A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
Each of the 4 lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to cover the content as detailed in topic 6.2 (Protein synthesis) of the CIE International A-Level Biology specification. The specification points that are covered within these lessons include:
A polypeptide is coded for by a gene
A gene mutation is a change in the sequence of nucleotides
Sickle cell anaemia results from a change in the amino acid sequence
Transcription as the production of mRNA from DNA
Information on DNA is used during translation to construct polypeptides
The lessons have been written to include a wide range of activities and numerous understanding and prior knowledge checks so students can assess their progress against the current topic as well as be challenged to make links to other topics within this topic and earlier topics
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the introduction to gene mutations lesson as this has been shared for free
This detailed lesson describes the role of the strand of mRNA, the tRNA molecules, the amino acids and the ribosome during the second stage of protein synthesis - translation. Both the PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 6.2 (d) of the CIE International A-level Biology specification and ties in with the first part of this specification point which covered transcription.
Translation is a topic which is often poorly understood and so this lesson has been written to enable the students to understand how to answer the different types of questions by knowing and including the key details of the structures involved. The lesson begins by challenging the students to consider why it is so important that the amino acids are assembled in the correct order during the formation of the chain. Moving forwards, a quick quiz round called “LOST IN TRANSLATION” is used to check on their prior knowledge of the mRNA strand, the tRNA molecules, the genetic code and the ribosomes. The next task involves a very detailed description of translation that has been divided into 14 statements which the students have to put into the correct order. By giving them a passage that consists of this considerable detail, they can pick out the important parts to use in the next task where they have to answer shorter questions worth between 3 and 4 marks. These types of questions are common in the assessments and by building up through the lesson, their confidence to answer this type should increase. The final two tasks of the lesson involve another quiz called “The protein synthesis game”, where the teams compete to transcribe and translate in the quickest time before using all the information from the lessons on protein synthesis to answer some questions which involve the genetic code and the mRNA codon table.
This detailed and engaging lesson looks at the culture of transformed host cells as an in vivo method to amplify DNA fragments. Both the PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the third part of point 8.4.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and ties in with the previous two lessons in this sub-topic on producing DNA fragments and the polymerase chain reaction.
The lesson begins with the introduction of the terms transgenic and transformed. Students will learn that bacterial cells are the most commonly transformed cells so the next task challenges their recall of the structures of these cells so that plasmid DNA can be examined from that point onwards. A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the key term, vector, and then the rest of the lesson looks at the details of the five steps involved in the transformation of the host cell:
Remove and prepare the plasmid to act as a vector
Insert the DNA fragment into the vector
Transfer the recombinant plasmid into the host cell
Identify the cells which have taken up the recombinant plasmid
All the transformed host cells to replicate and express the novel gene
Time is taken to explore the finer details of each step such as the addition of the promoter and terminator regions, use of the same restriction enzyme to cut the plasmid as was used to cut the gene and the different types of marker genes. Links are continuously made to the previous lessons in this topic so that students feel confident to answer assessment questions which bring in knowledge from all of the sections.
