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 10 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B1 (Cell Biology) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Cells
Microscopy
Cell differentiation and specialisation
Chromosomes and mitosis
Stem cells
Diffusion
Osmosis
Active transport
Exchange surfaces
Exchanging substances
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.
As the first topic to be taught at the start at the second year of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) course, topic 5 is very important and the content includes the key reaction of photosynthesis. All 10 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been filled with a wide variety of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points:
Understand the terms ecosystem, community, population and habitat
The numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors
The concept of niche
The stages of succession from colonisation to climax community
The overall reaction of photosynthesis
The phosphorylation of ADP and the hydrolysis of ATP
The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis
The products of the Calvin cycle
The structure of the chloroplasts and the role of this organelle in photosynthesis
Be able to calculate net primary productivity
Know the relationship between NPP, GPP and R
The effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity
Isolation reduces gene flow and leads to allopatric and sympatric speciation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the light-independent reactions and isolation and speciation lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This bundle contains 12 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources, and all of them have been planned at length to cover the GCSE content of topic 5 of the AQA GCSE Biology specification, whilst engaging and motivating the students with a wide range of tasks. These tasks include exam-style questions with answers included in the PowerPoint, guided discussion points and quick quiz rounds which are used to introduce key terms and values in a fun and memorable way whilst instilling some competition
The following Homeostasis and response specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
Homeostasis*
Structure and function of the human nervous system
The brain
The eye
Control of body temperature
Human endocrine system
Control of blood glucose concentration
Maintaining water and nitrogen balance in the body*
Hormones in human reproduction
Contraception*
The use of hormones to treat infertility
Negative feedback
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle, then download the lessons indicated with an asterisk as they have been uploaded for free
This bundle of 8 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B2 (Organisation) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Enzymes
Enzyme reactions
The Heart
The Blood vessels
The Blood
Cardiovascular disease
Health and disease
Risk factors for non-communicable diseases
Transport in plants through the xylem and phloem
Transpiration (and stomata)
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.
The locus and linkage, meiosis, differential gene expression and protein transport within cells lessons have been uploaded for free and by downloading these, you will be able to observe the detail of planning that has gone into all of the lessons that are included in this bundle. This intricate planning ensures that the students are engaged and motivated whilst the detailed content of topic 3 (Cell structure, Reproduction and Development) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification is covered.
The 12 lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which cover the following topic 3 specification points:
All living organisms are made of cells
Cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, organs and organ systems
The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells
The function of the organelles in eukaryotic animal cells
The role of the RER and Golgi apparatus in protein transport within cells
The ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells
Magnification and resolution in light and electron microscopes
The gene locus is the location of a gene on a chromosome
The linkage of genes on a chromosome
The role of meiosis in ensuring genetic variation
Understand how the mammalian gametes are specialised for their functions
The role of mitosis and the cell cycle in growth and asexual reproduction
The meaning of the terms stem cell, pluripotent, totipotent, morula and blastocyst
The decisions that have to be made about the use of stem cells in medical therapies
Cells become specialised through differential gene expression
One gene can give rise to more than one protein through post-transcriptional changes to mRNA
Phenotype is the interaction between genotype and the environment
Some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles or by polygenic inheritance
Due to the detail included in all of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 6 weeks of allocated A-level teaching time to complete the teaching of the bundle
This bundle of 7 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B1 (Key concepts in Biology) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Animal cells
Plant cells
Bacterial cells
Specialised cells
Changes in microscopic technology
Number, size and scale
The relationship between quantitative units
Enzyme properties and action
Enzyme activity
Osmosis
Active transport
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 11 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B3 (Organism level systems) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
The nervous system
Hormones and the endocrine system
Adrenaline
Negative feedback loops
Thyroid gland and thyroxine
The menstrual cycle
Contraception
Using hormones to treat infertility
Homeostasis
Controlling blood glucose
Diabetes
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.
All of the 9 lessons that are included in this bundle are highly detailed and are fully-resourced. The lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying worksheets contain a wide range of tasks that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points as set out in topic 4 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification:
The structure and ultrastructure of plant cells
The function of the organelles in plant cells
The structure and function of starch and cellulose
The similarities and differences between the structures, position and functions of sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem
Understand that classification is a means of organising the variety of life based on relationships between organisms
New taxonomic groupings
The meaning of the terms biodiversity and endemism
Know how biodiversity can be measured within a habitat and within a species
Comparing biodiversity between habitats using the index of diversity
The adaptations of organisms to their environment
Use of the Hardy-Weinberg equation
Changes in allele frequency are the result of mutation and natural selection
Evaluate the methods used by zoos and seed banks in the conservation of endangered species and their genetic diversity
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle then download the cellulose & starch and modern-day classification lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This lesson bundle contains 11 detailed lesson PowerPoints, which along with their accompanying resources, have been intricately planned to cover the majority of the content of topics 5 and 6 of the CIE A-level Biology specification. The cell cycle, mitosis and protein synthesis are topics that students tend to find difficult and therefore the planning focused on the inclusion of a wide range of tasks that would not only promote the retention of important information and secure knowledge but also maintain motivation and engagement.
