heart structure as covered in topic 1. The lesson has been written to take place in an imaginary cardiology ward where the students are initially challenged on their knowledge of the symptoms and risk factors of CVD before looking at testing through the use of ECGs and diagnosis. The main focus of the lesson is the ECG and a quiz competition is used to introduce the reference points of P, QRS and T before time is taken to explain their representation with reference to the cardiac cycle. Moving forwards, a SPOT the DIFFERENCE task is used to challenge the students to recognise differences between sinus rhythm and some abnormal rhythms including tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Bradycardia is used as a symptom of sinus node disfunction and the students are encouraged to discuss this symptom along with some others to try to diagnose this health problem. This lesson has been designed to tie in with the lesson that covers the previous specification point on the normal electrical activity of the heart and the myogenic nature of cardiac muscle

This lesson describes the structure and functions of the sensory, relay and motor neurones. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 8.1 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but also considers the organisation of the nervous system into the central and peripheral nervous systems and therefore also covers point 8.10. 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 time is taken to distinguish between them based on their structural features. The importance of the myelin sheath for the sensory and motor neurones is briefly discussed and students are introduced to key terminology such as saltatory conduction and Schwann cells so they are prepared for the upcoming lesson covering specification point 8.5. The final task involves a comparison between the three neurones to check that the students have understood the structures and functions of the neurones. Throughout the lesson, the organisation of the nervous system is discussed and students are provided with additional knowledge such as the differences between somatic and autonomic motor neurones.

This lesson describes how the nervous system detects stimuli, focusing on the detection of light by the rods in the the retina of mammals. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover the content of specification point 8.8 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and includes descriptions of the roles of rhodopsin, opsin, retinal, sodium ions, cation channels and hyperpolarisation in the formation of action potentials in the optic neurones. The lesson begins by using a quiz to get the students to recognise the range of stimuli which can be detected by receptors. This leads into a task where the students have to form 4 sentences to detail the stimuli which are detected by certain receptors and the energy conversion that happen as a result. Students will be introduced to the idea of a transducer and learn that receptors always convert to electrical energy which is the generator potential. It is likely that students will be aware that the human retina contains rod and cone cells, so the next part of the lesson builds on that knowledge and adds the detail needed at this level. Students will discover that the optical pigment in rod cells is rhodopsin and that the bleaching of this into retinal and opsin results in a cascade of events that allows an action potential to be initiated along the optic nerve. Time is taken to go through the events that occur in the dark and then the students are challenged to use this as a guide when explaining how the events differ in the light. Key terms like depolarisation and hyperpolarisation, that were met earlier in topic 8, are used to explain the changes in membrane potential and the resulting effect on the connection with the bipolar and ganglion cells is then described. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the Pacinian corpuscle and describes how this responds to pressure on the skin, resulting in the opening of the sodium channels and the flow of sodium ions into the neurone to cause depolarisation

This fully-resourced lesson describes the major routes that pathogens take when entering the body and the body’s barriers to this infection. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 6.7 (i) & (ii) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and includes descriptions of the following barriers: skin the blood clotting process mucous membranes stomach acid vaginal acid and flora skin and gut flora wax in the ear canal There are clear links to topics 1, 2 and 3 in each of these barriers, so these are considered and discussed during each of 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 protein structure, key terminology and the epithelium that lines the different parts of the airways. All of the exam-style questions have mark schemes that are embedded into the PowerPoint and a number of the tasks have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work.

