This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C7 (Rates of reaction and energy changes) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include: Explain the effects on rates of reaction of changes in temperature, concentration and pressure Be able to define a catalyst and explain how this reduces the activation energy Describe an endothermic and exothermic reactions Calculate the energy change in a reaction Draw reaction profiles for endothermic and exothermic reactions, identifying activation energy Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams

This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content found within topic 5 (Waves in matter) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Physics specification. The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include: Recall and apply the equation to calculate wave speed using frequency and wavelength Describe wave motion in terms of amplitude, frequency, wavelength and period Define wavelength and frequency and be able to describe and apply the relationship between these and the wave velocity Describe differences between transverse and longitudinal waves Describe reflection and transmission of waves at material interface Understand how waves are used in ultrasound and SONAR Be able to describe how a ripple tank can be used to measure the speed of a wave The electromagnetic spectrum Use ray diagrams to show refraction This revision lesson has been designed to include the wide variety of mathematical skills that are tested in the Physics exam papers including rearranging formula, converting to S.I. units and calculating using standard form. Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams

This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content found within Module 5.2.1 (Photosynthesis) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include: The interrelationship between photosynthesis and respiration The structure of a chloroplast The importance of photosynthetic pigments in photosynthesis The light dependent stage of photosynthesis The fixation of carbon dioxide and the light independent stage of photosynthesis Factors affecting photosynthesis Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds such as “Can you DEPEND on your knowledge” and “Photosynthesising the SAFE way” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual A-level terminal exams

This is an engaging revision lesson which uses a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content within topic 8 (Fuels and Earth Science) of the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification. The specification points that are covered in this revision lesson include: Recall that hydrocarbons are compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen only Describe and explain the separation of crude oil into simpler, more useful mixtures by the process of fractional distillation Recall the names and uses of the fractions Explain how hydrocarbons in different fractions differ from each other Describe the complete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels as a reaction Explain why the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons can produce carbon and carbon monoxide Explain how carbon monoxide behaves as a toxic gas Explain how impurities in some hydrocarbon fuels result in the production of sulfur dioxide Explain some problems associated with acid rain caused when sulfur dioxide dissolves in rain water Explain why, when fuels are burned in engines, oxygen and nitrogen can react together at high temperatures to produce oxides of nitrogen, which are pollutants Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using hydrogen, rather than petrol, as a fuel in cars Explain how cracking involves the breaking down of larger, saturated hydrocarbon molecules (alkanes) into smaller, more useful ones, some of which are unsaturated (alkenes) The students will thoroughly enjoy the range of activities, which includes a quiz competition called “POLLUTE THE AIR…WITH THE ANSWER” where they have to compete to be the 1st to recognise a pollutant gas from a series of clues whilst crucially being able to recognise the areas of this topic which need their further attention. This lesson can be used as revision resource at the end of the topic or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams

This is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson which challenges the students on their knowledge of the content in TOPIC B5 (Genetics) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification. The lesson uses an engaging PowerPoint (63 slides) and accompanying worksheets to motivate students whilst they assess their understanding of this topic. A range of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions are used to test the following sub-topics: Recognising and using genetic terminology in context Constructing genetic diagrams to calculate offspring percentages for diseases caused by dominant and recessive alleles The sex chromosomes and sex determination Meiosis and the formation of haploid daughter cells The structure of DNA Extracting DNA from a fruit Genetic and environmental variation Mutations and their effect on the phenotype The mathematical element of the course is also tested throughout the lesson and students are given helpful hints on exam techniques and how to structure answers. This resource is suitable for use at the end of topic B3 or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams.

This fully-resourced lesson describes how the release of ADH from the pituitary gland controls mammalian plasma concentration. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the detail included in point 9.9 (iv) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and also includes details of the roles of the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus. The principles of homeostasis and negative feedback were covered in an earlier lesson in topic 9, so this lesson acts to build on that knowledge and challenges them to apply their knowledge. A wide range of activities have been included in the lesson to maintain motivation and engagement whilst the understanding and prior knowledge checks will allow the students to assess their progress as well as challenge themselves to make links to other Biology topics. The lesson begins with a discussion about how the percentage of water in urine can and will change depending on the blood water potential. Students will quickly be introduced to osmoregulation and they will learn that the osmoreceptors and the osmoregulatory centre are found in the hypothalamus. A considerable amount of time is taken to study the cell signalling between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary gland by looking at the specialised neurones (neurosecretory cells). Links are made to the topics of neurones, nerve impulses and synapses and the students are challenged to recall the cell body, axon and vesicles. The main section of the lesson forms a detailed description of the body’s detection and response to a low blood water potential. The students are guided through this section as they are given 2 or 3 options for each stage and they have to use their knowledge to select the correct statement. The final task asks the students to write a detailed description for the opposite stimulus and this task is differentiated so those who need extra assistance can still access the work.

