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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
This fully-resourced lesson explores the inheritance of sex-linked diseases in humans and then challenges the students to apply their knowledge to examples in other animals. The detailed PowerPoint and associated differentiated resources have been designed to cover the part of point 7.1 of the AQA A-level specification which states that students should be able to use fully-labelled genetic diagrams to predict the results of crosses involving sex-linkage.
Key genetic terminology is used throughout and the lesson begins with a check on their ability to identify the definition of homologous chromosomes. Students will recall that the sex chromosomes are not fully homologous and that the smaller Y chromosome lacks some of the genes that are found on the X. This leads into one of the numerous discussion points, where students are encouraged to consider whether females or males are more likely to suffer from sex-linked diseases. In terms of humans, the lesson focuses on haemophilia and red-green colour blindness and a step-by-step guide is used to demonstrate how these specific genetic diagrams should be constructed and how the phenotypes should then be interpreted. The final tasks of the lesson challenge the students to carry out a dihybrid cross that involves a sex-linked disease and an autosomal disease before applying their knowledge to a question about chickens and how the rate of feather production in chicks can be used to determine gender.
All of the tasks are differentiated so that students of differing abilities can access the work and all exam questions have fully-explained, visual markschemes to allow them to assess their progress and address any misconceptions
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
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.
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.
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.
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
This bundle of 20 lessons covers the majority of the content that’s included in modules 5.1.1 - 5.1.4 of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. All of the lessons are highly detailed and have been planned at length to ensure that they are filled with a wide range of tasks to engage and motivate the students whilst checking on their understanding.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
5.1.1: Communication and homeostasis
The communication between cells by cell signalling
The principle of homeostasis
The physiological and behavioural responses involved in temperature control in endotherms and ectotherms
5.1.2: Excretion as an example of homeostatic control
The functions of the mammalian liver
The gross structure and histology of the kidney
The processes of ultrafiltration and selective reabsorption
The control of the water potential of the blood
The effects of kidney failure and its potential treatments
5.1.3: Neuronal communication
The roles of mammalian sensory receptors in converting stimuli into nerve impulses
The structure and functions of sensory, relay and motor neurones
The generation and transmission of nerve impulses in mammals
The structures and roles of synapses in transmission
5.1.4: Hormonal communication
Endocrine communication by hormones
The structure and functions of the adrenal glands
The structure of the pancreas
The regulation of blood glucose concentration
The difference between diabetes mellitus type I and II
The potential treatments for diabetes mellitus
It is estimated that it will take in excess of 2 months of allocated A-level teaching time to cover the detail included in these lessons
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the following lessons as they have been shared for free:
The principles of homeostasis
Temperature control in ectotherms
The functions of the liver
The structure of the kidney
The generation and transmission of nerve impulses
Endocrine communication
This lesson describes an ion as an atom with a positive or negative charge, and explains how cations and anions are formed in ionic compounds. The lesson PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover points 1.22 - 1.24 of the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification and also covers the same points on the Combined Science course.
The first part of the lesson focuses on atoms and specifically on getting students to recall that they contain the same number of protons and electrons and this is why they have no overall charge. By ensuring that they are confident with this fact, they will be able to understand why ions have a charge. Students will learn that ions have full outer shells of electrons and this change in the number of this sub-atomic particle leads to the charge. They are shown examples with aluminium and oxide ions and then are challenged to apply this new-found knowledge to a task where they have to explain how group 1, 2, 5 and 7 atoms become ions. The final part of the lesson looks at how ion knowledge can be assessed in a question as they have to recognise the electron configuration of one and describe how many sub-atomic particles are found in different examples. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used with higher ability KS3 students who are looking to extend their knowledge past basic atomic structure
This lesson describes how to calculate the standard deviation to measure the spread of a set of data and to compare means using the t-test. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the part of point 4.2.2 (f) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification that includes these two statistical tests.
A step by step guide walks the students through each stage of the calculation of the standard deviation and gets them to complete a worked example with the class before applying their knowledge to another set of data. This data looks at the birth weights of humans on one day in the UK and this is used again later in the lesson to compare against the birth weights of babies in South Asia when using the student’s t-test. The null hypothesis is introduced and students will learn to accept or reject this based upon a comparison of their value against one taken from the table based on the degrees of freedom.
