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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.

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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.
Selective breeding
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Selective breeding

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This is a fast-paced lesson which goes through the main steps of selective breeding and looks at the potential risks of this process. The lesson begins by looking at the characteristics of a number of organisms that would be selected. Time is taken to ensure that students understand that selective breeding is not a new thing and has been going on for a very long time and therefore some of the problems associated with this are now being experienced. The actual process is reduced down into 5 steps which can be recalled and applied to questions. The remainder of the lesson looks at the potential issues with selective breeding. The reduction in the nose size of pugs is explored as an example of the health problems which bred animals may face. This lesson has been written for GCSE students.
TB and HIV (Edexcel A-level Biology A)
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TB and HIV (Edexcel A-level Biology A)

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This fully-resourced lesson describes how Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency virus infect human cells. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 6.6 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification and ties in directly with the previous lesson where the structure of bacteria and viruses were compared. The lesson begins by ensuring that students recognise that TB is caused by the infection of a species of bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and they will challenged to use their knowledge of scientific classification to recall that this pathogen is found in the mycobacteria genus. At this point, the students are told that the cell walls of this genus contain mycolic acids and later in the lesson they will have to work out that this specialist feature enables this pathogen to survive phagocytosis. A series of exam-style questions will challenge their knowledge of the respiratory and immune systems as they can understand how the bacterium travels to the alveoli where it is engulfed by a macrophage. Key terms like granuloma and necrosis are introduced and the sequence of events that occur following the formation of this aggregate of cells is described. The structure of viruses was covered during the previous lesson, so this next part of the lesson starts by challenging the students to recall the capsid, genetic material in the form of viral RNA and the lipid envelope. At this point, the students are introduced to gp120, the glycoprotein which is exposed on the surface of the lipid envelope, as this structure is critical for the entry of the virus into host cells. Students will annotate a basic diagram of HIV with these four structures which also has gp41 labelled. A quick quiz competition introduces the names of the enzymes found inside the capsid Moving forwards, the main task of this part of the lesson describes how HIV binds to the helper T cells, injects its capsid and integrates its DNA into the host’s genome in order to replicate to form virus particles (virions). Students are guided through the formation of a detailed answer about the mechanism of HIV and have to input key terms and structures where information is missing. Students will learn that the increase in the number of virus particles and a decrease in helper T cells and other immune cells results in infections like TB and by opportunistic pathogens and that this stage is recognised as AIDS
Efficiency of energy transfer (AQA A-level Biology)
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Efficiency of energy transfer (AQA A-level Biology)

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This lesson describes and explains how production is affected by a range of farming practices designed to increase the efficiency of energy transfer. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the third lesson in a series of 3 which have been designed to cover the detail included in specification point 5.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. Over the course of the lesson, a range of tasks which include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes, guided discussion periods and quick quiz competitions will introduce and consider the following farming practices: raising herbivores to reduce the number of trophic levels in a food chain intensely rearing animals to reduce respiratory losses in human food chains the use of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides the addition of artificial fertilisers The ethical issues raised by these practices are also considered and alternative methods discussed such as the addition of natural predators and the use of organic fertilisers like manure As this is the last lesson in topic 5.3, it has been specifically planned to challenge the students on their knowledge of the previous two lessons and this includes a series of questions linking farming practice to the formula to calculate net production
Farming and conservation (AQA A-level Biology)
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Farming and conservation (AQA A-level Biology)

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This lesson explores how certain farming methods reduce biodiversity and considers the importance of a balance between conservation and farming. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are the second in a series of 2 lessons which cover the detail in point 4.6 (biodiversity within a community) of the AQA A-level biology specification. The lesson begins by challenging the students to use the % change formula to calculate the predicted population in the UK by mid 2030. This increase to almost 70 million will lead into the recognition that farmers are under constant pressure to grow and provide enough food to feed this ever-growing population. A series of tasks and discussions will consider farming methods such as continuous monoculture and herbicides and insecticides which reduce biodiversity. This introduces conservation as active management to prevent the loss of biodiversity and several methods including the CSS and buffer strips are explored to encourage the students to think about the aims of these strategies. The other lesson covering specification point 4.6 is uploaded and named “biodiversity within a community”.
Topic 5.3: Energy and ecosystems (AQA A-level biology)
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Topic 5.3: Energy and ecosystems (AQA A-level biology)

