This fully-resourced lesson describes how magnification and resolution can be achieved using light and electron microscopy. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the content of point 2.1 (vi) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and the importance of specimen staining is also briefly introduced so that students are prepared for the next lesson. To promote engagement and focus throughout this lesson, the PowerPoint contains a quiz competition with 7 rounds. The quiz rounds found in this lesson will introduce the objective lens powers, the names of the parts of a light microscope and emphasise some of the other key terms such as resolution. The final round checks on their understanding of the different numbers that were mentioned in the lesson, namely the differing maximum magnifications and resolutions. Time is taken to explain the meaning of both of these microscopic terms so that students can recognise their importance when considering the organelles that were met earlier in topic 2. By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to explain how a light microscope uses light to form an image and will understand how electrons transmitted through a specimen or across the surface will form an image with a TEM or a SEM respectively.

This lesson explains the meaning of gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive, dominant, codominance, homozygote and heterozygote. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification point 2.15 (i) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology but also covers the meaning of genome, gene locus, homologous chromosomes, multiple alleles, autosomes and sex chromosomes as a recognition of these will be useful for upcoming lessons. As some of these terms were met at GCSE, this fully-resourced lesson has been designed to include a wide range of activities that build on this prior knowledge and provide clear explanations as to their meanings as well as numerous examples of their use in both questions and exemplary answers. The main task provides the students with an opportunity to apply their understanding by recognising a dominance hierarchy in a multiple alleles characteristic and then calculating a phenotypic ratio when given a completed genetic diagram. Other tasks include prior knowledge checks, discussion points to encourage students to consider the implementation of the genetic terms and quiz competitions to introduce new terms, maintain engagement and to act as an understanding check.

This lesson discusses the roles of non-governmental organisations such as WWF and CITES in local and global conservation. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover point 18.3 (g) of the CIE A-level Biology specification but as this is a lesson near to the end of topic 18, a number of tasks have been included to test the students on their understanding of 18.1, 18.2 and 18.3. Many hours of research have gone into the planning of this lesson to ensure that a range of interesting biological examples are included, with the aim of fully engaging the students in the material to increase its relevance. The students will learn that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was first agreed in 1973 and that 35000 species are currently found in appendix I, II or III. Time is taken to go through the meaning of each appendix and then the following animal and plant species are used to explain the finer details of the agreement and to demonstrate how the conservation of these species has been affected: Tree pangolin, eastern black rhino for CITES appendix I Darwin’s orchid for CITES appendix II Four-horned antelope for CITES appendix III Exam-style questions are used to check on their understanding of the current topic as well as to challenge their knowledge of previously-covered topics such as the functions of keratin, when considering the structure of the rhino horn. Each of these questions has its own markscheme which is embedded in the PowerPoint and this allows the students to constantly assess their progress. The second half of the lesson focuses on the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and again some examples of conservation projects which have been funded by this international organisation are considered. The implementation of wildlife corridors in east Africa to promote migration and interbreeding is discussed and the measures in place to protect the Dinaric region are also described. As detailed at the top, this lesson can be used for revision of some of the content of topic 18 whilst teaching the content of specification point 18.3 (g)

This lesson describes the vascular system of mammals as a double circulatory system to allow comparisons with those in earthworms, insects and fish. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the final content of specification point (a) in topic 3 (Adaptations for transport) of AS unit 2 in the WJEC A-level Biology specification and there is a primary focus on the differences in pressure between the pulmonary and systemic circulation. The lesson begins with a focus on the meaning of a double circulatory system and checks that students are clear in the understanding that the blood passes through the heart twice per cycle of the body. Beginning with the pulmonary circulation, students will recall that the pulmonary artery carries the blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. An opportunity is taken at this point to check on their knowledge of inhalation and the respiratory system as well as the gas exchange between the alveoli and the capillary bed. A quick quiz is used to introduce arterioles and students will learn that these blood vessels play a crucial role in the changes in blood pressure that prevent the capillaries from damage. When looking at the systemic circulation, time is taken to look at the coronary arteries and renal artery as students have to be aware of these vessels in addition to the ones associated with the heart. In the final part of the lesson, students are challenged to explain how the structure of the heart generates a higher pressure in the systemic circulation and then to explain why the differing pressures are necessary.