This is a highly engaging and detailed lesson which looks at the physiological and behavioural responses involved in temperature control in endotherms and therefore covers specification point 5.1.1 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. A wide range of activities have been written into the PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets so that students remain motivated throughout and take a genuine interest in the content. Understanding checks allow the students to assess their progress whilst the prior knowledge checks on topics such as enzymes and denaturation demonstrate the importance of being able to make connections and links between topics from across the specification. In addition to these checks, quiz competitions like HAVE an EFFECT which is shown in the cover image are used to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way. The lesson begins by introducing the key term, endotherm, and challenging students to use their prior knowledge and understanding of terminology to suggest what this reveals about an organism. Moving forwards, students will learn how the heat generated by metabolic reactions is used as a source of internal heat. The main part of the lesson focuses on thermoregulation in humans (mammals) and time is taken to focus on the key components, namely the sensory receptors, the thermoregulatory centre in the hypothalamus and the responses brought about by the skin. The important details of why the transfer of heat energy between the body and the environment actually leads to a decrease in temperature are explored and discussed at length to ensure understanding is complete. Students are challenged to write a detailed description of how the body detects and responds to a fall in body temperature and this task is differentiated for those students who need some extra assistance. The peripheral thermoreceptors are introduced and this leads into the final section of the lesson that considers behavioural responses in humans and other animals. This lesson has been designed for A-level students studying the OCR A-level Biology A course

This lesson describes how an interaction of muscles, tendons, the skeleton and ligaments is needed for movement of the human body. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 7.9 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and also includes descriptions of antagonistic muscle pairs, extensors and flexors. At the start of the lesson, the prep room skeleton is used as the example to show that bones without muscles are bones that are unable to move (unaided). Moving forwards, the students will learn that skeletal muscles are attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibres known as tendons and as they covered the relationship between the structure and function of collagen in topic 2, a task is used that challenges their recall of these details. This will allow them to recognise that the ability of this fibrous protein to withstand tension is important for the transmission of the force from the muscle to pull on the moveable bone. A series of quick quiz competitions introduce the key terms of flexion and antagonistic and then an exam-style question challenges them to recognise the structures involved in extension at the elbow. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the role of ligaments and one final example of extension at the knee joint will demonstrate how the interaction of all of the structures met over the course of the lesson is needed for movement

This lesson describes how muscles, tendons, the skeleton and ligaments interact to enable movement. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 7.1 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and also includes descriptions of antagonistic muscle pairs, extensors and flexors. At the start of the lesson, the prep room skeleton is used as the example to show that bones without muscles are bones that are unable to move (unaided). Moving forwards, the students will learn that skeletal muscles are attached to bones by bundles of collagen fibres known as tendons and as they covered the relationship between the structure and function of collagen in topic 2, a task is used that challenges their recall of these details. This will allow them to recognise that the ability of this fibrous protein to withstand tension is important for the transmission of the force from the muscle to pull on the moveable bone. A series of quick quiz competitions introduce the key terms of flexion and antagonistic and then an exam-style question challenges them to recognise the structures involved in extension at the elbow. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the role of ligaments and one final example of extension at the knee joint will demonstrate how the interaction of all of the structures met over the course of the lesson is needed for movement

This fully-resourced lesson describes the main stages of mitosis and explains the significance of this type of nuclear division in life cycles. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.1.6 (c & e) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and make direct links to the previous lesson which covered the cell cycle Depending upon the exam board taken at GCSE, 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 lesson describes how the recent use of similarities in biological molecules and other genetic evidence has led to new classification systems. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 4.2.2 [c] (i) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and focuses on the introduction of the three-domain system following Carl Woese’s detailed study of the ribosomal RNA gene. The lesson begins with an introduction of Woese and goes on to describe how he is most famous for his definition of the Archaea as a new domain of life. Students were introduced to domains and the other classification taxa in a previous lesson, so their recall of this knowledge is continually tested and built upon as details are added. Students will discover the key differences between Archaea and Bacteria that led to the splitting of the prokaryotae kingdom and the addition of this higher classification rank. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson considers other molecules that can be compared between species for classification purposes and the primary structure of cytochrome is described and discussed. At this point in the lesson, the students are also tested on their knowledge of the nature of the genetic code and have to explain how mutations to DNA can also be used for comparative purposes.