3 Resources
All 3 lessons included in this bundle are detailed and engaging and have been planned at length to cover the content of topic 5.3 of the AQA A-level biology specification, which is titled energy and ecosystems. The lessons contain a variety of tasks which introduce the biological content and then provide the students with opportunities to assess their understanding. There are also prior knowledge checks to make links to content from earlier in topic 5 and in topics 1 - 4. All the answers to the checks are embedded in the PowerPoint. If you would like to check the quality of these lessons, download the lesson titled “GPP, NPP & N” as this has been shared for free.
Gross structure of the human heart (AQA A-level Biology)
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Gross structure of the human heart (AQA A-level Biology)

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This fully-resourced lesson looks at the structures that make up the gross anatomy of the heart and also covers the calculation of cardiac ouput. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the 4th part of point 3.4.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should be able to describe the gross structure of the human heart and be able to use the equation stroke volume x heart rate to calculate cardiac output. As this topic was covered at GCSE, the lesson has been planned to build on this prior knowledge whilst adding the key details which will enable students to provide A-level standard answers. The primary focus is the identification of the different structures of the heart but it also challenges their ability to recognise the important relationship to function. For example, time is taken to ensure that students can explain why the atrial walls are thinner than the ventricular walls and why the right ventricle has a thinner wall than the left ventricle. Opportunities are taken throughout the lesson to link this topic to the others found in topic 3.4.1 such as blood circulation and the cardiac cycle. Moving forwards, the students are introduced to the stroke volume and meet normative values for this and for resting heart rate. This will lead into the calculation for cardiac output and a series of questions are used to test their ability to apply this equation as well as percentage change.
Aerobic respiration (Edexcel A-level Biology B)
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Aerobic respiration (Edexcel A-level Biology B)

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This detailed lesson describes each of the 4 stages of aerobic respiration and explains how this cellular reaction yields ATP and generates heat. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover points 5.1 (i) and (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specificaiton and acts as a clear introduction for the upcoming lessons where the finer details of glycolysis, the Link reaction and Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation are described The lesson begins with an introduction to glycolysis and students will learn how this first stage of aerobic respiration is also the first stage when oxygen is not present. This stage involves 10 reactions and an opportunity is taken to explain how each of these reactions is catalysed by a different, specific intracellular enzyme. A version of “GUESS WHO” challenges students to use a series of structural clues to whittle the 6 organelles down to just the mitochondrion so that they can learn how the other three stages take place inside this organelle. Moving forwards, the key components of the organelle are identified on a diagram. Students are introduced to the stages of respiration so that they can make a link to the parts of the cell and the mitochondria where each stage occurs. Students will learn that the presence of decarboxylase and dehydrogenase enzymes in the matrix along with coenzymes and oxaloacetate allows the link reaction and the Krebs cycle to run and that these stages produce the waste product of carbon dioxide. Finally, time is taken to introduce the electron transport chain and the enzyme, ATP synthase, so that students can begin to understand how the flow of protons across the inner membrane results in the production of ATP and the the formation of water when oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor.
Topic 1: Cell structure (CIE A-level Biology)
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Topic 1: Cell structure (CIE A-level Biology)

7 Resources
As Biology is the study of living organisms which are built out of cells, a clear understanding of the topic of cell structure is critical for a student’s success in A-level Biology. Intricate planning has gone into all 7 of the lessons included in this bundle and the variety of tasks will engage and motivate the students whilst the details of the following specification points in topic 1 of the CIE A-level Biology course are covered: Topic 1.1: The microscope in cell studies Use an eyepiece graticule and stage micrometer to measure cells Use of the millimetre, micrometre and nanometre Distinguish between resolution and magnification The use of light and electron microscopes Calculate the actual sizes of specimens Topic 1.2: Cells as the basic units of living organisms Recognise eukaryotic cell structures and outline their functions State that ATP is produced in the mitochondria and the chloroplast and the role of this molecule in cells The structure of a typical prokaryotic cell The differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells The key features of viruses If you would like to sample the quality of these lessons, download the magnification and resolution lesson, the eukaryotic cell structures lesson and the viruses lesson as these have been shared for free
Structure of plant cells (Edexcel Int. A-level Biology)
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Structure of plant cells (Edexcel Int. A-level Biology)

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This lesson describes the structure and ultrastructure of plant cells to allow students to compare this structure against animal cell structure. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 4.1 (i) & (ii) in unit 2 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification and also describes the functions of the cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplast, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella The lesson begins with a task called REVERSE GUESS WHO which will challenge the students to recognise a particular organelle 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 next part of the lesson focuses on the relationship between the structure and function of the vacuole, chloroplast, plasmodesmata 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. Students will learn that chloroplasts and amyloplasts can contain stores of starch so an opportunity is taken to challenge them on their knowledge of this polysaccharide as it was covered in topic 1. The final task challenges them to recognise descriptions of the cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplasts, vacuole, tonoplast and plasmodesmata which will leave 2 remaining which describe the pits and middle lamella.
Topic 4: Biodiversity and natural resources (Edexcel SNAB)
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Topic 4: Biodiversity and natural resources (Edexcel SNAB)

