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.
A fully-resourced lesson which guides students through using moles to calculate the mass of a substance in a reaction. The lesson includes a detailed lesson presentation (22 slides) and associated worksheets which are used to check the skills and understanding of the students.
The lesson begins by introducing the students to the three steps involved in a calculating mass question. These skills include calculating the relative formula mass and identifying molar ratios in equations to calculate amounts so time is taken to recap on how this is done before students are given the opportunity to try some progress check questions. A worked example brings these three steps together to guide the students to the final answer. The final task involves 4 questions where students are challenged to apply their new-found knowledge.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)
A fully-resourced lesson which explores how ions are formed from atoms. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (33 slides) and an associated worksheet to be used during an understanding check.
The first part of the lesson focuses on atoms and specifically on getting students to recall that they contains the same number of protons and electrons and this is why they have no charge. By ensuring that they are confident with this fact, they will be able to understand why ions have a charge. Students will learn that ions have full outer shells of electrons and this change in the number of this sub-atomic particle leads to the charge. They are shown examples with aluminium and oxygen and then challenged to apply this new-found knowledge to a task where they have to explain how group 1, 2, 5 and 7 atoms become ions. The final part of the lesson looks at how ion knowledge can be assessed in a question as they have to recognise the electron configuration of one and describe how many sub-atomic particles are found in different examples. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used with higher ability KS3 students who are looking to extend their knowledge past basic atomic structure
A fully-resourced lesson which looks at speed and velocity as scalar and vector quantities and then guides students through a range of questions which challenge them to calculate both of these forms of motion. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (44 slides) and differentiated worksheets containing questions.
The lesson begins by introducing the terms magnitude and direction so that students can learn how scalar and vector quantities differ. Students will learn that speed is a scalar quantity and velocity is a vector quantity and then be questioned through a crossroads scenario to understand how speed can stay the same but as soon as an object changes direction, the velocity changes. Moving forwards, the students are given the equation to calculate speed and a few simple questions are worked through before they have to do a series of their own questions to find the average speeds for walking, running and cycling. A pair of more difficult speed questions are then attempted which challenge the students to convert from metres per seconds to miles per hour and to calculate the speed of a bicycle by calculating the distance travelled by the sensor on the wheel. This task is differentiated so that students who need some assistance will still be able to access the work. A quiz competition is then used to introduce students to the range of equations which contain velocity and then having been given them, they have to rearrange the formula to make velocity the subject and apply to some further questions. The final task of the lesson brings all the work together in one final competition where students have to use their new-found knowledge of speed and velocity to get TEAM POINTS. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals to allow the students to check their understanding and any misconceptions to be addressed immediately.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students and links between the other topics on the curriculum but could be used with KS3 students who are finding the topic of speed too simple and are needing a challenge
An informative lesson presentation (20 slides) and associated worksheet that looks at how negative feedback loops act as a final control in homeostatic mechanisms. This is a topic which is poorly understood by students at both GCSE and even A-level, so whilst designing this lesson, the focus was on a few key points and applying it to a range of actual examples. Students will see how a negative feedback loop is used in the control of adrenaline release and temperature regulation and they will also be shown what would happen if this loop didn’t exist. Students are then challenged to apply their knowledge by putting the order of the regulation of metabolic rate into the correct order. The final part of the lesson briefly looks at how positive feedback loops also exist by using the example of the release of oxytocin during birth.
This lesson has primarily been designed for GCSE students but is suitable for A-level Biology students too.
An engaging and detailed lesson presentation (31 slides) that looks at how nitrogen is cycled and focuses on the different bacteria who play key roles in this cycle. The lesson begins by exploring why nitrogen is so critical for living organisms for the synthesis of DNA and proteins. Students are introduced to nitrogen-fixing bacteria to start and challenged to use their knowledge of interdependence to state the type of ecological relationship that is formed between them and the leguminous plant that they live on. Each stage of the cycle is complimented by a diagram highlighting that part so students are able to visualise how the cycle comes together. Time is taken to ensure that students recognise that any non-leguminous plants can only absorb nitrogen when it is nitrates form from the soil. Moving forwards, students will meet decomposers and nitrifying bacteria and again be shown where their function fits into the cycle. As the final part of the learning, students are challenged to consider what else is needed in order for this to be a cycle and will meet the denitrifying bacteria as a result. Progress checks, in a range of forms, have been written into this lesson at regular intervals so that students can assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be immediately addressed.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students, but could be used with A-level students who want to have a recap before extending their knowledge further.
