This lesson uses 10 multiple-choice questions (and answers) to support students in their revision of bonding, structure, and the properties of matter. The resources have been designed to challenge the content of topic C2 of the AQA GCSE combined science specification and specifically for students taking the foundation tier. In addition to the 10 multiple-choice questions, the PowerPoint also contains additional understanding checks, and a variety of tasks and competitions which allow the students to assess their understanding of the following topics: Ionic bonding and compounds Naming ionic compounds The charge of ions Metallic bonding Covalent bonding Giant covalent structures The structure and properties of diamond and graphite States of matter The final two questions on the multiple-choice assessment challenge knowledge of groups of the periodic table and sub-atomic particles from topic C1

This lesson uses a 10-question multiple choice assessment, exam-style questions and various tasks to support students in their revision of topic C3. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to challenge the foundation tier content of topic C3 (Quantitative chemistry) of the AQA GCSE combined science specification. The multiple-choice assessment consists of 10 questions, 8 of which challenge the content of topic C3 before the final 2 questions challenge knowledge from topics C1 and C2. All answers are embedded into the PowerPoint so students can mark their work, and the workings for any mathematical-based questions are explained in full. There are also additional understanding checks and tasks and 1 competition to allow students to identify the areas of the topic which will need revisiting before the mocks or final examinations. The following sub-topics are covered in this revision lesson; Conservation of mass and balanced chemical equations, Relative formula mass, Changes in mass when a gas is involved, Concentration of solutions, Atomic structure, Electrons in ionic and covalent bonding.

This lesson describes how carbon is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by producers in photosynthesis. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are the 1st in a series of two lessons which have been primarily designed to cover the content of point 7.2.2 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications, but also links to deforestation (7.3.4) and uses prior knowledge checks to challenge the students on their recall of the cell and menstrual cycles. As shown in the cover image, the lesson begins by challenging the students to identify the connection between the terms carbon, cell, water and menstrual, to recognise them as biological cycles. A series of exam-style questions then checks on their knowledge of the cell cycle and the menstrual cycle, and all the answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. Moving forwards, the students will learn that materials in the living world are recycled to provide the building blocks for future organisms. This lesson focuses on the carbon cycle, whereas the water cycle is covered in the next lesson. A series of quiz rounds challenge the students to recognise reactions from their symbol equations and this allows photosynthesis, respiration and combustion to be revealed. A diagram detailing the carbon cycle builds up as the lesson progresses and time is taken to ensure that students recognise how organisms are linked in the cycle. The importance of microorganisms for the cycle is emphasised, and students will learn how the decomposition of dead and decaying matter by bacteria returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The final part of the lesson focuses on deforestation and students are given guidance to support them to form an answer to a 6-mark question about the impact of deforestation on carbon dioxide levels.

This lesson provides opportunities for students to consider the impact of the selective breeding of food plants and domesticated animals. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover the content set out in point 6.2.3 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications, but also challenges students on previously-covered topics including sexual reproduction and inheritance. The lesson begins with a picture of a cow auction and the students are asked to suggest what the farmers might be considering before making a bid. This leads into the concept of selective breeding and students will understand that this process has been used for thousands of years. A step-by-step guide goes through the 5 simple steps to selective breeding, and opportunities are taken to challenge current understanding and prior knowledge through exam-style questions. The answers to all questions are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. The remainder of the lesson considers the issues with selective breeding, including the reduction in the size of the gene pool, and the health problems that are associated with animals that have been selectively bred for certain features.

This lesson recaps on the cell cycle including mitosis and uses this to introduce meiosis as the type of cell division which forms gametes. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to challenge the students on their recall and understanding of the content of specification points 1.2.1 and 1.2.2, before covering the content of 6.1.2 as set out in the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications. The lesson begins with a challenge, where the students have to recognise that the connection between carbon, cell, water and menstrual, is that they are all biological cycles. This leads into the statement that the cell cycle can include mitosis or meiosis, and that a cell cycle occuring in the reproductive organs will include meiosis. The cell cycle including mitosis was covered in topic 1, so the first part of the lesson uses a range of activities to challenge the students on this cycle, ensuring that the events of the 1st stage (interphase), mitosis and the 3rd stage (cytokinesis) are recalled correctly. Moving forwards, students will learn that the cell cycle including meiosis also contains this 1st stage, where the DNA replicates and cell structures duplicate. An exam-style question challenges them to recognise why a diagram doesn’t represent mitosis, and therefore allows the students to learn that meiosis involves two sets of division and forms four genetically unidentical daughter cells, which are the gametes. The answers to all of the understanding checks and prior knowledge checks are embedded in the PowerPoints so students can assess their progress throughout.