11 Resources
This lesson bundle contains 11 lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources which are filled with a wide variety of tasks to motivate and engage the students whilst covering the detailed content of topic 4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A (Salters Nuffield) specification. Extensive planning has gone into each lesson to ensure that understanding is complete and that students are challenged to make links to previously covered topics. The tasks include exam-style questions, differentiated tasks, guided discussion points and quick quiz competitions and together these cover the following specification points in topic 4: The meaning of the terms biodiversity and endemism Measuring biodiversity within a habitat using species richness and within a species by calculating the heterozygosity index Comparing biodiversity between habitats by calculating an index of diversity The concept of niche and examples of behavioural, anatomical and physiological adaptations Natural selection can lead to adaptation and evolution The Hardy-Weinberg equation can be used to see whether a change in allele frequency is occurring in a population over time Reproductive isolation can lead to the formation of new species Classification is built around the species concept Critical evaluation of new data by the scientific community, which leads to new taxonomic groupings The ultrastructure of plant cells The structure and function of the polysaccharides starch and cellulose The similarities and differences between the structures, position and function of sclerenchyma fibres, xylem vessels and phloem The importance of water and inorganic ions to plants Evaluate the methods used by zoos and seed banks in the conservation of endangered species and their genetic diversity If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the isolation and speciation, ultrastructure of plant cells and xylem, phloem and sclerenchyma lessons as these have been uploaded for free
Topic 5: Energy Flow, Ecosystems and the Environment (Edexcel International A-level Biology)
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Topic 5: Energy Flow, Ecosystems and the Environment (Edexcel International A-level Biology)

11 Resources
As the first topic to be taught at the start at the second year of the Edexcel International A-level Biology course, topic 5 is very important and the content includes the key reaction of photosynthesis. All 11 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been filled with a wide variety of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points: The overall reaction of photosynthesis The phosphorylation of ADP and the hydrolysis of ATP The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis The products of the Calvin cycle The structure of the chloroplasts and the role of this organelle in photosynthesis The absorption spectrum and action spectrum Separating chloroplast pigments using chromatography and identifying them using retention factor values Be able to calculate net primary productivity Know the relationship between NPP, GPP and R Understand the meaning of the terms ecosystem, community, population and habitat The numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors The concept of niche The effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity and the calculation of the Q10 Isolation reduces gene flow and leads to allopatric and sympatric speciation If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the products of photosynthesis and succession lessons as these have been uploaded for free
Cell structure & biological molecules (OCR A-level Biology A)
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Cell structure & biological molecules (OCR A-level Biology A)

19 Resources
It’s fair to say that cell structure and biological molecules are two of the most important topics in the OCR A-level Biology A course and all 19 lessons that are included in this bundle have been planned at length to cover the module 2.1.1 & 2.1.2 specification points in the detail required at this level. The lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks as well as regular checks to allow students to assess their understanding of the current content as well as prior knowledge checks to emphasise the importance of making links to topics in other modules. The following specification points in modules 2.1.1 (cell structure) and 2.1.2 (biological molecules) are covered by the lessons in this bundle: 2.1.1 The use of microscopy to observe and investigate different types of cell and cell structure in a range of eukaryotic organisms The use of the eyepiece graticule and stage micrometer The use of staining in light microscopy The use and manipulation of the magnification formula The difference between magnification and resolution The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the functions of the different cellular components The interrelationship between the organelles involved in the production and secretion of proteins The importance of the cytoskeleton The similarities and differences between the ultrastructure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells 2.1.2 The properties and roles of water in living organisms The concept of monomers and polymers and the importance of condensation and hydrolysis reactions The chemical elements that make up biological molecules The structure and properties of glucose and ribose The synthesis and breakdown of a disaccharide and a polysaccharide by the formation and breakage of glycosidic bonds The structure of starch, glycogen and cellulose molecules The relationship between the structure, function and roles of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol in living organisms The general structure of an amino acid The synthesis and breakdown of dipeptides and polypeptides The levels of protein structure The structure and function of globular proteins The properties and functions of fibrous proteins The key inorganic ions involved in biological processes The chemical tests for proteins, reducing and non-reducing sugars, starch and lipids If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons included in this bundle, then download the following lessons as they have been uploaded for free: The use of microscopy The importance of the cytoskeleton Properties and roles of water Glucose & ribose General structure of an amino acid Dipeptides, polypeptides and protein structure
The main stages of MEIOSIS (OCR A-level Biology A)
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The main stages of MEIOSIS (OCR A-level Biology A)