An informative lesson presentation (38 slides) that looks at a range of non-communicable diseases and also explores how risk factors can increase the chances of an individual having one of these diseases. The lesson begins by looking at CHD so that students can recognise that this is a non-communicable disease and check on their understanding of this key term. Moving forwards, a step by step question and answer format is used to show students how to form a long answer. Key terminology such as thrombosis and atherosclerosis are introduced using quick quiz competitions which act to maintain the engagement. The rest of the lesson focuses on a range of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and time is taken to deepen knowledge of the human anatomy by challenging students to link the names of arteries to the organs that they supply. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals so that students can constantly assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be addressed.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)
A short, concise lesson presentation (25 slides) that explores the key evidence that is used to support the Big Bang Theory. This lesson has been written for GCSE students with the focus on the fine details which they need to be able to understand in order to successfully answer exam questions on this topic. The lesson begins with a fun slide which challenges their mathematical skills to work out a number of years and spot that a dingbat represents the Big Bang. This leads students into the key details of the theory and includes when it was believed to have happened. The rest of the lesson focuses on two main pieces of evidence, namely red shift and CMBR. Students are guided through these topics and related topics such as the Doppler effect are revisited. The final part of the lesson uses a quick competition to get students to recognise the names of alternative theories and a set homework challenges them to add details in terms of evidence to support each of steady state and creationism.
An informative lesson that looks at how energy is lost at each stage of a food chain and how this affects the biomass of consumers. This lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used with A-level students who are revisiting this ecology topic.
The lesson begins by posing a question to the students about why herbivores tend to be raised for food rather than carnivores to see how they would tackle it at this early stage. This exact question is revisited at the end of the lesson once learning has occurred so that students can monitor their own progress. Time is taken to look back at pyramids of biomass and food chains so that students are reminded of key terminology such as trophic level and also recognise that the biomass decreases at each level. A number of quick competitions have been written into the lesson to maintain engagement but also to introduce key terms and numbers (like 10%) in a different way. The main part of the lesson looks at how the energy is lost by organisms that leads to the decrease in biomass and links are made to related topics such as respiration and homeostasis.
This bundle of 11 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic P4 (Waves and radioactivity) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Waves and their properties
Wave velocity
Reflection and Refraction
EM waves
Uses of EM waves
Isotopes
Radiation properties
Decay equations
Half-life
Background radiation
Dangers of radioactivity
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 uses the example of the genetic engineering of bacteria to produce insulin to walk students through the steps involved in this process. It has been written for GCSE students and therefore includes the detail required at this level, such as the involvement of restriction enzymes and the sticky ends that their cut produces. The lesson begins by challenging students to recognise that insulin is being described by a series of clues. Some further details of this hormone are recalled to test their previous knowledge of the endocrine system and also to lead into the genetic engineering of bacteria to make this protein. Moving forwards, time is taken to go through the details of plasmids and how they act as vectors as well as the enzymes, restriction and ligase. The main task of the lesson uses a series of descriptions to go through the steps involved in the process. Words or phrases are missing from each description so students have to use the terms they’ve encountered in this lesson as well as their prior knowledge to complete the step. Discussion-provoking questions are added to encourage the students to consider why certain parts of the process occur. The lesson concludes by the consideration of other organisms which have been genetically engineered as well as some of the risks of the process, which students are asked to complete for homework.
As detailed above, this lesson has been designed for GCSE students but could be used with students taking A-level Biology, who are struggling to understand the detail found at this level and need to revisit the foundations.