This fully-resourced lesson bundle covers the content as detailed in topic 8.4.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification (recombinant DNA technology). All of the lessons have been written to contain a wide range of activities that will maintain student engagement whilst this potentially difficult concept is explained. Links are continuously made to previous lessons in topic 8 as well as those covered in the AS year (mainly topic 4)
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the producing DNA fragments lesson as this has been uploaded for free
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that has been written to challenge students on their knowledge and understanding of the PAPER 2 topics. The range of tasks will prepare the students to answer the range of questions that they may encounter on topics B1 and B6 - B9 as detailed in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The lesson has been designed to take place on the PAPER 2 HIGH STREET and the tasks include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes, engaging quiz competitions and discussion points to allow the following points to be covered:
Eukaryotic vs Prokaryotic cells
Converting between units of size
The structures of the animal and plant cells
The structure of the human heart
Calculating the surface area to volume ratio
Adaptations of the gas exchange system
The blood vessels associated with the human heart
Calculating the cardiac output
The features of the root hair cell to allow for absorption
The nitrogen cycle
The relationship between the rate of photosynthesis and light intensity and distance
Using the inverse square law calculation
Temperature and photosynthesis
The regulation of blood glucose by the release of insulin and glucagon
Diabetes type I and II
Calculating the BMI
The interaction of the reproductive hormones in the menstrual cycle
IVF as assisted reproductive technology
The hormonal and barrier methods of contraception
Eutrophication as a negative human interaction in an ecosystem
The carbon cycle
In order to cater for the range of abilities that can be found in Combined Science classes, most of the tasks have been differentiated. There are also a number of step by step guides to demonstrate how to tackle some of the more difficult concepts including the mathemetical elements
If you would like to see the quality of these revision lessons, download the PAPER 1 REVISION LESSON which has been shared for free
Disaccharides are formed from the condensation of two monosaccharides and this lesson describes the formation of maltose, sucrose and lactose. The PowerPoint and accompanying question sheet have been designed to cover the second part of point 1.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification but also make 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 digestion, translocation in the phloem and the Lac Operon in the control of gene expression. The lesson finishes with two exam-style questions where students have to demonstrate and apply their newly acquired knowledge
Monosaccharides are the monomers from which larger carbohydrates are formed and this lesson describes their structure and roles in living organisms. The detailed and engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of point 1.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and looks at alpha-glucose, beta-glucose, galactose, fructose, deoxyribose and ribose.
The lesson begins with a made-up round of the quiz show POINTLESS, where students have to try 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. 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 fully-resourced lesson describes how triglycerides are formed during condensation reactions and compares saturated and unsaturated lipids. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover the points 1.14 (i) & (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification and links are also made to related future topics such as the importance of the myelin sheath for the conduction of an electrical impulse.
The lesson begins with a focus on the basic structure and roles of lipids, including the elements that are found in this biological molecule and some of the places in living organisms where they are found. Moving forwards, the students are challenged to recall the structure of the carbohydrates from topics 1.12 & 1.13 so that the structure of a triglyceride can be introduced. Students will learn that this macromolecule is formed from one glycerol molecule and three fatty acids and have to use their understanding of condensation reactions to draw the final structure. Time is taken to look at the difference in structure and properties of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and students will be able to identify one from the other when presented with a molecular formula. The final part of the lesson explores how the various properties of a triglyceride mean that it has numerous roles in organisms including that of an energy store and source and as an insulator of heat and electricity.
This detailed lesson describes the formation of polypeptides as well as the different levels of protein structures and links this to function. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.9 (ii) & (iii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also makes specific reference to genes and therefore covers the details of point 2.8 too.
The start of the lesson focuses on the formation of a peptide bond during a condensation reaction so that students can understand how a dipeptide is formed and therefore how a polypeptide forms when multiple reactions occur.
The main part of the lesson describes the different levels of protein structure. A step by step guide is used to demonstrate how the sequences of bases in a gene acts as a template to form a sequence of codons on a mRNA strand and how this is translated into a particular sequence of amino acids known as the primary structure. The students are then challenged to apply their understanding of this process by using three more gene sequences to work out three primary structures and recognise how different genes lead to different sequences. Moving forwards, students will learn how the order of amino acids in the primary structure determines the shape of the protein molecule, through its secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure and time is taken to consider the details of each of these. There is a particular focus on the different bonds that hold the 3D shape firmly in place and a quick quiz round then introduces the importance of this shape as exemplified by enzymes, antibodies and hormones. The lesson concludes with one final task where the students have to identify three errors in a passage about the hydrolysis of a dipeptide or polypeptide.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the movement of molecules by active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis and explains the need for ATP. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been designed to cover the second part of point 2.4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology specification. The first part of 2.4, concerning simple and facilitated diffusion, was covered in the previous lesson.