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This lesson describes the main stages of meiosis, focusing on the events which contribute to genetic variation and explains its significance in life cycles. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.1.6 (f) & (g) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and includes description of crossing over, independent assortment, independent segregation and the production of haploid gametes In order to understand how the events of meiosis like crossing over and independent assortment and independent segregation can lead to variation, students need to be clear in their understanding that DNA replication in interphase results in homologous chromosomes as pairs of sister chromatids. Therefore the beginning of the lesson focuses on the chromosomes in the parent cell and this first part of the cycle and students will be introduced to non-sister chromatids and the fact that they may contain different alleles which is important for the exchange that occurs during crossing over. Time is taken to go through this event in prophase I in a step by step guide so that the students can recognise that the result can be new combinations of alleles that were not present in the parent cell. Moving forwards, the lesson explores how the independent assortment and segregation of chromosomes and chromatids during metaphase I and II and anaphase I and II respectively results in genetically different gametes. The key events of all of the 8 phases are described and there is a focus on key terminology to ensure that students are able to describe genetic structures in the correct context. The final part of the lesson looks at the use of a mathematical expression to calculate the possible combinations of alleles in gametes as well as in a zygote following the random fertilisation of haploid gametes. Understanding and prior knowledge checks are interspersed throughout the lesson as well as a series of exam-style questions which challenge the students to apply their knowledge to potentially unfamiliar situations. This lesson has been specifically planned to lead on from the previous two lessons on the cell cycle and the main stages of mitosis and constant references are made throughout to encourage students to make links and also to highlight the differences between the two types of nuclear division
Enzymes, biological membranes & cell division (OCR A-level Biology A)
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Enzymes, biological membranes & cell division (OCR A-level Biology A)

13 Resources
This lesson bundle has been formed from the 13 detailed lesson PowerPoints and their accompanying resources that have been uploaded to cover a lot of the content in modules 2.1.4, 2.1.5 and 2.1.6 of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. Each lesson contains a wide range of tasks, which include exam-style questions (with mark schemes), guided discussion points, and quick quiz competitions, that will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points: Module 2.1.4: Enzymes The role of enzymes in catalysing reactions that affect metabolism at a cellular and whole organism level The role of enzymes in catalysing both intracellular and extracellular reactions The mechanism of enzyme action The effect of pH on enzyme activity The effect of temperature on enzyme activity The calculation of the temperature coefficient The effect of enzyme and substrate concentration on enzyme activity The need for coenzymes, cofactors and prosthetic groups in some enzyme-controlled reactions Module 2.1.5: Biological membranes The fluid mosaic model of membrane structure and the roles of its components Simple and facilitated diffusion as forms of passive transport Active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis as processes requiring ATP as an immediate source of energy The movement of water across membranes by osmosis and the effects that solutions of different water potential can have on plant and animal cells Module 2.1.6: Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation The cell cycle How the cell cycle is regulated The main stages of mitosis The significance of mitosis in life cycles The significance of meiosis in life cycles The main stages of meiosis How cells of multicellular organisms are specialised for particular functions The organisation of cells into tissues, organs and organ systems The production of erythrocytes and neutrophils from stem cells in bone marrow If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the following lessons as they have been uploaded for free: The roles of enzymes and mechanism of action Simple and facilitated diffusion Cell specialisation and organisation
Autosomal linkage (AQA A-level Biology)
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Autosomal linkage (AQA A-level Biology)

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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 7.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should be able to use fully-labelled genetic diagrams to interpret the results of crosses involving 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 6 lessons from topic 7.1 (Inheritance) and these have also been uploaded
Genetic bottleneck and the Founder effect (OCR A-level Biology)
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Genetic bottleneck and the Founder effect (OCR A-level Biology)

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This engaging and fully-resourced lesson looks at how genetic drift can arise after a genetic bottleneck or as a result of the Founder effect. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 6.1.2 (e) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply an understanding of the factors that affect the evolution of a species. A wide range of examples are used to show the students how a population that descends from a small number of parents will have a reduction in genetic variation and a change in the frequency of existing alleles. Students are encouraged to discuss new information to consider key points and understanding checks in a range of forms are used to enable them to check their progress and address any misconceptions. Students are provided with three articles on Huntington’s disease in South Africa, the Caribbean lizards and the plains bison to understand how either a sharp reduction in numbers of a new population beginning from a handful of individuals results in a small gene pool. Links to related topics are made throughout the lesson to ensure that a deep understanding is gained. This lesson has been designed to tie in with another uploaded lesson on types of selection which is part of this specification point
Non-specific immune responses (Edexcel A-level Biology A)
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Non-specific immune responses (Edexcel A-level Biology A)