This lesson describes how Fick’s law of diffusion is governed by the three main properties of gas exchange surfaces in living organisms. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover points 2.1 (i & ii) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and there is a particular focus on the relationship between the size of an organism or structure and its surface to volume ratio. Adolf Fick is briefly introduced at the start of the lesson and the students will learn that his law of diffusion governs the diffusion of a gas across a membrane and is dependent on three properties. The students are likely to know that surface area is one of these properties but although they may have been introduced to the surface area to volume ratio at iGCSE, their understanding of its relevance tends to be mixed. Therefore, real life examples are included throughout the lesson that emphasise the importance of this ratio in order to increase the relevance. A lot of students worry about the maths calculations that are associated with this topic so a step by step guide is included at the start of the lesson to walk them through the calculation of the surface area, the volume and then the ratio. Through worked examples and understanding checks, SA/V ratios are calculated for cubes of increasing side length and living organisms of different size. These comparative values will enable the students to conclude that the larger the organism or structure, the lower the surface area to volume ratio. A differentiated task is then used to challenge the students to explain the relationship between the ratio and the metabolic demands of an organism and this leads into the next part of the lesson, where the adaptations of a human to increase the ratio at the gas exchange surface is covered. The students will calculate the SA/V ratio of a human alveolus (using the surface area and volume formulae for a sphere) and will see the significant increase that results from the folding of the membranes. The remainder of the lesson introduces concentration difference and thickness of membrane as the other two properties in Fick’s law of diffusion and students are reminded that the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient and a reduction in the diffusion distance are critical for this transport mechanism. This lesson has been specifically planned to prepare students for the next lesson which describes how the structure of the mammalian lung is adapted for rapid gas exchange (specification point 2.1 [iii])

This lesson describes the principles of in situ conservation and considers the benefits as well as the issues that surround this method. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the first lesson in a series of 2 which have been designed to cover the content of point 3.3 (iii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification. Hours of research have gone into the planning of this lesson to source interesting examples to increase the relevance of the biological content, and these include the Lizard National Nature Reserve in Cornwall, the Lake Télé Community reserve in the Republic of Congo and the marine conservation zone in the waters surrounding Tristan da Cunha. Students will learn how this form of active management conserves habitats and species in their natural environment, with the aim of minimising human impact whilst maintaining biodiversity. The main issues surrounding this method are discussed, including the fact that the impact of this conservation may not be significant if the population has lost much of its genetic diversity and that despite the management, the conditions that caused the species to become endangered may still be present. A number of quick quiz competitions are interspersed throughout the lesson to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way and one of these challenges them to use their knowledge of famous scientists to reveal the surname, Fossey. Dian Fossey was an American conservationist and her years of study of the mountain gorillas is briefly discussed along with the final issue that wildlife reserves can draw poachers and tourists to the area, potentially disturbing the natural habitat.

This lesson describes the ethical and economic reasons for the maintenance of biodiversity. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets are filled with real-life biological examples and have been designed to cover point 3.3 (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification. Many hours of research have gone into the planning of the lesson so that interesting examples are included to increase the relevance of the multitude of reasons to maintain biodiversity. These include the gray wolves and beavers of Yellowstone National Park and the Za boabab in the Madagascar rainforests as examples of keystone species. Students will learn that these species have a disproportionate effect on their environment relative to their abundance and exam-style questions and guided discussion periods are used to challenge them to explain their effect on other species in the habitat. The latest A-level Biology exams have a heavy mathematical content and this is reflected in this lesson as students are challenged to complete a range of calculations to manipulate data to support their biological-based answers. All of the exam questions that are included throughout the lesson have mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress. Moving fowards, the economic ans aesthetic reasons to maintain biodiversity are considered, and there is a focus on the soil depletion that occurs when a continuous monoculture is used. The 1 Billion tree scheme that began in New Zealand in 2018 is introduced and the reasons that some groups of people are objecting to what they consider to be a pine monoculture are discussed. Students will recognise that the clear felling of the trees dramatically changes the landscape and that the increased runoff that results can have catastrophic affects for both aquatic life and for humans with floods. A number of quiz competitions are included in the lesson to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way and some of the worksheets have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work