The start of the lesson challenges the students to use their prior knowledge of biological molecules to come up with the abbreviation ATP and they will learn that this is a phosphorylated nucleotide that contains adenine, ribose and three phosphate groups. Students may not have known this as the energy currency from GCSE so time is taken to explain that this molecule must be broken down to release energy and students are challenged to recall which type of reaction will be involved and to predict the products of such a reaction. This hydrolysis of ATP can be coupled to energy-requiring reactions within the cell and the rest of the lesson focuses on the use of this energy for active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis. Students are challenged to answer a series of questions which compare active transport against the forms of passive transport and to use data from a bar chart to support this form of transport. In answering these questions they will discover that carrier proteins are specific to certain molecules and time is taken to look at the exact mechanism of these transmembrane proteins. A quick quiz round introduces endocytosis and the students will see how vesicles are involved along with the enery source of ATP to move large substances in or out of the cell. The lesson concludes with a link to a future topic as the students are shown how exocytosis is involved in a synapse.
This concise lesson describes the basic structure of an amino acid and introduces them as the monomers of polypeptides. The engaging PowerPoint has been designed to cover point 2.9 (i) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification and has been specifically written to lead into the next lesson on dipeptides and polypeptides.
The lesson begins with a prior knowledge check, where the students have to use the 1st letters of 4 answers to uncover a key term. This 4-letter key term is gene and the lesson begins with this word because it is important for students to understand that these sequences of bases on DNA determine the specific sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide as detailed in specification point 2.8. Moving forwards, the students are given discussion time to work out that there are 64 different DNA triplets and will learn that these encode for the 20 amino acids that are common to all organisms. The main task of the lesson is an observational one, where students are given time to study the displayed formula of 4 amino acids. They are not allowed to draw anything during this time but will be challenged with 3 multiple choice questions at the end. This task has been designed to allow the students to visualise how the 20 amino acids share common features in an amine and an acid group. A quick quiz round introduces the R group and time is taken to explain how the structure of this side chain is the only structural difference, before cysteine is considered in greater detail due to the presence of sulfur atoms. Students are briefly introduced to disulfide bridges so they will recognise how particular bonds form between the R groups in the tertiary structure which is covered in the next lesson. The lesson concludes with one more quiz round called LINK TO THE FUTURE where the students will see the roles played by amino acids in the later part of the course such as translation and dipeptides.
This detailed and engaging lesson describes the basic structure of a mononucleotide and the similarities and differences between DNA and RNA. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet containing exam-style questions have been designed to cover points 2.5 (i) & (ii) of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification.
In topic 1, the students were introduced to a number of monomers and the start of the lesson challenges them to recognise the key term nucleotide when only the letters U, C and T are shown. The next part of the lesson describes the structure of a DNA nucleotide and an RNA nucleotide so that the pentose sugar and the bases adenine, cytosine and guanine can be recognised as similarities whilst deoxyribose and ribose and thymine and uracil are seen as the differences. Time is taken to discuss how a phosphodiester bond is formed between adjacent nucleotides and their prior knowledge and understanding of condensation reactions is tested through a series of questions. Students are then introduced to the purine and pyrimidine bases and this leads into the description of the double-helical structure of DNA and the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases. The final section of the lesson describes the structure of mRNA, tRNA and rRNA and students are challenged to explain why this single stranded polynucleotide is shorter than DNA
In addition to the current understanding and prior knowledge checks, a number of quiz rounds have been written into the lesson to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way and the final round acts as a final check on the structures of DNA and RNA.
