Aerobic energy pathway (Edexcel A-level PE)

This detailed lesson describes the characteristics and physiology of the aerobic energy pathway and has been designed for the Edexcel A-level PE course. In line with specification point 1.4.4 & 1.4.5, the content of the lesson covers the ease and speed of ATP production and the intensity and duration of exercise which will be supported by the aerobic pathway when it is the dominant energy provider.

The lesson begins by introducing the aerobic pathway as the pathway that becomes the dominant energy provider after the ATP-PC and glycolytic pathways. Students are challenged to recognise that this pathway supports lower intensity exercise but that it will support exercise for a much longer duration than the others, suggesting that it produces a high yield of ATP. The main part of the lesson looks at how this high yield of ATP is produced during glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain and students will learn the location of each of these stages in the cell. Questions, discussion points and quiz competitions are included throughout the lesson and act as understanding checks to ensure that any misconceptions are addressed immediately.

The final tasks of the lesson are a series of multiple choice questions and a quiz round called “UNLOCK THE AEROBIC PATHWAY SAFE” where the teams of students compete to recall the quantitative values associated with this topic.