The tasks include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes which challenge the students on their current understanding and prior knowledge, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions which introduce key terms and values.
The following specification points are covered by these 11 lessons:
Topic 5
The structure of a chromosome, limited to DNA, histone proteins, chromatids, centromere and telomere
The importance of mitosis in producing genetically identical cells, growth, cell replacement, repair of tissues and asexual reproduction
The cell cycle, including theh G and S phases of interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis
The behaviour of chromosomes in animal and plant cells in the mitotic cell cycle
Topic 6
The structure of nucleotides, including ATP
The structure of DNA and RNA
The semi-conservative replication of DNA during interphase
A polypeptide is coded for by a gene
Gene mutations can cause changes to the polypeptide sequence
The information in DNA is used during transcription and translation to construct polypeptides
Each of the 10 lessons included in this bundle have been written to specifically cover the content as detailed in topic 8 of the AQA A-level Biology specification (The control of gene expression). The wide range of activities will maintain engagement whilst supporting the explanations of the biological knowledge to allow the students to build a deep understanding of this potentially difficult topic!
Lessons which cover the following specification points are included in this bundle:
Gene mutations and their effect on the structure of proteins
Most of a cell’s DNA is not translated
Totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent and unipotent stem cells
Regulation of transcription by transcription factors
The role of oestrogen in initiating transcription
Epigenetic control of gene expression in eukaryotes
Inhibition of transcription by increased DNA methylation or decreased acetylation of histones
Translation of mRNA can be inhibited by RNA interference
Determining the genome of simpler organisms to determine the proteome and its applications
The development of DNA sequencing methods
The production of DNA fragments through use of enzymes or a gene machine
The role of the PCR to amplify DNA fragments
The transfer of DNA into a host cell
VNTRs
The technique of genetic fingerprinting to analyse DNA fragments
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the producing DNA fragments and DNA methylation and acetylation lessons as these have been uploaded for free
The biological molecules sub-module is incredibly important, not just because it is found near to the start of the course, but also because of its detailed content which must be well understood to promote success with most of the other OCR A-level Biology A modules. Many hours of intricate planning have gone into the design of all of the 13 lessons that are included in this bundle to ensure that the content is covered in detail, understanding is constantly checked and misconceptions addressed and that engagement is high. This is achieved through the wide variety of tasks in the PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets which include exam-style questions with clear answers, discussion points, differentiated tasks and quick quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons within this bundle:
The relationship between the properties of water and its roles for living organisms
The concept of monomers and polymers and the importance of condensation and hydrolysis reactions
The chemical elements that make up biological molecules
The ring structure and properties of glucose and structure of ribose
The synthesis and breakdown of a disaccharide and a polysaccharide
The relationship between the structures, properties and functions of starch, glycogen and cellulose
The structure of a triglyceride and a phospholipid as macromolecules
The synthesis and breakdown of triglycerides
The relationship between the properties and functions of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol
The general structure of an amino acid
The synthesis and breakdown of dipeptides and polypeptides
The levels of protein structure
The structure and function of globular proteins
The properties and functions of fibrous proteins
The key inorganic ions that are involved in biological processes
How to carry out and interpret the results of the chemical tests for proteins, reducing and non-reducing sugars, starch and lipids
Due to the detail of each of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 6 weeks of allocated teaching time to cover the content.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the properties of water, glucose & ribose, amino acids and dipeptides and polypeptides lessons as these have been shared for free
This bundle of 9 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic B9 (Ecosystems and material cycles) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Levels of organisation in an ecosystem
Biotic and abiotic factors
Interdependence
Types of ecological relationships
Sampling techniques
Efficiency of biomass transfer
Human impacts on ecosystems
Maintaining and increasing biodiversity
The carbon cycle
The nitrogen cycle
Decomposition
The rate of decay
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 10 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic B3 (Genetics) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction
Advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction
The role of meiosis
The structure of DNA
Transcription and translation
Understanding and using genetic terminology
Monohybrid inheritance
Sex determination
Sex linkage
The causes of variation
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 lesson bundle contains 16 lessons which have been designed to cover the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification points which focus on the structure of DNA and RNA, their roles in replication and protein synthesis, and genetics and inheritance. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 6 of the course:
2.5 (i): Know the basic structure of mononucleotides (deoxyribose or ribose linked to a phosphate and a base, including thymine, uracil, cytosine, adenine or guanine) and the structures of DNA and RNA (polynucleotides composed of mononucleotides linked through condensation reactions)
2.5 (ii): Know how complementary base pairing and the hydrogen bonding between two complementary strands are involved in the formation of the DNA double helix
2.6 (i): Understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription) including the role of RNA polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and stop codons
2.6 (ii): Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA
2.7: Understand the nature of the genetic code
2.8: Know that a gene is a sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain
2.11 (i): Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase
2.12 (i): Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations
2.12 (ii): Understand how cystic fibrosis results from one of a number of possible gene mutations
2.13 (i): Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, incomplete dominance, homozygote and heterozygote
2.13 (ii): Understand patterns of inheritance, including the interpretation of genetic pedigree diagrams, in the context of monohybrid inheritance
2.14: Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems
2.15 (i): Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
2.15 (ii): Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening
3.8 (i): The loci is a location of genes on a chromosome
3.8 (ii): The linkage of genes on a chromosome and sex linkage
3.12: Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA leading to synthesis of proteins, which in turn control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants, including the lac operon
3.14 (i): Phenotype is an interaction between genotype and the environment
3.15: Understand how some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci (polygenic inheritance) as well as the environment and how this can give rise to phenotypes that show continuous variation
6.4: Know how DNA can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
6.10: Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein through posttranscriptional changes to messenger RNA (mRNA).
This lesson bundle contains 16 lessons which have been designed to cover the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification points which focus on the structure of DNA and RNA, their roles in replication and protein synthesis, and genetics and inheritance. The lesson PowerPoints are highly detailed, and along with their accompanying worksheets, they have been planned at length to contain a wide range of engaging tasks which cover the following A-level Biology content found in topics 2, 3 and 6 of the course:
2.9 (i): Know the basic structure of mononucleotides (deoxyribose or ribose linked to a phosphate and a base, including thymine, uracil, adenine, cytosine or guanine) and the structures of DNA and RNA (polynucleotides composed of mononucleotides linked by condensation reactions to form phosphodiester bonds)
2.9 (ii): Know how complementary base pairing and the hydrogen bonding between two complementary strands are involved in the formation of the DNA double helix
2.10 (i): Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase
2.11: Understand the nature of the genetic code
2.12: Know that a gene is a sequence of bases on a DNA molecule that codes for a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain
2.13 (i): understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription and translation), including the role of RNA polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and stop codons
2.13 (ii): Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA
2.14 (i): Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations (substitution, insertion and deletion of bases)
2.14 (ii): Know that some mutations will give rise to cancer or genetic disorders, but that many mutations will have no observable effect
2.15 (i): Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, codominance, homozygote and heterozygote
2.15 (ii): Understand patterns of inheritance, including the interpretation of genetic pedigree diagrams, in the context of monohybrid inheritance
2.15 (iii): Understand sex linkage on the X chromosome, including red-green colour blindness in humans
2.16: Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems
2.17 (i): Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
2.17 (ii): Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening
3.9 (i): Know that a locus is the location of genes on a chromosome
3.9 (ii): Understand the linkage of genes on a chromosome
3.18: Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA, leading to the synthesis of proteins which, in turn, control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants
3.19: Understand how one gene can give rise to more than one protein through posttranscriptional changes to messenger RNA (mRNA).
3.20 (i): Phenotype is an interaction between genotype and the environment
3.21: Understand how some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci (polygenic inheritance) as well as the environment and how this can give rise to phenotypes that show continuous variation
6.17: Know how DNA can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
It’s fair to say that cell structure and biological molecules are two of the most important topics in the OCR A-level Biology A course and all 19 lessons that are included in this bundle have been planned at length to cover the module 2.1.1 & 2.1.2 specification points in the detail required at this level.
The lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks as well as regular checks to allow students to assess their understanding of the current content as well as prior knowledge checks to emphasise the importance of making links to topics in other modules.