This is a fully-resourced lesson which uses exam-style questions, engaging quiz competitions, quick tasks and discussion points to challenge students on their understanding of the content of topics B1 - B3, that will assessed on PAPER 1. It has been specifically designed for students on the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science course who will be taking the FOUNDATION TIER examinations but is also suitable for students taking the higher tier who need to ensure that the key points of each of the sub-topics are embedded. The lesson has been written to take place in numerous shops that could be found on the high street to allow the following sub-topics to be covered: Eukaryotes and prokaryotes The prefixes of size and converting between units The cell structures of animal and plant cells The principles of organisation The structure of the heart and the circulatory system The features of the alveoli which enable efficient gas exchange Temperature and photosynthesis The role of enzymes in reactions The functions of the components of blood The homeostatic control of blood glucose by insulin secretion Diabetes type I and II The hormones involved in the menstrual cycle Mitosis and the cell cycle The structures involved in a nervous reaction Reflex arcs In order to maintain challenge whilst ensuring that all abilities can access the questions, the majority of the tasks have been differentiated and students can ask for extra support when they are unable to begin a question. Due to the extensiveness of this revision lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 teaching hours to complete the tasks and therefore this can be used at different points throughout the duration of the course as well as acting as a final revision before the PAPER 1 exam

This fully-resourced lesson describes the conversion of Calvin cycle intermediates to carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover point (12) of topic 13.1 of the CIE A-level Biology specification (for assessment in 2025 - 2027) concerning the uses of GP and TP but as the lesson makes continual references to biological molecules, it can act as a revision tool for a lot of the content of topic 2. The previous lesson described the three stages of the Calvin cycle and this lesson builds on that understanding to demonstrate how the intermediates of the cycle, GP and TP, are used. The start of the lesson challenges the students to identify two errors in a diagram of the cycle so that they can recall that most of the TP molecules are used in the regeneration of ribulose bisphosphate. A quiz version of Pointless runs throughout the lesson and this is used to challenge the students to recall a biological molecule from its description. Once each molecule has been revealed, time is taken to go through the details of the formation and synthesis of this molecule from TP or from GP in the case of fatty and amino acids. The following molecules are considered in detail during this lesson: glucose (and fructose and galactose) sucrose starch and cellulose glycerol and fatty acids amino acids nucleic acids A range of activities are used to challenge their prior knowledge of these molecules and mark schemes are always displayed for the exam-style questions to allow the students to assess their understanding. As detailed above, this lesson has been specifically written to tie in with the earlier lessons in this topic on the structure of the chloroplast, the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis and the Calvin cycle.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the structure of the glucose and ribose as monosaccharides and considers their roles in living organisms. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 1.1 (ii) as detailed in the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and also considers the structure of galactose, fructose and deoxyribose. Students were introduced to carbohydrates and monosaccharides in the previous lesson so this lesson builds on that initial understanding and adds key details to their knowledge of this simplest group. Using the molecular formula of glucose as a guide, students will be given the general formula for the monosaccharides and will learn that deoxyribose is an exception to the rule that the number of carbon and oxygen atoms are equal. Moving forwards, students have to study the displayed formula of glucose for two minutes without being able to note anything down before they are challenged to recreate what they saw in a test of their observational skills. At this point of the lesson, the idea of numbering the carbons is introduced so that the different glycosidic bonds can be understood in an upcoming lesson as well as the recognition of the different isomers of glucose. The difference between alpha and beta-glucose is provided and students are again challenged to draw a molecule of glucose, this time for the beta form. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the roles of the 6 monosaccharides and the final task involves a series of application questions where the students are challenged to suggest why ribose could be considered important for active transport and muscle contraction

This lesson describes the meaning of positive feedback and explains how negative feedback control is involved in maintaining systems within narrow limits. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 7.16 (i) and (ii) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but also provide introductory details for upcoming topics such as the importance of homeostasis during exercise and the depolarisation of a neurone. The normal ranges for blood glucose concentration, blood pH and body temperature are introduced at the start of the lesson to allow students to recognise that these aspects have to be maintained within narrow limits. A series of exam-style questions then challenge their recall of knowledge from topics 1 - 6 as they have to explain why it’s important that each of these aspects is maintained within these limits. The students were introduced to homeostasis at GCSE, so this process is revisited and discussed, so that students are prepared for an upcoming lesson on exercise, as well as for the next part of the lesson on negative feedback control. Students will learn how this form of control reverses the original change and biological examples are used to emphasise the importance of this system for restoring levels to the limits (and the optimum). The remainder of the lesson explains how positive feedback differs from negative feedback as it increases the original change and the role of oxytocin in birth and the movement of sodium ions into a neurone are used to exemplify the action of this control system.