This fully-resourced lesson explores how the presence of particular alleles at one locus can mask the expression of alleles at a second locus in epistasis. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and associated resources have been designed to cover the part of point 6.1.2 (b[ii]) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of the use of phenotypic ratios to identify epistasis.
This is a topic which students tend to find difficult, and therefore the lesson was written to split the topic into small chunks where examples of dominant, recessive and complimentary epistasis are considered, discussed at length and then explained. Understanding checks, in various forms, are included throughout the lesson so that students can assess their progress and any misconceptions are immediately addressed. There are regular links to related topics such as dihybrid inheritance so that students can meet the challenge of interpreting genotypes as well as recognising the different types of epistasis.
The 5 lesson PowerPoints and multiple accompanying resources that are included in this bundle are highly-detailed and engaging. A wide variety of tasks, which include exam-style questions, differentiated tasks, discussion points and quiz competitions will check on the student understanding of the following specification points in topic 4.4 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification:
The structure of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries
The advantages of a double circulatory system
The sequence of events of the cardiac cycle
The roles of the SAN, AVN and the bundle of His in the myogenic stimulation of the heart
Interpreting ECG traces and pressure changes in the cardiac cycle
The role of platelets and plasma proteins in the sequence of events leading to blood clotting
The heart & blood vessels and the double circulatory system lesson have been uploaded for free so you can sample the quality of this bundle by downloading those
This lesson describes and explains how increasing the concentration of inhibitors affects the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource are the last in a series of 5 lessons which cover the content detailed in point 1.4.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and describes the effect of both competitive and non-competitive inhibitors.
The lesson begins with a made up round of the quiz show POINTLESS called “Biology opposites” and this will get the students to recognise that inhibition is the opposite of stimulation. This introduces inhibitors as substances that reduce the rate of a reaction and students are challenged to use their general knowledge of enzymes to identify that inhibitors prevent the formation of the enzyme-substrate complex. Moving forwards, a quick quiz competition generates the abbreviation EIC (representing enzyme-inhibitor complex) and this introduces competitive inhibitors as substances that occupy the active site. The students are asked to apply their knowledge to a new situation to work out that these inhibitors have a similar shape to the enzyme’s substrate molecule. A series of exam-style questions are used throughout the lesson and at this point, the students are challenged to work out that an increase in the substrate concentration would reduce the effect of a fixed concentration of a reversible competitive inhibitor. The rest of the lesson focuses on non-competitive inhibitors and time is taken to ensure that key details such as the disruption of the tertiary structure is understood and biological examples are used to increase the relevance. Again, students will learn that increasing the concentration of the inhibitor results in a greater inhibition and a reduced rate of reaction but that increasing the substrate concentration cannot reduce the effect as was observed with competitive inhibitors.
As cells are the building blocks of living organisms, and Biology is the study of life, it’s fairly obvious that a clear understanding of cell structure is going to be critical for the success of an A-level student on the OCR A-level Biology A course. The 6 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been intricately planned to contain the detail needed at this level and to make links to topics in the other modules of the specification.
The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points in module 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 resolution and magnification
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 in the structure and ultrastructure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons included in this bundle, then download “The use of microscopy” and “cytoskeleton” lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This lesson introduces the key inorganic ions that are involved in biological processes and includes cations and anions. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 2.1.2 § of the OCR A-level Biology A specification but also makes links to topics in upcoming modules such as respiration, photosynthesis and neuronal communication.
The roles of the following ions are covered in this lesson:
phosphate
nitrate
chloride
hydroxide
hydrogencarbonate
hydrogen
ammonium
sodium
potassium
calcium
Extra time is taken during the lesson to describe how these ions are involved in the transport of carbon dioxide, the conduction of nervous impulses and blood clotting as well as other processes and a number of quiz competitions have been included to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way
This fully-resourced lesson describes the primary non-specific defences against pathogens in animals. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 4.1.1 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and describes the following defences:
skin
key steps of the blood clotting process
release of histamine in the inflammatory response
expulsive reflexes
mucous membranes
There are clear links to topics in modules 2 and 3 in each of these defences so time is taken to consider these during 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, formation of tissue fluid, key terminology and roles of inorganic ions in biological processes.
