I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
This resources is designed for the OCR Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘B3 - Organism-Level Systems’ scheme of work.
This lesson begins with a recap on the structures and function of the endocrine system, it then moves on to look at the positions of the different glands involved in the endocrine system. Pupils are shown an image of a human body (also can be given as a worksheet) and should discuss in pairs which glands fall into which position on the diagram. After the answers have been revealed, and are then assessed, pupils will now need to discuss the function of each of the glands. From a list of descriptions, pupils should try and match the name of the gland to the hormone it produces, this work can then be self-assessed.
In the next activity pupils are required to draw a table and then in groups/per table they are given a set of cards which they then need to sort into the correct spaces on their table to summarise the main role of the hormones secreted by 5 glands - the pituitary, the thyroid, the pancreas, the ovaries and the testes. This work can then be assessed using the answers provided.
Pupils can then complete a ‘silent 5’ set of questions on the topic they have covered so far, they should try and complete the questions on their own but for lower ability groups they may want to try discuss in pairs before answering.
The final activity is an exam paper question on hormone levels, once completed pupils can use the mark scheme to mark their own work.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This bundle of resources contains 5 whole lessons, along with all additional resources, which meet all learning outcomes within the Year 7 B1 ‘Cells’ Unit.
Lessons include:
Observing Cells Using A Microscope
Plant & Animal Cells
Specialised Cells
Movement of Substances
Unicellular Organisms
The lessons contain a mix of differentiated activities, progress checks, practical investigations and more than two opportunities, per lesson, for self/peer red-pen assessment of tasks
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Combined Science:Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the 'Bioenergetics' SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins by students thinking about the raw materials needed for plants to photosynthesise and which factors might limit the rate. The three factors which students will need to learn about are then revealed - carbon dioxide, light intensity and temperature. Three limiting factor graphs are then shown for each of these factors and students need to have a go at explaining what the graphs are showing, as a class discussion. Pupils will then need to complete a fill-in-the-blank task and self- their assess their work using the answers provided.
Next pupils are shown a green leaf and a variegated leaf and are asked to think>pair>share which leaf they believe will have a higher rate of photosynthesis, and why. This then leads to pupils learning that less chlorophyll means less photosynthesis will take place, which could lead to stunted growth.
The next part of the lesson focuses on pupils being able to use practical equipment to set up an investigation which measure the effect of light intensity on rate of photosynthesis. Pupils will firstly be given some images of equipment they could use and are asked to come up with a potential method for this investigation. After this pupils are then shown a video where they have to answers questions about the variables in this investigation and finally they are given a set of results to plot data and analyse it.
The plenary is a silent 5 task where pupils need to answer questions about what they learnt this lesson on their own in their books.
All resources are included either at the end of the presentation or as a separate file.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology specification, particularly the ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more resources designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins with a video on breathing and the organs of the respiratory system, pupils are provided with a list of questions which they will need to answer using the information in the video. Once the video is finished they can then self-assess their work using the answers provided.
Pupils are then provided with an information on breathing and gas exchange, they are also given a worksheet that they will to complete using the information. For lower ability classes it would be best to read through the information as a class, tag-reading, so that they are more familiar with certain words before starting the worksheet.
Once completed the answers provided on the PowerPoint slide mean pupils can either self-assess or peer-assess their work.
The next task is a mid-plenary, pupils will need to copy and complete the sentences and then mark their work.
The next part of the lesson is on adaptations of alveoli, pupils will copy a table off the board and will each be given a card of information. Either discussing on tables or walking around the room pupils will need to complete their table on the four main features of alveoli which make them efficient gas exchange surfaces.
The final activity is an exam-style question worth 6 marks, pupils can close their books and sit in silence to complete this task. Once finished they should mark their work.
Plenary task is to write a twitter message about what they have learnt this lesson, including #keywords.
All resources are included in the lesson, some are found at the end of the PowerPoint.
Please leave a comment if you have any questions, any feedback would be appreciated :)! Thanks!
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Ecology’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
First of all students are asked to consider why not all of the light that falls onto a plant will be used in photosynthesis. Students can think > pair > share their ideas in their books. Once complete the following slide goes through the possible ways in which light energy can be lost before it used to make new plant biomass. Students will listen and then need to fill in the blanks on a paragraph detailing these processes. Once this task is complete students can self-assess their work.