This lesson describes how the immune system uses molecules on the surface of a cell to identify it, focusing on the identification of pathogens by their antigens. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources which are differentiated are part of the 1st lesson in the series of 7 that cover the content detailed in topic 2.4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. As this is the first lesson in topic 2.4, it has been specifically planned to introduce a number of key concepts which include phagocytosis, T and B cells, antibodies and memory cells so that students are prepared for upcoming lessons. The lesson begins by challenging the students to use their knowledge of cells to recall the common internal components of a cell before they are informed that all cells also have molecules on their outer membrane. Students will recognise that these molecules are used by the immune system for identification before a quick quiz competition reveals that this allows toxins, abnormal body cells and pathogens to be identified. Moving forwards, the next part of the lesson focuses on the antigens that are found on the outside of a pathogen and links are made to upcoming lesson topics which include: phagocytosis following the identification of a pathogen antigen-presentation by macrophages and dendritic cells production of antibodies which are specific to the antigens the use of antigens in a vaccination program The final task challenges the students to describe and explain how antigen variability will affect disease and disease prevention and this task has been differentiated two ways to allow students of differing abilities to be challenged and supported.

This fully-resourced lesson describes how the functional differences of the retinal rod and cone cells is related to their structures. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the 2nd in a series of 2 lessons that have been designed to cover the details included in point 6.1.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. However, as explained at the start of the lesson, it has been specifically planned to be taught after the lessons in topic 6.3, so that students are aware and understand the meaning of terms such as depolarisation and hyperpolarisation. 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. Over the course of the lesson, students will learn that these cells contain different optical pigments and that this feature along with their differing connectivity to the bipolar neurones means that they have different sensitivities to light, colour perception and visual acuity. Exam-style questions are interspersed throughout to check on current understanding and also make links to previously covered topics. For example, students are challenged to recognise a description of the mitochondria so they can discover that this cell structure is found in the inner segment where it is responsible for generating the ATP needed to pump sodium ions out of the cells. As detailed above, this lesson ties in closely with topic 6.3 and students will be expected to make links to synapses and to the changes in membrane potential that occur when sodium ions move in or out of a cell

This lesson describes the evidence that led to the three-domain model of classification as an alternative to the five-kingdom model. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 3.1 (vii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and focuses on Carl Woese’s detailed study of the ribosomal RNA gene and the need for this evidence to be validated by the scientific community 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 lesson at the start of this topic, 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 and will understand that it wasn’t until 13 years after the discovery that it was adopted. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson describes how molecular phylogeny uses other molecules that can be compared between species for classification purposes. One of these is a protein called cytochrome which is involved in respiration and can be compared in terms of primary structure to determine relationships. At this point in the lesson, the students are also tested on their knowledge of the nature of the genetic code (as covered in topic 1) and have to explain how mutations to DNA can also be used for comparative purposes.

This lesson explains the need for specialised exchange surfaces and uses examples to describe the features of an efficient exchange surface. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover points 3.1.1 (a & b) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and also have been specifically planned to prepare the students for the upcoming lessons in module 3 on gas exchange and mass transport in animals. The students are likely to have been introduced to the surface area to volume ratio at GCSE, but 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 this 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 that walks 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 a single-celled and multicellular organisms and this leads into the next part of the lesson, where the adaptations of large organisms to increase this ratio at the exchange surfaces are 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. In addition to the ratio, time is taken to discuss and describe how the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient and a thin membrane are important for the rate of diffusion and again biological examples are used in humans and other organisms to increase the understanding. Fick’s law of diffusion is also introduced as a mechanism to help the students to recall that surface area, concentration difference and thickness of membrane govern the rate of simple diffusion. As well as making links to upcoming topics, prior knowledge checks are used to challenge the students on their knowledge of previously-covered modules which include inorganic ions, organelles, cell membrane transport and tissues.

This lesson describes the uses and implications of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. The lesson PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover point 2.17 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but there are regular checks of their knowledge of the content of topic 2, where topics including monohybrid inheritance and cystic fibrosis are tested. The lesson begins by challenging them to use this prior knowledge of topic 2 to identify the letters in the abbreviations PGD and CVS. The involvement of IVF to obtain the embryos (or oocytes) is then discussed and a series of exam-style questions are used to get them to understand how this method screens embryos prior to implantation, so that those identified as having genetic diseases or being carriers are not inserted into the female’s uterus. Mark schemes for all of the questions included in this lesson are embedded into the PowerPoint so students can constantly assess their progress. Moving forwards, Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is used as an example of a chromosomal abnormality that can be tested for using CVS or amniocentesis. Time is taken to describe the key details of both of these procedures so students have a clear understanding of the implications and the invasiveness to the female being tested. The link between amniocentesis and an increased risk of miscarriage is considered and the results of a 2006 study are used to challenge them on their data skills.