This lesson describes the ring structure of alpha and beta glucose and uses these two monomers as examples of monosaccharides when introducing disaccharides and polysaccharides as well as polymers and macromolecules. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover specification points 2.2 (a) & (b) of the CIE International A-level Biology course, and condensation and hydrolysis reactions are also introduced and their importance for biological molecules emphasised. Monomers were previously met at GCSE and so the beginning of the lesson focuses on the recall of the meaning of this key term. A made-up version of the quiz show POINTLESS gives the students the opportunity to discuss and to identify four answers to do with carbohydrates. In doing so, they will learn or recall that these molecules are made from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, that they are a source of energy which can sometimes be rightly or wrongly associated with obesity and that the names of the three main groups is derived from the Greek word sakkharon. This introduces the monosaccharides as the simplest sugars before the first in a series of quiz rounds is used to introduce fructose, ribose and importantly glucose as a few examples. Using the molecular formula of glucose as a guide, students will be given the general formula for the monosaccharides and will learn that deoxyribose is an exception to the rule that the number of carbon and oxygen atoms are equal. In the next task, students have to study the displayed formula of glucose for two minutes without being able to note anything down before they are challenged to recreate what they saw in a test of their observational skills. The difference between alpha and beta-glucose is provided and students are again challenged to draw a molecule of glucose, this time for the beta form. Moving forwards, students will learn that disaccharides are formed from two monosaccharides and this is used to initiate a discussion about how monomers need to be linked together even more times to make the larger chains known as polymers. The final section of the lesson looks at the roles of condensation and hydrolysis reactions in this formation of larger molecules as well as in the break down of larger molecules into smaller molecules.

This fully-resourced lesson describes the relationship between the structure and function of the eukaryotic cell structures. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying exam-question worksheets (which are all differentiated) have been designed to cover point 1.2 (b) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification As cells are the building blocks of living organisms, it makes sense that they would be heavily involved in all of the 19 topics in the CIE International course and intricate planning has ensured that links to previously covered topics at GCSE are made and details linking to upcoming topics are made throughout the lesson. A wide range of activities, that include exam-style questions, class discussion points and quick quiz competitions, will maintain motivation and engagement whilst covering the finer details of the following structures: nucleus nucleolus ribosomes rough endoplasmic reticulum Golgi apparatus lysosomes smooth endoplasmic reticulum mitochondria cell surface membrane centrioles vacuole chloroplasts cell wall plasmodesmata As mentioned above, all of the worksheets have been differentiated to support students of differing abilities whilst maintaining challenge Due to the detail that is included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3/4 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to cover the work

Disaccharides are formed from the condensation of two monosaccharides and this lesson describes the formation of maltose, sucrose and lactose. The concise PowerPoint and accompanying question sheet have been designed to cover the third part of points 1.12 & 1.13 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also continually links to the previous lesson on monosaccharides when considering the different components of these three disaccharides. The first section of the lesson focuses on a prefix and a suffix so that the students can recognise that the names of the common disaccharides end in -ose. In line with this, a quick quiz round is used to introduce maltose, sucrose and lactose before students are challenged on their prior knowledge as they have to describe how condensation reactions and the formation of glycosidic bonds were involved in the synthesis of each one. The main task of the lesson again challenges the students to recall details of a previous lesson as they have to identify the monomers of each disaccharide when presented with the displayed formula. Time is taken to show how their knowledge of these simple sugars will be important in later topics such as extracellular enzymes, translocation in the phloem and the control of gene expression as exemplified by the Lac Operon. The lesson finishes with two exam-style questions where students have to demonstrate and apply their newly acquired knowledge