Students are then shown a simple food chain and asked to think about how biomass could be lost at each stage in the food chain. Pupils can discuss their ideas and create a mind map in their books, why isn’t all of the biomass from trophic level passed on to the next trophic level? The next slide reveals some of these reasons, pupils can check their work against the answers.
Pupils will then be given a worksheet detailing energy loss and energy transfer criteria, students need to use this information to annotate a food chain to show how energy is lost and how much is transferred to the next trophic level. There are a number of ways in which they may do this but there is a sample answer provided to demonstrate how the student could have completed their work.
The last part of the lesson looks at efficiency of energy transfer, pupils will be shown the efficiency calculation and a worked example. Pupils can write the calculation into their books and then use this to answer a set of questions. Once complete pupils can self-assess their work.
The plenary task is for pupils to turn to the back of their books and write three summary sentences on what they have learnt this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Ecology’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins with a think > pair > share task where pupils will need to discuss the definition of ‘competition’. After revealing the definition for competition within the ecology context, pupils will then need to think about the types of resources that plants and animals compete for. They will be given a set of resources, they will need to sort these resources into two columns – those that animals compete for and those that plants compete for. Once this task is complete pupils can self-assess their work using the answers provided on the PowerPoint slide.
In the next activity pupils will need to draw a table in their books and they will watch a video on competition in a variety of organisms. Pupils will fill in their table by identifying the organism and then describing how it competes for the resource/s that it needs.
Pupils will then be asked to think about why animals and plants may want to avoid competition, pupils can discuss with their partner and write their answers in their books. The answers can be revealed using the PowerPoint slide. Pupils can mark and check their work.
The focus of the next part of the lesson is for pupils to consider how plants might avoid competition with other plants, pupils are asked to look at some pictures showing how plants avoid competition and students can discuss in pairs what they think the pictures are demonstrating. The answers to this task can then be revealed and pupils can check their answers, making any corrections where necessary.
The final task is an exam-style question on competition, pupils will answer the question in their books and can then self-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary task is for pupils to summarise what they have learnt in three sentences, trying to use as many key words from the key word list provided.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the B2 1.3 unit on Adaptation & Inheritance.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with a whole-class task for students to carry out, firstly they are asked to organise themselves according eye colour, then gender and then lastly height. After they have completed this task, students will be asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about the way in which they organised themselves for these different categories. How did they differ from on another?
This leads into an introduction to continuous and discontinuous variation. Firstly, students are introduced to the idea of discontinuous variation as being a type of variation which can be categorised into distinct groups - e.g. eye colour/gender. Secondly, students are introduced to the idea of continuous variation as being a characteristic which can take any value within a range, e.g. height.
Students will now be organised into groups and each group will be assigned a characteristic - e.g. handedness, arm length etc. In their groups students will need to complete a survey of the class to collect data from at least 20 people. Once this is complete, students are asked to consider which of the characteristics they have surveyed are examples of continuous variation and which are discontinuous variation. The answers to this task will then be revealed using the answers provided on the PowerPoint presentation.
The next part of the lesson focuses on how students should plot graph displaying either continuous or discontinuous variation - histogram and bar chart, respectively. Now students will need to go back to their groups, using the data collected on their characteristic they surveyed they will now need to produce their own graph.
Lastly, students will need to complete a worksheet which will assess their knowledge of what they have learned this lesson. This work can the be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided once the task is complete.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the B2 1.2 Ecosystem Processes.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This lesson begins with an introduction to food chains, students will need to know the definition of the a producer and consumer. They are firstly asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas of a definition, before the answers are revealed.
Next, students are introduced to the process of photosynthesis, a description of the process is included, as well as a list of the raw materials needed for photosynthesis to occur.
Students will now watch a video on photosynthesis, during which students will need to answer a set of questions. This task can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Next, pupils will complete a progress check on what they have learned so far this lesson. Students will need to complete a set of questions in their books, these are exam-style questions which can be marked and corrected using the mark scheme provided.