This lesson describes the effect that treaties such as CITES have had on global diversity. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover point 10.4 (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification but has been planned to constantly challenge them on their knowledge of topic 3.3 (biodiversity) as a local conservation agreement is also considered
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:
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 final part of the lesson considers the Countryside Stewardship Scheme as a local conservation agreements and discusses the reasons behind some of the key points. Students are told that farmers, woodland owners, foresters and land managers can apply for funding for a range of options including hedgerow management, low input grassland, buffer strips, management plans and soil protection options. The importance of the hedgerows for multiple species is discussed, and again a real-life example is used with bats to increase the likelihood of retention. The last task challenges them to use their overall knowledge of biodiversity to explain why buffer strips consisting of multiple types of vegetation are used and to explain why these could help when a farmer is using continuous monoculture.
This lesson bundle contains 9 detailed and engaging lessons which have been designed to cover the following content in topics 10 & 11 of the CIE A-level Biology specification:
10.1: Infectious diseases
The meaning of the term disease and the difference between infectious and non-infectious diseases
The name and type of pathogen that causes cholera, malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, smallpox and measles
Explain how cholera, malaria, TB, HIV and measles are transmitted
10.2: Antibiotics
Outline how penicillin acts on bacteria and why antibiotics do not affect viruses
Outline how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics with reference to mutation and selection
Discuss the consequences of antibiotic resistance and the steps that can be taken to reduce its impact
11.1: The immune system
State that phagocytes have their origin in bone marrow and describe their mode of action
Describe the modes of action of B and T lymphocytes
The meaning of the term immune response, with reference to antigens, self and non-self
Explain the role of memory cells in long term immunity
Autoimmune diseases as exemplified by myasthenia gravis
11.2: Antibodies and vaccination
Relate the molecular structure of antibodies to their functions
Distinguish between active and passive, natural and artificial immunity and explain how vaccination can control disease
Each of the lesson PowerPoints is accompanied by worksheets which together contain a wide range of tasks that will engage and motivate the students whilst challenging them on their understanding of the current topic as well as previously-covered topics.
If you would like to get an understanding of the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the transmission of infectious diseases and phagocytes and phagocytosis lessons as these have been shared for free.
This lesson describes why a disease would be deemed to be an autoimmune disease and describes the mechanisms involved in a few examples. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets have been primarily designed to cover point 4.1.1 (k) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification, but this lesson can also be used to revise the content of modules 2 and 3 and the previous lessons in 4.1.1 through the range of activities included
The lesson begins with a challenge, where the students have to recognise diseases from descriptions and use the first letters of their names to form the term, autoimmune. In doing so, the students will immediately learn that rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, type I diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis are all examples of autoimmune diseases. The next part of the lesson focuses on the mechanism of these diseases where the immune system cells do not recognise the antigens (self-antigens) on the outside of the healthy cells, and therefore treats them as foreign antigens, resulting in the production of autoantibodies against proteins on these healthy cells and tissues. Key details of the autoimmune diseases stated above and lupus are described and links to previously covered topics as well as to future topics such as the nervous system are made. The students will be challenged by numerous exam-style questions, all of which have mark schemes embedded into the PowerPoint to allow for immediate assessment of progress.
This detailed lesson describes the absorption of water, the movement through the root and the role of the endodermis. Both the PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover specification points (j, k & l) in topic 3 of AS unit 2 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification and includes descriptions of the apoplast, symplast and vacuolar pathways and the Casparian strip.
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 apoplast 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 apoplast 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.
A detailed lesson presentation (37 slides) and associated worksheets that guide students through the DNA sequencing method called pyrosequencing. The lesson focusses on the numerous enzymes and substrates which are involved in the cascade of events which eventually leads to the production of light when the conversion from luciferin to oxyluciferin occurs. A step by step guide is used to show the students how these events occur and the different outcomes are explored. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding of this topic and the links to similar topics.
This lesson has been designed for A-level students and above