The engaging Powerpoint and accompanying worksheet which come as part of this lesson resource have been designed to cover specification point 2.5 (k) as detailed in the WJEC GCSE Biology specification which states that students should understand the roles of the effectors in temperature regulation. A wide range of activities which include Biology and Maths tasks and quiz competitions are interspersed with understanding and prior knowledge checks so that students are engaged and motivated whilst learning the key content in a memorable way and checking their progress. Students will learn that the body temperature is maintained at 37 degrees celsius by a homeostatic control system called thermoregulation and will be challenged to recall the topic of enzymes to explain why this is so important. Time is taken to look at the responses brought about the effectors such as vasodilation and shivering and links are made to the structures of the skin such as the involvement of the erector muscles. Students will recognise how these mechanisms lead a decrease or increase in body temperature back to the set point. Links are also made between the Sciences so that there is a deeper understanding of exactly why sweating cools the body down. This lesson has been designed for students studying the WJEC GCSE Biology course but is suitable for older students who are studying Biology at A-level and need to recall the key details of thermoregulation.

This detailed lesson describes the pathways and explains the mechanisms by which water and mineral ions are transported from the soil to the xylem. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover the first part of point 7.2 [c] in the CIE International A-level Biology specification. The lesson begins by looking at the specialised features of the root hair cell so that students can understand how these epidermal cells absorb water and mineral ions from the soil. Moving forwards, students are introduced to key terminology such as epidermis and root cortex before time is taken to look at the different pathways that water and minerals use to transverse across the cortex. Discussion points are included throughout the lesson to encourage the students to think about each topic in depth and challenges them to think about important questions such as why the apoplastic pathway is needed for the water carrying the ions. The main part of the lesson focuses on the role of the endodermis in the transport of the water and ions into the xylem. Students will be introduced to the Casparian strip and will learn how this layer of cells blocks the apoplastic pathway. A step by step method using class questions and considered answers is used to guide them through the different steps and to support them when writing the detailed description. This lesson has been written to tie in with the next lesson on the pathways and mechanisms by which water and mineral ions are transported to the leaves.

This detailed lesson explains how the process of transcription results in the production of mRNA. Both the detailed PowerPoint and accompanying question worksheet have been designed to cover the first part of points 2.5 (i) & (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification The lesson begins by challenging the students to work out that most of the nuclear DNA in eukaryotes does not actually code for polypeptides. This allows the promoter region and terminator region to be introduced, along with the structural gene. Through the use of an engaging quiz competition, students will learn that the strand of DNA involved in transcription is known as the template (or anti-sense) strand and the other strand is the coding (or sense) strand. Links to previous lesson on the structure of DNA and RNA are made throughout and students are continuously challenged on their prior knowledge as well as their current understanding of the lesson topic. Moving forwards, the actual process of transcription is covered in a 7 step bullet point description where the students are asked to complete each passage using the information previously provided. An exam-style question is used to check on their understanding before the final task of the lesson looks at the journey of mRNA to the ribosome for the next stage of protein synthesis, translation.

This lesson describes the role of the posterior pituitary gland and ADH in the homeostatic balance of blood water potential. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification points (f & g) in topic 7 of A2 unit 3 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification. Students learnt about the principles of homeostasis and negative feedback in an earlier lesson in this topic, so this lesson acts to build on that knowledge and challenges them to apply their knowledge. A wide range of activities have been included in the lesson to maintain motivation and engagement whilst the understanding and prior knowledge checks will allow the students to assess their progress as well as challenge themselves to make links to other Biology topics. The lesson begins with a discussion about how the percentage of water in urine can and will change depending on the blood water potential. Students will quickly be introduced to osmoregulation and they will learn that the osmoreceptors and the osmoregulatory centre are found in the hypothalamus. A considerable amount of time is taken to study the cell signalling between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary gland by looking at the specialised neurones (neurosecretory cells). Links are made to the topics of neurones, nerve impulses and synapses and the students are challenged to recall the cell body, axon and vesicles. The main section of the lesson forms a detailed description of the body’s detection and response to a low blood water potential. The students are guided through this section as they are given 2 or 3 options for each stage and they have to use their knowledge to select the correct statement. The final task asks the students to write a detailed description for the opposite stimulus