There is also a section of the lesson which refers to the genetics behind haemophilia and students are challenged to apply knowledge to an unfamiliar situation. This will prepare them for this topic when covered in module 6.1.2
All of the exam-style questions and tasks have mark schemes that are embedded in the PowerPoint and a number of them have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work.
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 is a concise REVISION lesson that contains an engaging powerpoint (28 slides) and is fully-resourced with associated worksheets. The lesson uses a range of activities which include exam questions (with displayed answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to engage students whilst they assess their knowledge of the content that is found within topic P15 (Forces and matter) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The following sub-topics in the specification are covered in this lesson:
Describe the difference between elastic and inelastic distortion
Recall and use the equation for linear elastic distortion including calculating the spring constant
Use the equation to calculate the work done in stretching a spring
Describe the difference between linear and non-linear relationships between force and extension
Investigate the extension and work done when applying forces to a spring
This lesson can be used throughout the duration of the GCSE course, as an end of topic revision lesson or as a lesson in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams
This is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson that consists of an engaging PowerPoint (129 slides) and associated worksheets that challenge the students on their knowledge of topics 4 - 6 (Community-level systems, Interaction between systems and Global challenges) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification and can be assessed on PAPER 2.
A wide range of activities have been written into the lesson to maintain motivation and these tasks include exam questions (with answers), understanding checks, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions.
The lesson has been designed to include as much which of the content from topic 1, but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention:
Identifying bacterial, fungal and viral diseases
The steps in the process of genetic engineering
Evolution by natural selection
The development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
The prevention and reduction of the spread of pathogens
Vaccinations
The risk factors of CHD
Genetic terminology
Predicting the results of single-gene crosses
Sex determination
Ecological terms
The carbon cycle
The mathematic elements of the Combined Science specification are challenged throughout the resource.
Due to the size of this resource, it is likely that it’ll be used over the course of a number of lessons and it is suitable for use as an end of topic revision aid, in the lead up to the mocks or in the lead up to the actual GCSE exams.
Respiration and photosynthesis are two of the most commonly-assessed topics in the terminal A-level exams but are often poorly understood by students. These 14 lessons have been intricately planned to contain a wide range of activities that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the key detail to try to deepen their understanding and includes exam-style questions so they are fully prepared for these assessments.
The following specification points in topics 12 and 13 of the CIE A-level Biology course are covered by these lessons:
The need for energy in living organisms
The features of ATP
The synthesis of ATP by substrate-level phosphorylation in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle
The roles of the coenzymes in respiration
The synthesis of ATP through the electron transport chain in the mitochondria and chloroplasts
The relative energy values of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins as respiratory substrates
Determining the respiratory quotient from equations for respiration
The four stages of aerobic respiration
An outline of glycolysis
When oxygen is available, pyruvate is converted into acetyl CoA in the link reaction
The steps of the Krebs cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation
The relationship between the structure and function of the mitochondrion
Distinguish between aerobic and anaerobic respiration in mammalian tissue and in yeast cells
Anaerobic respiration generates a small yield of ATP and builds up an oxygen debt
The products of the light-dependent stage are used in the Calvin cycle
The structure of a chloroplast and the sites of the light-dependent and light-independent stages of photosynthesis
The light-dependent stage of photosynthesis
The three stages of the Calvin cycle
The conversion of Calvin cycle intermediates to carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids
Explain the term limiting factor in relation to photosynthesis
Explain the effects of changes in light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration and temperature on the rate of photosynthesis
Explain how an understanding of limiting factors is used to increase crop yields in protected environments
Due to the detail of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take up to 2 months of allocated A-level teaching time to cover the detail included in the slides of these lessons
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the roles of the coenzymes, the Krebs cycle and the products of the Calvin cycle lessons as these have been shared for free
