An informative lesson presentation (30 slides) that ensures that students know the meaning of the independent, dependent and control variables in an investigation and are able to identify them. Students are challenged to use their definitions to spot the independent and dependent variable from an investigation title. Moving forwards, they are shown how they can use tables and graphs to identify them. The rest of the lesson focuses on the control variables and how these have to be controlled to produce valid results This lesson is suitable for students of all ages studying Science as it is such a key skill

An engaging and informative lesson presentation (30 slides) that looks at some of the uses of stem cells in medicine. The lesson begins by challenging the students to define some key terms such as undifferentiated which are associated with these cells. Moving forwards, students will look at the uses of embryonic stem cells including in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and for tests in drug trials. Students are challenged to consider for homework why the uses of these cells remains controversial. This lesson is designed for GCSE students

This clear and concise lesson explains how the inheritance of two or more genes that have loci on the same autosome demonstrates autosomal linkage. The engaging PowerPoint and associated resource 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 autosomal linkage. This is a topic which can cause confusion for students so time was taken in the design to split the concept into small chunks. There is a clear focus on how the number of original phenotypes and recombinants can be used 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 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. The main task of the lesson acts as an understanding check where students are challenged to analyse a set of results involving the inheritance of the ABO blood group gene and the nail-patella syndrome gene to determine whether they have loci on the same chromosome and if so, how close their loci would appear to be. This lesson has been written to tie in with the other lessons from module 6.1.2 (Patterns of Inheritance)

An engaging and informative lesson which uses a murder mystery style concept to challenge the students to use a range of identification tests to detect the cations and identify the killer. Students will enjoy the range of practical experiments which feed into the plot and allow them to find out who the owner of the belt buckle and earring back that were found at the crime scene. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used as part of a forensic science project or alike

A concise and engaging lesson, which looks at chemical and physical changes with the key objective that students can recognise the differences between the two. Key terminology is used throughout, such as irreversible and practical examples are discussed. A number of short sharp quiz competitions are used to maintain motivation as well as checking on the understanding. This lesson is suitable for KS3 and GCSE students (11 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A fully resourced lesson, which includes differentiated worksheets, and guides the students through the process of extracting aluminium. There are close links throughout the lesson to the reactivity series and electrolysis so that the students are able to understand how the knowledge of all of these is brought together. Students will meet cryolite and recognise why this is used in the process and will finish off by writing half equations to show the products at the electrodes. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A whole lesson on the topic of active transport which includes a concise lesson presentation (20 slides) and a set of questions that are used to check on the students’ understanding. This lesson is designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used with A-level students who are covering the topic of movement across cell membranes. The main focus of the lesson is to get students to understand that this is an active process which moves substances against the concentration gradient and therefore needs energy for this process. The final part of the lesson looks at the different types of questions that can accompany this topic and a step-by-step guide is used to answer a difficult longer answer question as a class.

A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the topic of osmosis and how the movement of water between a cell and the solution can affect the appearance of an animal and a plant cell. This lesson includes a detailed and engaging lesson presentation (42 slides) and differentiated worksheets that include exam questions that can be set as homework. There is a lot of key terminology associated with this topic and time is taken to ensure that students understand the meaning of each of these terms before moving forwards. Students are introduced to the different types of solutions and then a step-by-step guide is used to show them how to compare the water potential of the solution and the cell and then how this will determine which was water moves. The main task is differentiated so that students are challenged and can access the work. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is also suitable for A-level students

A detailed lesson presentation which guides students through calculating the current, potential difference and resistance in series and parallel circuits. The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise whether three displayed facts relate to series or parallel circuits. Students are then given a chance to remind themselves of the differences between the circuits in terms of these three physical factors. The rest of the lesson uses a step-by-step guide format to show the students how to work through a circuit calculation by combining their knowledge of the circuit with application of the V = IR equation. Progress checks have been written throughout the lesson so that students can constantly assess their understanding. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students

A fully-resourced lesson that looks at a number of the allotropes of carbon which need to be known for GCSE Science. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (40 slides) and associated worksheets. The lesson begins by recalling the definition of an allotrope. Students are then introduced to graphene and will understand how this is related to graphite and know the properties of these two materials that are shared. Time is taken to ensure that students can explain why graphene is able to conduct electricity. Moving forwards, students will meet the family of allotropes known as the fullerenes and will see some important details about a few of these. This lesson has been written for students studying GCSE (14 - 16 year olds in the UK).