This engaging lesson describes how an ecosystem is the interaction of a community and the non-living parts (abiotic) of their environment. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to primarily cover the content of points 7.1.1, 7.1.2, and 7,1.3 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications, but opportunities are taken to challenge the students on their knowledge of previously-covered topics including active transport and classification. As shown in the cover image, a BLOCKBUSTERS quiz is used throughout the lesson to introduce (or remind) students to ecological key terms, and the lesson begins by challenging them to recall population and species which were met in topic 6. Next up is community, and then biotic factors, and students will learn that changes to these living factors can affect the community. A series of prior knowledge checks then cover the absorption of mineral ions by active transport and students will understand that plants compete with each other for the absorption of these ions and water, as well as light and space. The resources competed for by animals is also covered, and a series of exam-style questions is used to challenge the students to apply their understanding of competition to a real-world example. Answers to all questions are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their understanding. This exam question has been differentiated to allow all students with access to the work. Moving forwards, the students will consider the abiotic factors that affect a community and in doing so, will learn that an ecosystem is the interaction between a community and these abiotic factors. Another exam-style question challenges them to challenge their understanding of the lesson topic as well as previously-covered topics including classification hierarchy. There is a second lesson covering the content of 7.1 (communities) on adaptations and this has also been uploaded.

This lesson describes how feeding relationships with a community can be represented by food chains. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the 1st lesson in a series of 2 lessons, which have been designed to cover the content of the point 7.2.1 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications. The lesson also challenges knowledge from The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise the connection between the key terms producer, herbivores and carnivores. This task reminds students about food chains and that these diagrams begin with a producer, who photosynthesise. At this point, students are challenged with 5 multiple-choice questions about photosynthesis which was covered in topic 4 and the answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to assess their understanding. Moving forwards, a quick quiz is used to introduce the term, biomass, and students will construct food chains to show how this biomass is transferred between organisms via trophic levels. Students will learn that the organisms in the food chain can be categorised based on their nutrition, or by position, as they learn that producers are eaten by primary consumers, who are eaten by secondary consumers. The remainder of the lesson considers prey-predator cycles and challenges students to explain how the numbers of these organisms rises and falls in cycles. The second lesson in this series of lessons is also uploaded and covers the distribution and abundance in an ecosystem and is titled “Sampling within an ecosystem”.

This lesson describes the experimental methods using quadrats and transects to determine distribution and abundance of species in an ecosystem. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the second lesson in a series of 2 lessons which have been planned to cover the content of specification point 7.2.1 (Levels of organisation) as described in the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications. The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise the term “random” using four synonyms. This introduces quadrats as a piece of equipment that are fundamental to a random sampling method to determine abundance. The steps of the method are described and students are shown how the estimate population size using the mean and the area of the habitat. Time is taken to consider quadrats which do not have an area of 1 metre squared and the adjustments to the method which will be needed. A series of exam-style questions allow the students to assess their understanding and the mark schemes are embedded into the PowerPoint. The remainder of the lesson considers the use of transects in determining distribution and again a series of tasks, including prior knowledge checks, will allow the students to assess their progress. The first lesson in this series of 2 lessons describes the levels of organisation in an ecosystem and how feeding relationships can be represented in a food chain.

This engaging lesson introduces the classification system developed by Carl Linnaeus as well as the three-domain system developed by Carl Woese. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources (which contain exam-style questions) have been planned to cover the content of specification point 6.4 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specifications. The lesson begins with an introduction of the key term, population, and describes the biological meaning of this commonly-used word. The first of several prior knowledge checks then challenges the students on their knowledge of chromosome numbers in gametes following meiosis as well as zygotes and this introduces the hinny as the offspring of a horse and donkey. Students will learn that as the hinny is infertile, this explains why the horse and donkey are not members of the same species. The binomial name using the genus and species for a modern-day human is discussed before a quick quiz is then used to introduce the classification taxa that come above the genus. A series of 3 exam-style questions will challenge the students on their understanding of the 7 taxa and the naming system, and the answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their work. The remainder of the lesson describes the three-domain system that was developed following improvements in scientific equipment such as microscopes.

This engaging lesson introduces adaptations as either behavioural, structural or functional, and forges links to other topics including natural selection. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been planned to cover the content of point 7.1.4 of the AQA GCSE biology and combined science specification, and therefore also describes extremophiles. The lesson begins with a prior knowledge check of topic 6.4, as students must complete a KEY POINT to describe how evolution through natural selection gives rise to phenotypes best suited to their environment. This leads into the description of these phenotypes or features as adaptations. The 1st of several guided discussion periods provides students with the opportunity to consider how adaptations support an organism’s ability to survive. As shown in the cover image, a quick quiz is then used to reveal the three types of adaptations, and students are given support and tips to prevent common mistakes, such as confusion between functional and structural. An exam-style question involving Marram grass challenges students to categorise 6 adaptations as either behavioural, structural or functional, and then further questions link to knowledge about osmosis and stomata and transpiration. The key term, extremophile, is introduced through a quick quiz and students will consider why an environment or habitat might be deemed to be extreme. The final task of the lesson uses a species of bacteria living in volcanic geysers to challenge their understanding of the current topic of adaptations and extremophiles, as well as challenging knowledge from earlier topics including classification, the cell cycle and denaturation.