Some of the key biological topics are covered in topic 2 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) course and include the transport of materials across cell membranes, DNA structure and replication, protein synthesis and monohybrid inheritance. In line with this, many hours of intricate planning have gone into the design of all of the 19 lessons that are included in this bundle to ensure that the content is covered in detail, understanding is constantly checked to immediately address misconceptions and that engagement is high. This is achieved through the wide variety of tasks in the PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets which include exam-style questions with clear answers, discussion points, differentiated tasks and quick quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons within this bundle:
The properties of gas exchange surfaces in living organisms
Understand how the rate of diffusion is dependent on these properties and can be used in the calculation of the rate of diffusion by Fick’s law
Adaptations of the mammalian lung for rapid gaseous exchange
Structure and properties of cell membranes
Simple and facilitated diffusion as methods of passive transport
The involvement of ATP and carrier proteins in active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis
The basic structure of mononucleotides
The structures of DNA and RNA
The process of protein synthesis
The roles of the template strand, mRNA and tRNA
The nature of the genetic code
A gene is a sequence of bases on DNA that codes for the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide
The basic structure of an amino acid
The formation of polypeptides and proteins
The primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins
Globular and fibrous proteins using haemoglobin and collagen as examples
The mechanism of action and the specificity of enzymes
Enzymes are biological catalysts that reduce activation energy
The process of DNA replication
Errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations
The meaning of key genetic terms
Patterns of inheritance, in the context of monohybrid inheritance
Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems
Understand the uses and implications of genetic screening and prenatal testing
Due to the detail included in each of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2 months of allocated teaching time to cover the content.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the gas exchange surfaces, cell membranes, transcription, globular and fibrous proteins, monohybrid inheritance and cystic fibrosis lessons as these have been shared for free
This bundle contains 5 detailed and engaging lessons that cover the content in topic 2.2 of the CIE International A-level Biology course. Due to the importance of these biological molecules in living organisms, this mini-topic is fundamental to the whole course and planning has taken account of this with extra time given to those key details which must be understood.
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include discussion points, current understanding and prior knowledge checks and quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered in this bundle:
The ring forms of alpha and beta glucose
The meaning of the terms monomer, polymer, macromolecule, monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide
The formation and breakage of glycosidic bonds by condensation and hydrolysis reactions
The molecular structure of a triglyceride
The relationship between the structure and functions of triglycerides in living organisms
The structure and functions of phospholipids
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the glucose and phospholipids lessons as these have been shared for free
This bundle contains 4 detailed and engaging lessons that cover the content in topic 2.3 of the CIE International A-level Biology course. Due to the importance of proteins and water in living organisms, this mini-topic is fundamental to the whole course and planning has taken account of this with extra time given to key details that must be understood.
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include discussion points, current understanding and prior knowledge checks and quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered in this bundle:
The structure of an amino acid and the formation and breakage of a peptide bond
The meanings of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure
The types of bonding that hold protein molecules in shape
The molecular structure of haemoglobin as an example of a globular protein
Collagen as an example of a fibrous protein
The relationship between the properties of water and its roles in living organisms
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the haemoglobin and collagen lesson as this has been shared for free
This lesson describes the relationship between the structure and function of the vacuole, chloroplast and cell wall, as found in plant cells. Additional structures, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, were covered in the previous lesson on the structure of eukaryotic animal cells and the detailed content of these two lessons has been designed in parallel to cover the main content of point 2.1.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification.
The lesson begins with a task called REVERSE GUESS WHO which will challenge the students to recognise a cell structure from a description of its function. This will remind students that plant cells are eukaryotic and therefore contain a cell-surface membrane, a nucleus (+ nucleolus), a mitochondria, a Golgi apparatus, ribosomes and rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum like the animal cells. Moving forwards, the rest of the lesson focuses on the relationship between the structure and function of the vacuole, chloroplast and cellulose cell wall. When considering the vacuole, key structures such as the tonoplast are described as well as critical functions including the maintenance of turgor pressure. A detailed knowledge of the structure of the chloroplast at this early stage of their A-level studies will increase the likelihood of a clear understanding of photosynthesis when covered in topic 5. For this reason, time is taken to consider the light-dependent and light-independent reactions and to explain how these stages are linked. The final part of the lesson challenges the students on their knowledge of cellulose as a polysaccharide as previously covered in topic 1. In addition to the focus on plant cells, the presence of chloroplasts and a cell wall in algae and the latter in fungi is also described.