This lesson evaluates the methods used by zoos and seed banks in the conservation of endangered species. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover point 4.16 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification but as this is potentially the last lesson in this topic, lots of questions and activities have been included that will challenge the students on their knowledge of topic 4 (Biodiversity and Natural Resources). Hours of research went into the planning of this lesson to source interesting examples to increase the relevance of the biological content and although the main focus of the lesson is the two ex situ conservation methods, the lesson begins with a consideration of the importance of the in situ methods that are used in 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. To enrich their understanding of ex situ conservation, the well-known examples of ZSL London zoo, Kew Gardens and the Millennium Seed Bank Project in Wakehurst are used. Students will understand how conserving animal species outside of their natural habitat allows for human intervention that ensures the animals are fed and given medical assistance when needed as well as reproductive assistance to increase the likelihood of the successful breeding of endangered species. An emphasis is placed on the desire to reintroduce the species into the wild and the example of some initial successes with the mountain chicken frog in Dominica and Montserrat is discussed. As stated in the specification point, these methods must be evaluated and therefore the issues are also considered and there is a focus on the susceptibility of captive populations to diseases as a result of their limited genetic diversity. The final part of the lesson considers how seed banks can be used to ensure that plant species, which may contain the molecules for medicine development, avoid extinction, and how the plants can be bred asexually to increase plant populations quickly. Due to the extensiveness of this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2/3 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to cover the tasks and content included in the lesson and as explained above, it can also be used as revision of topic 4 content

This lesson explains that autosomal linkage results from the presence of alleles on the same chromosome and uses biological examples to demonstrate this concept. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover point 8.2 (iv) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and supports students in the formation of their descriptions of how these results of these crosses can be explained by the events of meiosis (crossing over) This is a difficult topic which can be poorly understood by students so extra time was taken during the planning to split the concept into small chunks. There is a clear focus on using the number of parent phenotypes and recombinants in the offspring as a way to determine linkage and suggest how the loci of the two genes compare. Important links to other topics such as crossing over in meiosis are made to enable students to understand how the random formation of the point of contact (chiasma) determines whether new phenotypes will be seen in the offspring or not. Linkage is an important cause of variation and the difference between observed and expected results and this is emphasised on a number of occasions and a link to the chi squared test which is covered in an upcoming lesson is also made. The main task of the lesson act as understanding check where students are challenged to analyse the results of genetic crosses involving the inheritance of the ABO blood group gene and the nail-patella syndrome gene n humans and also the inheritance of body colour and wing length in Drosophila.

This lesson explains the difference between non-infectious and infectious diseases and names the pathogens that cause examples of the latter. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover points 10.1 (a & b) of the CIE A-level Biology specification but as this is the first lesson in topic 10, links to upcoming topics such as the immune response and vaccinations are introduced. The lesson begins with a challenge where the students have to use descriptions to recognise CHD, HIV and TB as diseases that are commonly referred to by their abbreviations. This leads into a description of the meaning of disease before the students are challenged to use any prior knowledge of this topic to recognise that CHD is an examples of a non-infectious disease whereas HIV and TB are examples of infectious diseases. Specification point 10.1 (a) states that students should know about sickle cell anaemia and lung cancer so the next section of the lesson focuses on the key details of these diseases and when considering the former, their knowledge of gene mutations, protein synthesis and haemoglobin is tested. viruses - HIV/AIDS, influenza, measles, smallpox bacteria - TB, cholera, protoctista - malaria The infectious diseases shown above are covered by the remainder of this lesson and the differing mechanisms of action of these three types of pathogens are discussed and considered throughout. For example, time is taken to describe how HIV uses a glycoprotein to attach to T helper cells whilst toxins released by bacteria damage the host tissue and the Plasmodium parasite is transmitted from one host to another by a vector to cause malaria. The accompanying worksheets contain a range of exam-style questions, including a mathematical calculation, and mark schemes are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to immediately assess their understanding.

A fully resourced revision lesson which uses a range of exam questions (with explained answers), quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within module 6.1.2 (Patterns of inheritance) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. The topics tested within this lesson include: Genetic variation Monogenic inheritance Dihybrid inheritance Multiple alleles Sex linkage Codominance Epistasis Using the chi-squared test Discontinuous and continuous variation The Hardy Weinberg principle Student will enjoy the range of tasks and quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise any areas which require further attention