Lastly, students will now watch another video on photosynthesis, with a set of questions that pupils need to answer about the theories surrounding photosynthesis over time. The very last activity require students to complete a sentences link-up task, to summarise what students have learned this lesson. This work can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary requires students requires students to either write a twitter message to summarise what they have learned or complete a set of five quiz questions.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 B1.3 Module on ‘Reproduction’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This lesson begins with a recap on pollination, students are asked to complete a ‘fill-in-the-blank’ task which outlines the roles of the male and female reproductive parts of the flower. This work can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Next, students will need to watch a video on fertilisation, during which they will answer a set of questions. Once this task has been completed, students should self-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
Students will now study the structure and function of a seed, the first task is a memory test. Students will have a few minutes to study a diagram of a seed with the labels included, the labels will then be taken away and students will have a few minutes to recreate the diagram - including the correct labels. Students can check their work against the answers provided once this is complete.
Next, students will be asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas on the conditions required for a seed to germinate. Students can firstly discuss their ideas in pairs, then they will need to note their ideas down on a mind map. The answers will then be revealed on the PowerPoint for students to check their work and make corrections.
Lastly, students are given a set of sentences which contain true and false statements about what they have learned so far on pollination and fertilisation. Students will need to mark and correct the work, this task can also be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary requires students to write a twitter message demonstrating what they have learned this lesson, making sure to #keywords.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Cells’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson on the plasma membrane begins with a quick discussion about the function of the cell surface membrane and the phospholipid bilayer. It also asks student to apply their knowledge to skin cells and solar radiation.
This discussion continues by asking students about the cell surface membrane and directs them to a worksheet task to identify cell membrane molecules. Students should watch a short video and make notes on this same worksheet as they listen.
To follow up on this introduction there are a few lecture slides to explain phospholipids, proteins, cholesterol, glycolipids and glycoproteins. Extra notes on each can be found below the slides.
Students will then view an animation of the fluid mosaic model as whole and label a diagram accordingly. They can self-asses to the following slide. Another video is attached to help explain why the model is called a “fluid mosaic” model which students should also summarise on their worksheet.
To synthesise their learning the students will work on a group task to build a 3D model using the “build a membrane” worksheet. When they have finished, they can practise once more through a true/false activity!
The next task is to answer the questions on the cell membrane worksheet, they may self-assess to the mark scheme on the following slide.
Not all cell membranes have the same composition, students should think>pair>share to discuss why this might be. Suggested answers are on the following slide.
The plenary task is a fun anagram challenge to reveal key terms from the lesson, as an extra challenge they can define each term as well!
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Biological Molecules’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson begins with an introduction to lipids, including a description of the structure of lipids as well as the importance and roles of lipids in the human body.
Students are then introduced (or reminded if taking A-level Chemistry) of the full displayed chemical formula and shorthand formula of a fatty acid, the example given is butanoic acid. Students are now shown the displayed chemical formula of glycerol next to the fatty acid formula, and are asked to use their mino whiteboards to show how a condensation reaction could occur between the two molecules.
Once students have had a go, the answers are revealed and students can note down the chemical structure of the triglyceride molecule which results.
Students are now shown the difference between a saturated and unsaturated fatty acid, the next activity involves students reading information posters about saturated fats, unsaturated fats, cholesterol and phospholipids. They will need to use these information posters to complete a worksheet.
Lastly, students will be shown the foot test for lipids and then be given a set of exam questions on this topic. This will then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided. The plenary question requires students to describe the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats.
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This is a lesson designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology 'Scaling up’ scheme of work.
This lesson begins with pupils shown a picture of an amoeba and one of a polar bear, they will need to discuss the difference between the organisms in terms of how they take in oxygen from their environment. Once you have shared a few ideas from the pupils with the class you can show the pupils the difference between the two organisms - amoeba can rely on simple diffusion whereas larger multicellular organisms need specialised exchange surfaces.
Pupils are then shown three examples of exchange surfaces - alveoli, small intestine and leaves of plants - they will need to think about how these structures might be adapted to exchange materials efficiently. You could have a short class discussion to develop these ideas.
Once you have again discussed these factors with the class you can reveal the next slide which outlines the 4 main features of an efficient gas exchange surface.
Pupils will then be given a worksheet and they will need to move around the room reading posters of information about villi and alveoli to complete the worksheet. This should take approximately 20 minutes, once finished pupils can peer-assess their work using the answers provided with the PowerPoint presentation.
The plenary is an Exit Card pupils will complete and pass to you on the way out of the door, this requires pupils to write down 3 key words, one fact and a question to test their peers knowledge of what they have learnt about in the lesson today.