The previous lesson which contains the content that ties in closely with this one has been uploaded under the title “Structure of eukaryotic (animal) cells”
This lesson describes the sequence of events that occur during the phagocytosis of pathogens and the subsequent destruction by lysozymes. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover the second part of point 2.4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification but includes an introduction to antigen-presentation so that the students are prepared for upcoming lessons on the cellular and humoral responses.
At the start of the lesson, the students are challenged to recall that cytosis is a suffix associated with transport mechanisms and this introduces phagocytosis as a form of endocytosis which takes in pathogens and foreign particles. This emphasis on key terminology runs throughout the course of the lesson and students are encouraged to consider how the start or end of a word can be used to determine meaning. The process of phagocytosis is then split into 5 key steps and time is taken to discuss the role of opsonins as well as the fusion of lysosomes and the release of lysozymes. A series of application questions are used to challenge the students on their ability to make links to related topics including an understanding of how the hydrolysis of the peptidoglycan wall of a bacteria results in lysis. Students will be able to distinguish between neutrophils and monocytes from a diagram and at this point, the role of macrophages and dendritic cells as antigen-presenting cells is described so that it can be used in the next lesson. The lesson concludes with a brief introduction to lymphocytes so that initial links between phagocytosis and the specific immune responses are made.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the modes of action of the T and B lymphocytes in the immune response. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 2.4 of the CIE A-level Biology specification and the structure of antibodies and the roles of memory cells is also briefly introduced.
Antigen presentation was introduced at the end of the previous lesson so the task at the start of this lesson challenges students to recognise the name of this process and then they have to spot the errors in the passage that describes the details of this event. This reminds them that contact between the APC and T lymphocytes is necessary to elicit a response which they will come to recognise as the cellular response. A series of quick quiz rounds reveals key terms in a memorable way and one that is introduced is helper T cells. Time is then taken to describe the importance of cell signalling for an effective response and students will learn how the release of chemicals by these cells activates other aspects of the response. The role of the killer T cells is also described before an exam-style question is used to check on their understanding at this point of the lesson. This leads into the section of the lesson that deals with the humoral response and students will understand how this involves the antibodies that are produced by the plasma cells that are the result of clonal selection and expansion. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the role of the antibodies and the attachment of phagocytes to opsonins.
This lesson describes and explains the processes of simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of specification point 4.2 (a) of the CIE International A-level Biology course and the factors that increase the rate of diffusion are covered along with the limitations imposed by the phospholipid bilayer and the role of channel and carrier proteins.
The structure and properties of cell membranes was covered in topic 4.1 so this lesson has been written to include continual references to the content of that lesson. This enables links to be made between the movement across a cell membrane with the concentration gradient, the parts of the membrane that are involved and any features that may increase the rate at which the molecules move. A series of questions about the alveoli are used to demonstrate how a large surface area, a short diffusion distance and the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient will increase the rate of simple diffusion. One of two quick quiz rounds is then used to introduce temperature and size of molecule as two further factors that can affect simple diffusion. The remainder of the lesson focuses on facilitated diffusion and describes how transmembrane proteins are needed to move small, polar or large molecules from a high concentration to a lower concentration across a partially permeable membrane
This lesson describes the movement across cell membranes by simple and facilitated diffusion and describes how the rate is increased. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of specification point 2.3 of the AQA A-level Biology course and the limitations imposed by the phospholipid bilayer and the role of channel and carrier proteins are described in detail.
The structure and properties of cell membranes was covered in the previous lesson so this one has been written to include continual references to the content of these lessons. This enables links to be made between the movement across a cell membrane with the concentration gradient, the parts of the membrane that are involved and any features that may increase the rate at which the molecules move. A series of questions about the alveoli are used to demonstrate how a large surface area, a short diffusion distance and the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient will increase the rate of simple diffusion. One of two quick quiz rounds is then used to introduce temperature and size of molecule as two further factors that can affect simple diffusion. The remainder of the lesson focuses on facilitated diffusion and describes how transmembrane proteins are needed to move small, polar or large molecules from a high concentration to a lower concentration across a partially permeable membrane.