This lesson describes the role of gibberellin in stem elongation, and considers the experimental evidence which supports this theory. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification point 5.1.5 (d) as set out in the OCR A-level biology A specification. The lesson begins with the introduction of the Le gene loci, along with some initial details of this gene’s regulation of height in some plants. The students met gibberellin in a previous lesson in this module on the roles of plant hormones, so the first of several prior knowledge checks is used to challenge them to recall the name of this plant hormone from a description about seed germination. Moving forwards, the students will learn that the enzyme encoded for by the Le gene is involved in the gibberellin synthesis pathway, where it catalyses the conversion of the inactive precursor GA20 to GA1, which is active gibberellin. As this lesson is normally taught before patterns of inheritance in module 6.2.1, a step-by-step guide is used to describe how to use a genetic diagram to predict the phenotypic outcomes. An exam-style question is used to ensure that students recognise that homozygous dominant and heterozygous genotypes would be expressed as tall plants. The next part of the lesson considers the recessive allele, and how the substitution of alanine with threonine affects the shape of the active site, rendering the enzyme as non-functional. The final part of the lesson looks at examples of investigations which have been used to obtain experimental evidence which support the theory of the role of gibberellin in stem elongation. All answers to the knowledge checks are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. The role of gibberellin in seed germination is covered in “The roles of plant hormones” lesson which has been uploaded for free.

This lesson describes the role of gibberellin in stem elongation, including the role of the dominant allele, Le, and the recessive allele, le. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification point 16.2 (7) of the CIE A-level biology specification (for assessment in 2025-27). The lesson begins with the introduction of the Le gene loci, along with some initial details of this gene’s regulation of height in some plants. The students met gibberellin in topic 15, so the first of several prior knowledge checks is used to challenge them to recall the name of this plant hormone from a description about seed germination. Moving forwards, the students will learn that the enzyme encoded for by the Le gene is involved in the gibberellin synthesis pathway, where it catalyses the conversion of the inactive precursor GA20 to GA1, which is active gibberellin. As this lesson is part of topic 16, the genetics that underpins the biology is continually referenced, and again, an exam-style question is used to ensure that students recognise that homozygous dominant and heterozygous genotypes would be expressed as tall plants. The rest of the lesson considers the recessive allele, and how the substitution of alanine with threonine affects the shape of the active site, rendering the enzyme as non-functional. All answers to the knowledge checks are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress.

This lesson describes the steps involved in the closure of the Venus flytrap as a response to touch by an insect or an arachnid. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the detail of point (1) of topic 15.2 of the CIE A-level biology specification (for assessment in 2025 - 27). The lesson begins with a recall of tropisms as directional growth responses in plants and a short amount of time is allocated to discuss the importance of phototropism and gravitropism. This leads into the introduction of thigmotropism as a directional response to touch, before the students will learn that the closure of the Venus flytrap is an example of a thigmonastic response, a response that’s independent of direction. The students are presented with a passage that describes the classification, and structure of the Venus flytrap, as well as the stimulus that results in the closure. They must answer 8 exam-style questions on the content of the passage, which challenges their understanding of the current topic and links to other topics such as organelles and biological molecules. All answers are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow students to assess their progress. The rest of the lesson focuses on the steps involved in the mechanism of closure, including the detection of touch by the sensors in the trigger hairs, the movement of ions, and the elongation of the cells in the lobes of the modified leaves.

This lesson uses a step-by-step guide to describe the role of gibberellins in the germination of barley. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been planned to cover point (3) of topic 15.2 of the CIE A-level biology specification (for assessment in 2025 - 27). The lesson begins with a challenge, where the students must identify the term, germination, from a series of clues. They will learn that this is the development of a plant from a seed following a period of dormancy and involves gibberellins. A quick quiz round is then used to introduce the embryo, endosperm and aleurone layer in the structure of a barley seed. The process of seed germination can be divided into a sequence of 9 events and the main task of the lesson challenges the students to order these 9 events. However, this task has an extra level of difficulty as two of the events have been missed out, so the students must use the clues to predict the key biological processes in these events.

This detailed lesson describes the different types of plant responses, including responses to abiotic stress and herbivory and the range of tropisms. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover the content set out in point (a) of module 5.1.5 of the OCR A-level biology A specification, but as the role of auxins in phototropism and gravitropism are also described, some aspects of point (b) are covered. This lesson also acts as an excellent revision tool as the students’ knowledge of previously-covered topics including classification, defences against pathogens, and biological molecules are constantly challenged. The lesson begins with one of these challenges, where the students must recognise 7 key terms from their descriptions and use the respective 1st letters to reveal the key term, stimuli. This leads into the recognition of the need for plants to respond to these changes in the environment to increase their chances of survival. Students will have briefly encountered auxins at GCSE and this first part of the lesson builds on this knowledge, introducing IAA, and ensuring that they know the fundamentals, including how these hormones move from the tips to the growing regions. A series of application questions will challenge them to describe how plants display positive phototropism and roots display positive gravitropism. Moving forwards, the students will learn that nastic responses are independent of the direction of the external stimuli and the Venus flytrap is used as an example. Again, a series of exam-style questions will challenge the students on their knowledge of topics related to this carnivorous plant. The remainder of the lesson considers responses to abiotic stress, such as water stress and the herbivory response, including the production of alkaloids and pheromones. The answers to all understanding checks are embedded into the PowerPoint to allow the students to assess their progress.