This is a lesson designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology 'Cell-level lsystems’ scheme of work.
Pupils will start by looking at the differences between unicellular and multicellular oganisms and what it means for a cell to be ‘specialised’.
Pupils will then focus on the difference between stem cells in animal and plant cells, they will read a bit of information on this topic and answer questions in their books. Pupils can then peer-assess their work using the answers in the PowerPoint.
In the next task Pupils can either use posters places around the room or they each get given a different card with a different specialised cell and they need to complete a table of information on the structure and function of various specialised cells. These include: palisade cell, white blood cell, nerve cell, red blood cell, ciliated epithelial cell, sperm and egg cell.
The last activity pupils will need to complete a past-paper question to assess their knowledge. Pupils can then self-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
All resources are included, please review with any feedback :)
This bundle of resources contains 5 whole lessons which meet all learning outcomes for the higher tier, separate science modules within the ‘Ecology’ unit for the NEW AQA Biology Specification.
Lessons included:
Rates of decomposition
Global warming & the impact of change
Trophic levels & biomass
Transfers of biomass
Food production
The lessons contain a mix of differentiated activities, progress checks, extra challenge questions and exam questions plus more than one opportunity, per lesson, for self/peer red-pen assessment of tasks.
This resources is designed for the OCR Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘B3 - Organism-Level Systems’ scheme of work.
The lesson begins with an overview of the function of the four main lobes of the brain, pupils will be given cards of information which they need to use to complete a table on these functions.
Pupils will then be introduced to further structures which they are required to know the functions of: medulla, cerebellum, hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. Pupils will need to use posters to complete a worksheet where they label a diagram of the brain and outline the roles of each of these structures. Following this is a card sort where pupils can assess their understanding of what they have just learnt.
The next part of the lesson focuses on how scientists and doctors have gained evidence for the structure and function of the brain. Firstly students will watch a video and answers questions on Phineas Gage, which can be self-assessed once complete. This will then go on to describe the role of electrical brain stimulation and MRI scans in providing knowledge about the brain. This is assessed with a copy and complete summary sentence task and finally the plenary is a 6-mark exam question.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This is a lesson aimed at the new AQA GCSE Biology (2016) - ‘Cells’ SoW.
The lesson begins by identifying examples of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, pupils can begin to think about the structural differences between these two types of cells.
Next, pupils are given a worksheet plus an additional card of information on either the structure or function of a bacteria cell. Pupils will need to walk around the room and trade the information on their card with others to fully complete a labelled diagram of a bacteria cell and descriptions of the functions for each structure.
Once completed pupils can peer or self-assess their work using the information within the PowerPoint slide.
The next activity requires pupils to apply their knowledge of the structure of bacteria (prokaryotic) cells and compare this to the structure of eukaryotic cells, pupils need to construct a list/table in their books to identify the similarities and differences between these two cells. Pupils can then self-assess their work against the list provided in the PowerPoint slide.
The next activity is an assessment activity, pupils will need to complete the past-paper question in their books and again self/peer-assess their work using red pens.
The final activity involves a list of ‘True/False’ statements, to gauge the progress of the class this could be completed by students holding up red/amber/green cards to identify whether they think the statement is true or false.
All resources are included in the PowerPoint presentation, please review to provide me with feedback :). Thank you.
This task is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Bioenergetics’ SoW.
For more resources designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions worth 20 marks in total, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension or revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work against their target grades, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This homework activity is designed for the KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 8 B2.1 Module on ‘Adaptation & Inheritance’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension/revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know @swift_science_education or swift.education.uk@gmail.com, any feedback would be appreciated :)
This homework activity is designed for the KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 B1.3 Module on ‘Reproduction’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension/revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know @swift_science_education or swift.education.uk@gmail.com, any feedback would be appreciated :)
This task is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the 'Infection & Response’ SoW.
For more resources designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This activity is a revision activity for the ‘Infection & Response’ SoW, students can either have a card each and the task can be completed as a card loop activity with the whole class.
Alternatively, students could work in pairs and be given a set of the shuffled cards, they will then need to arrange the cards into the correct sequence so that the sentences make sense (like dominoes tiles). When students carry out this version of the activity I often have a prize for the students who complete the task in the fastest time!
The solution for this activity is included so you can check their answers.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)