This fully-resourced lesson describes the roles of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in the control of mammalian plasma concentration. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 7.21 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification The principles of homeostasis and negative feedback were covered in an earlier lesson in topic 7, so this lesson acts to build on that knowledge and challenges them to apply their knowledge. A wide range of activities have been included in the lesson to maintain motivation and engagement whilst the understanding and prior knowledge checks will allow the students to assess their progress as well as challenge themselves to make links to other Biology topics. The lesson begins with a discussion about how the percentage of water in urine can and will change depending on the blood water potential. Students will quickly be introduced to osmoregulation and they will learn that the osmoreceptors and the osmoregulatory centre are found in the hypothalamus. A considerable amount of time is taken to study the cell signalling between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary gland by looking at the specialised neurones (neurosecretory cells). Links are made to the topics of neurones, nerve impulses and synapses and the students are challenged to recall the cell body, axon and vesicles. The main section of the lesson forms a detailed description of the body’s detection and response to a low blood water potential. The students are guided through this section as they are given 2 or 3 options for each stage and they have to use their knowledge to select the correct statement. The final task asks the students to write a detailed description for the opposite stimulus and this task is differentiated so those who need extra assistance can still access the work.

This lesson explains how to calculate the net primary productivity by subtracting a plant’s respiratory losses from the gross primary productivity. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 5.9 (i) and (ii) of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification. Due to the fact that the productivity of plants is dependent on photosynthesis, a series of exam-style questions have been written into the lesson which challenge the students to explain how the structure of the leaf as well as the light-dependent and light-independent reactions are linked to GPP. All of the exam questions have displayed mark schemes which are included in the PowerPoint to allow students to immediately assess their understanding. A number of quick quiz competitions as well as guided discussion points are used to introduce the formulae to calculate NPP and N and to recognise the meaning of the components. Once again, this is immediately followed by the opportunity to apply their understanding to selected questions

This lesson describes the role of myelination in saltatory conduction. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover point 8.5 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and includes constant references to the earlier lessons on the structure of neurones and the conduction of an action potential along an axon. A wide range of activities have been written into this resource to maintain the motivation of the students whilst ensuring that the detail is covered in depth. Interspersed with the activities are understanding checks and prior knowledge checks to allow the students to not only assess their understanding of the current topic but also challenge themselves to make links to earlier topics such as the movement of ions across membranes and biological molecules. Time at the end of the lesson is also given to future knowledge such as the involvement of autonomic motor neurones in the stimulation of involuntary muscles. Over the course of the lesson, students consider the structure of the myelin sheath and specifically how the insulation is not complete all the way along which leaves gaps known as the nodes of Ranvier which allow the entry and exit of ions. Saltatory conduction tends to be poorly explained by students so time is taken to look at the way that the action potential jumps between the nodes and this is explained further by reference to local currents. The rest of the lesson focuses on the other two factors which are axon diameter and temperature and students are challenged to discover these two by focusing on the vampire squid.

This lesson describes how the antagonistic action of the radial and circular muscles of the iris causes the pupil to dilate or contract. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover point 8.2 (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification. The students may have encountered this concept at GCSE, so this lesson has been written to build on that knowledge and includes key A-level details such as the innervation of the smooth muscles by divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Students will learn how the contraction of the radial muscles pulls the iris radially and enlarges the pupil, allowing more light to enter when an individual is in a room with dim light and that this contraction is the result of the conduction of an electrical impulse along a sympathetic motor neurone.

This lesson describes the key events of the eukaryotic cell cycle and specifically focuses on those that occur in interphase. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point (a) in topic 6 of AS unit 1 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and also introduces the stages of mitosis and cytokinesis to prepare students for the upcoming lesson on the significance of this type of cell division. The students were introduced to the cell cycle at GCSE so this lesson has been planned to build on that knowledge and to emphasise that the M phase which includes mitosis (nuclear division) only occupies a small part of the cycle. The students will learn that interphase is the main stage and that this is split into three phases, G1, S and G2. A range of tasks which include exam-style questions, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions are used to introduce key terms and values and to describe the main processes that occur in a very specific order. Extra time is taken to ensure that key terminology is included and understood, such as sister chromatid and centromere, and this focus helps to show how it is possible for genetically identical daughter cells to be formed at the end of the cycle.