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This fully-resourced lesson describes the non-specific responses of the body to infection and includes details of phagocytosis, inflammation and interferon release. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover the content of point 6.7 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but topics including antigen-presentation are also introduced to prepare students for upcoming lessons on the immune response (6.8 & 6.9). 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 importance of cell signalling for an effective immune response is discussed and the rest of the lesson focuses on the release of two chemicals - interferons and histamine. During the interferon section, references are made to a previous lesson on HIV structure and action so students can understand how the release of these signalling proteins helps neighbouring cells to heighten their anti-viral defences. A step by step guide is used to describe the release of histamine in the inflammatory response and the final task challenges students to use this support to form a detailed answer regarding the steps in inflammation.
Immunity (Edexcel A-level Biology A)
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Immunity (Edexcel A-level Biology A)

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This fully-resourced lesson explains how individuals develop immunity and includes a focus on the different types (active, passive, natural, artificial). The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 6.12 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification and there is also a description and discussion of herd immunity to increase the relevance to the current epidemic with COVID-19. The lesson begins with a series of exam-style questions which challenge the students to demonstrate and apply their understanding of the immune response as covered in the previous lessons on topics 6.8 & 6.9. In answering and assessing their answers to these questions, the students will recognise the differences between the primary and secondary immune responses and are then encouraged to discuss how the production of a larger concentration of antibodies in a quicker time is achieved. The importance of antibodies and the production of memory cells for the development of immunity is emphasised and this will be continually referenced as the lesson progresses. The students will learn that this response of the body to a pathogen that has entered the body through natural processes is natural active immunity. Moving forwards, time is taken to look at vaccinations as an example of artificial active immunity. Another series of questions focusing on the MMR vaccine will challenge the students to explain how the deliberate exposure to antigenic material activates the immune response and leads to the retention of memory cells. A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the variety of forms that the antigenic material can take along with examples of diseases that are vaccinated against using these methods. The eradication of smallpox is used to describe the concept of herd immunity and the students are given time to consider the scientific questions and concerns that arise when the use of this pathway is a possible option for a government. The remainder of the lesson looks at the different forms of passive immunity and describes the drawbacks in terms of the need for a full response if a pathogen is reencoutered.
ELISA test (AQA A-level Biology)
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ELISA test (AQA A-level Biology)

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This fully-resourced lesson describes how antibodies are used in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the last lesson in a series of 7 which have been designed to cover the details within point 2.4 of the AQA A-level specification. As the last lesson in this sub-topic, prior knowledge checks are included throughout the lesson which challenge the students on their knowledge of antibodies, immunity and protein structure. The lesson begins by challenging the students to use the details of a poster to recognise that individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 could donate plasma and the antibodies be infused into newly infected individuals. They are then expected to answer a series of exam-style questions where they have to describe the structure of these specific antibodies, recognise this as artificial, passive immunity and describe the potential problems should the virus mutate and the shape of its antigens change. This leads into the introduction of the use of antibodies in other ways, namely the ELISA test. The methodology of this test has been divided into four key steps which students will consider one at a time and then answer further questions about key details such as the immobilisation of the antigen and the removal of proteins and antibodies that have not bound by the washing with the detergent after each step. The lesson focuses on the use of this test for medical diagnosis but other uses such as plant pathology and the detection of allergens is briefly introduced at the end of the lesson.
Module 2.1.1: Cell structure (OCR A-level Biology A)
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Module 2.1.1: Cell structure (OCR A-level Biology A)

6 Resources
As cells are the building blocks of living organisms, and Biology is the study of life, it’s fairly obvious that a clear understanding of cell structure is going to be critical for the success of an A-level student on the OCR A-level Biology A course. The 6 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been intricately planned to contain the detail needed at this level and to make links to topics in the other modules of the specification. The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points in module 2.1.1: The use of microscopy to observe and investigate different types of cell and cell structure in a range of eukaryotic organisms The use of the eyepiece graticule and stage micrometer The use of staining in light microscopy The use and manipulation of the magnification formula The difference between resolution and magnification The ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and the functions of the different cellular components The interrelationship between the organelles involved in the production and secretion of proteins The importance of the cytoskeleton The similarities and differences in the structure and ultrastructure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons included in this bundle, then download “The use of microscopy” and “cytoskeleton” lessons as these have been uploaded for free