An engaging lesson presentation (37 slides) which gets students to test their practical skills by carrying out the four identification tests for oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and chlorine. The lesson begins by using a competition called “Guess the gas” where students have to used clues to identify the four colourless gases which will be used in the lesson. Moving forwards, students will meet the pieces of equipment that will be used in these tests. Practical instructions for each of the tests are included in the lesson so that students can produce the gas and then carry out the test. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding. This lesson is suitable for both KS3 and GCSE students

A fully-resourced lesson which looks at the structures of arteries, veins and capillaries and ensures that students can relate these features to their respective functions. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (41 slides) and a differentiated worksheet The lesson begins by getting the students to come up with a really simple rule to remind themselves that arteries carry blood away from the heart. They are then challenged to extend this definition by considering the pressure of the blood found in arteries. Students will learn that most arteries carry oxygenated blood but will consider and recall the artery which is the exception to the rule. Students are shown a diagram of the basic structure of the artery and the reasons for the narrow lumen and thick muscular wall are explained. Moving forwards, students are challenged to use the work on arteries to sketch a diagram of a vein and to explain why they have given this vessel certain features. A quick competition is then used to check their understand of the work so far whilst introducing valves and again they are given a chance to work out which blood vessel would need these structures in their lumen. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the capillary and time is taken to relate the features to an actual example involving the alveoli of the lungs. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding. As always, the lesson finishes with a slide containing advanced terminology so that students who have aspirations to take A-level Biology can extend and deepen their knowledge

A resourced lesson which looks at three of the main components of blood and ensures that students can relate their features to their function. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (31 slides) and an associated worksheet The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise blood from a description of some of its contents. This will enable students to identify some of the substances like hormones and urea that are carried in the plasma. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson takes a format where the students have to act as recruitment consultants. They have been given 3 job roles to fill and once they have decided on the right candidates for the job, they need to be able to explain why these have been chosen. Students will go study the red and white blood cells and platelets, focusing on how their different specialised features enable them to effectively carry out their respective functions. Students will be able to compare the cells in terms of size, number of nuclei and ultimately explain why they have their features. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but is perfectly suitable to be used with KS3 students who are studying the circulatory system

A resourced lesson which looks at the chemical reaction that is aerobic respiration and ensures that students can apply their knowledge to application questions which challenge them to make links to related topics. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (27 slides) and an associated worksheet containing questions. The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise a definition for breathing and a definition for respiration. This is aimed at helping them to understand that these are different processes as this is a common misconception made by students. Moving forwards, key details about aerobic respiration are introduced to the students through a range of tasks which include competitions to maintain engagement. Time is taken to ensure that students become familiar with ATP and understand that this is the energy store which will be broken down to release energy for the activities that occur in a living organism. The remainder of the lesson challenges the students to take their new found knowledge of aerobic respiration and apply it to range of unfamiliar situations such as explaining why a root hair cell would have such a large number of mitochondria. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding. As always, the lesson finishes with a slide containing advanced terminology so that students who have aspirations to take A-level Biology can extend and deepen their knowledge

A fully-resourced lesson which looks at the saturated hydrocarbons known as the alkanes and focuses on their structure and reactions. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (38 slides) and an associated worksheet which is differentiated. The lesson begins with the introduction of the name of this group and then a step-by-step guide is used to show students how to draw the displayed formula. Once the first four have been drawn, students are shown how to calculate the general formula for the alkenes and then challenged to do the same for the alkanes. Moving forwards, students will meet the key term, saturated, and time is taken to ensure that the meaning of this word is understood in the context of this lesson. Once they have been introduced to bromine water, students are challenged to work out what will happen when this substance is added to an alkane and they have to explain their answer. The remainder of the lesson looks at the complete and incomplete combustion of the alkanes, focusing on the different products of these reactions and specifically the problems associated with carbon monoxide. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding.

An informative and student-led lesson presentation (32 slides), accompanied by a reaction diagram and task worksheet, which together look at the key details of nuclear fission reactions. The lesson begins by introducing the students to the name of this reaction and to that of a neutron before they are challenged to recall the properties of this sub-atomic particle as this knowledge plays an important role in their understanding. Moving forwards, students will learn that two isotopes of uranium are involved and will discover and work out how one isotope is changed into the other. Diagrams accompany the theory throughout so that students can visualise how the reaction progresses. They are shown how to work out the two daughter nuclei that are produced in the reaction and how an equation can be written to represent nuclear fission. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals so that students can constantly assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be immediately addressed. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A concise lesson presentation (22 slides) and question worksheet, which together focus on the challenge of applying the equations of motion to calculation questions. Students are given this equation on the data sheet in the exam - therefore, this lesson shows them how they will be expected to rearrange in it four ways. For this reason, the start of the lesson revisits the skills involved in rearranging the formula, beginning with simple tasks and building up to those that involve indices as are found in this equation. Once students have practised these skills, they are challenged to answer 4 questions, although 1 is done together with the class to visualise how to set out the working. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students

An informative lesson presentation (24 slides), accompanied by a set of differentiated question worksheets, which together guide students through calculating energy changes in reactions and then challenges them to apply their new-found knowledge. The lesson begins by asking the students to complete a sentence which details how energy is taken in to break bonds in the reactants and given out when bonds are formed in the products. The bond energy table is then introduced so that students understand how it will be used in questions. Moving forwards, a step by step guide is used to calculate the energy change value for two reactions and students are shown how to interpret the positive or negative result as endothermic or exothermic respectively. The remainder of the lesson asks the students to apply what they have learnt to calculate the energy change for two more reactions. This question worksheet is differentiated two ways so that students who need extra assistance can still access the work. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students