The following specification points in modules 2.1.1 (cell structure) and 2.1.2 (biological molecules) are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
2.1.1
The use of microscopy to observe and investigate different types of cell and cell structure in a range of eukaryotic organisms
The use of the eyepiece graticule and stage micrometer
The use of staining in light microscopy
The use and manipulation of the magnification formula
The difference between magnification and resolution
The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the functions of the different cellular components
The interrelationship between the organelles involved in the production and secretion of proteins
The importance of the cytoskeleton
The similarities and differences between the ultrastructure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
2.1.2
The properties and roles of water in living organisms
The concept of monomers and polymers and the importance of condensation and hydrolysis reactions
The chemical elements that make up biological molecules
The structure and properties of glucose and ribose
The synthesis and breakdown of a disaccharide and a polysaccharide by the formation and breakage of glycosidic bonds
The structure of starch, glycogen and cellulose molecules
The relationship between the structure, function and roles of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol in living organisms
The general structure of an amino acid
The synthesis and breakdown of dipeptides and polypeptides
The levels of protein structure
The structure and function of globular proteins
The properties and functions of fibrous proteins
The key inorganic ions involved in biological processes
The chemical tests for proteins, reducing and non-reducing sugars, starch and lipids
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons included in this bundle, then download the following lessons as they have been uploaded for free:
The use of microscopy
The importance of the cytoskeleton
Properties and roles of water
Glucose & ribose
General structure of an amino acid
Dipeptides, polypeptides and protein structure
This bundle of 15 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic B3 (Organism level systems) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
The nervous system
The eye
Hormones and the endocrine system
Adrenaline
Negative feedback loops
Thyroid gland and thyroxine
The menstrual cycle
Contraception
Using hormones to treat infertility
Plant hormones
Homeostasis
Controlling body temperature
Controlling blood glucose
Diabetes
Inside the kidney
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 13 detailed lesson PowerPoints, which together with their accompanying resources, have been planned to include a wide variety of tasks that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the content of topic 3 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification. The voice of the genome topic content includes key biological concepts such as eukaryotic cells, cell division and genetics and the following specification points are covered by these lessons:
All living organisms are made of cells, sharing common features
The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the role of the organelles
The role of the rER and the Golgi body in protein transport
The relationship between the features of the mammalian gametes and their functions
The loci is the location of a gene on a chromosome
The linkage of genes on a chromosome and sex linkage
The role of meiosis in ensuring genetic variation
The role of mitosis and the cell cycle
The meaning of the terms stem cell, pluripotency and totipotency
The decisions about the use of stem cells in medical therapies
The specialisation of cells through differential gene expression
Understand how the cells of multicellular organisms are organised into tissues, tissues into organs and organs into systems
Phenotype is the interaction between genotype and the environment
Epigenetic changes can modify the activation of certain genes
Some phenotypes are affected by multiple alleles for the same gene at many loci as well as the environment and this gives rise to continuous variation
If you would like to sample the quality of lessons in this bundle, then download the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells, mitosis and the cell cycle and gene expression lessons as these have been uploaded for free
Each of the 20 revision lessons included in this bundle has been designed to motivate and engage the students whilst they are challenged on their knowledge of the content of the OCR A-Level Biology A specification. The detailed PowerPoints contain a wide range of activities which include exam questions with explained answers, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions that are supported by the accompanying worksheets.
The modules covered in this bundle are:
Module 2.1.1: Cell structure
Module 2.1.2: Biological molecules
Module 2.1.3: Nucleotides and nucleic acids
Module 2.1.4: Enzymes
Module 2.1.5: Biological membranes
Module 2.1.6: Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation
Module 3.1.2: Transport in animals
Module 3.1.3: Transport in plants
Module 4.1.1: Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system
Module 4.2.1: Biodiversity
Module 4.2.2: Classification and evolution
Module 5.1.2: Excretion as an example of homeostatic control
Module 5.1.3: Neuronal communication
Module 5.1.4: Hormonal communication
Module 5.1.5: Plant and Animal responses
Module 5.2.1: Photosynthesis
Module 5.2.2: Respiration
Module 6.1.1: Cellular control
Module 6.1.2: Pattens of inheritance
Module 6.1.3: Manipulating genomes
Helpful hints are provided throughout the lessons to help the students with exam technique and in structuring their answers. These lessons are suitable for use throughout the course and can be used for revision purposes at the end of a module or in the lead up to mocks or the actual A LEVEL exams
This bundle of 10 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic B5 (Health, disease and development of medicines) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Health
The difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases
Pathogens
Common infections
The spread of diseases and the prevention
The spread of STIs
Plant defences
Identification of plant diseases
The physical and chemical defences of the human body
The use of antibiotics
Developing new medicines
Monoclonal antibodies
Non-communicable diseases
Treating cardiovascular disease
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.