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 is a fast-paced lesson that explores the structural differences (and similarities) between sensory and motor neurones. The lesson uses a range of tasks, progress checks and quick competitions to enable the students to recognise how these neurones differ in terms of the cell body, axon and dendron. Students will also understand that both neurones are myelinated which allows saltatory conduction to occur. Relay neurones are briefly discussed during the final section of the lesson.
This lesson has primarily been designed for A-level students but can be used with the content means that it is suitable for use with GCSE students too who are studying the nervous system.
A fast-paced, quick lesson which focuses on the key terminology that is involved in the separation topic so that students are confident with the definitions and to use them in context. A lot of the key terms begin with the prefix SOL and the opening task challenges students to use their Chemistry knowledge to convert numbers to letters to come up with these three letters. Having completed the crossword with the 5 key terms, solute, solution, solubility, solvent and soluble, students have to match the crossword clues with each term. Moving forwards, students are introduced to the term, saturated, and briefly shown the meaning of this word. The final task of the lesson challenges the students to use each of the 6 terms beginning with S to complete a passage about salt dissolving in a water.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the sliding filament model of muscular contraction and has been designed to cover the 4th part of point E2 in UNIT 2 of the Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science specification. The wide range of activities included in the lesson will engage and motivate the students whilst the understanding checks will allow them to assess their progress.
The lesson begins by getting them to reveal the prefix myo so that they can recognise that myology is the study of muscles. This leads into the next task, where they have to identify two further terms beginning with myo and are the names of structures involved in the arrangement of skeletal muscle. Key terminology is used throughout the lesson so that students feel comfortable when they encounter this in questions. Students were introduced to the sarcomere and the bands and zones that are found within a myofibril in a previous lesson and they are challenged to discuss how the sarcomere can narrow but the lengths of the myofilaments remain the same. The main task of the lesson involves the formation of a bullet point description of the sliding filament model where one event is the trigger for the next. Time is taken during this section to focus on the involvement of calcium ions and ATP. The final part of the lesson involves students having to apply their knowledge by describing the effect on muscle contraction when a part of a structure is unable to function correctly.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the structure of the heart as well as the associated blood vessels. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying differentiated resources have been designed to cover the 1st part of point 1.2.5 as detailed in the Edexcel A-level PE specification which states that students need to learn about the anatomical components and structure of the heart.
The structure of the heart is a topic which was covered in part at GCSE so this lesson has been written to build on that prior knowledge. The main task of the lesson involves students labelling the different structures as they are recalled. Time is taken at different points of the lesson to look at some of the structures and concepts in further detail. For example, students will learn that humans have a double circulatory system, as detailed in point 1.2.6, and that the thicker muscular wall of the left ventricle allows the blood in the systemic circulation to be pumped at a higher pressure than in the pulmonary circulation. Students are also challenged to explain why a hole in the septum would cause health issues for an affected individual and this links back to previous work in unit 1 on energy systems.
By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to identify the following structures and describe their individual functions:
right and left atria
right and left ventricles
septum
tricuspid and bicuspid valve
semi-lunar valves
pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein
vena cava
aorta
A number of quiz rounds are used throughout the lesson to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way before the final round is used as a final check so they can assess whether they can recognise the structures and recall their functions.
This lesson describes and explains how the contraction of the heart chambers during atrial and ventricular systole and the relaxation during diastole causes blood to flow through the heart. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover the first part of point 1.2.6 as detailed in the Edexcel A-level PE specification which states that students need to learn about the physiology of the cardiovascular system with regards to the cardiac cycle.
The students will have already encountered aspects of the cardiovascular system in topic 1.2.5 and this lesson aims to build on that knowledge. Students will be introduced to the sequence of events known as the cardiac cycle and will learn that the cycle can be split into three parts, which are atrial systole, ventricular systole and diastole. There is a particular focus on the role of the AV and semi-lunar valves in the control of blood flow and students are challenged to explain how pressure changes cause these valves to open or close. The final task of the lesson involves a quiz round called “RECYCLE THIS?” where the teams have to use their knowledge of the cardiac cycle and the function and anatomy of the heart and blood vessels from a previous lesson to spot any errors in the description of blood flow through the heart
This is a fully-resourced lesson which describes the relationship between cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate and explains how they differ between rest and during exercise. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the 5th point in SECTION 9 of the CIE International A-level PE specification.
The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise that the left ventricle has the most muscular wall of all of the heart chambers. This allows the stroke volume to be introduced as the volume of blood ejected from the left ventricle each heart beat and then a quiz competition is used to introduce normative values for the stroke volume and the heart rate. Moving forwards, students will learn that the cardiac output is the product of the stroke volume and the heart rate. The main part of the lesson looks at the adaptation of the heart to aerobic training in the form of cardiac hypertrophy and then the students are challenged to work out how this would affect the stroke volume, the cardiac output and the resting heart rate. A number of tasks are used to get the students to explain why the resting heart rate decreases and to calculate the changes in cardiac output. One of the two tasks has been differentiated and this allows students of differing abilities to access the work.
This detailed lesson introduces ATP as the body’s energy store and energy currency and introduces PC, glycogen and fat are sources for energy transfer to re-synthesise ATP during exercise. The engaging PowerPoint has been designed to cover the “Energy transfer in the body” section of topic 1.1.6 as detailed in the AQA A-level PE specification.
The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise that the link between muscle contraction, active transport and the conduction of electrical impulses is the need for energy. A number of quick quiz competitions are used throughout the lesson to maintain engagement and to introduce key terms and values and the first quiz round will result in the students meeting adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP). Time is taken to describe the structure of this energy store and to explain how it will be broken down into ADP and a phosphate and that this mechanism results in the release of energy for muscle contraction. Importantly, students will learn that the ATP stored in muscles will only allow for the first few seconds of contraction and therefore if exercise and contraction are to continue, the ATP will need to be re-synthesised. The main part of the lesson explores how phosphocreatine and glycogen are sources of energy transfer in the anaerobic systems and glucose and fats are sources for the aerobic system. Key details about each of these sources are provided and explained and links are made to upcoming lessons on the energy systems. The final round of the quiz, which is called “What’s your SOURCE?” acts a final understanding check as the teams of students have to recognise one of the 4 energy sources based on a description.
This lesson has been specifically written to tie in with the next lessons on the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.
A fast-paced lesson presentation (20 slides) which focuses on the understanding of the scientific term, specific latent heat, and guides students through use of the related equation in energy calculations. This lesson has been written for GCSE students and along with specific heat capacity, these are topics which students regularly say that they do not understand so the aim here has been to embed the key details. The task at the start of the lesson gets students to plot the changing state line for pure water. They have to annotate the line to show the changes in state and then most crucially recognise that when these changes in state occur, there is no change in temperature. Moving forwards, students will meet the additional terms of fusion and vaporisation and then be introduced to the equation. They are reminded that this isn’t an equation that they have to recall, but are expected to apply it and therefore the next few slides focus on the potential difficulties that could be encountered. These include the conversion between units and a mathematical skills check is included at this point so that their ability to move between grams and kilograms and Joules and kiloJoules is tested. Progress checks like this are written into the lesson at regular intervals so the students can constantly assess their understanding.
A short, concise lesson presentation (25 slides) that explores the key evidence that is used to support the Big Bang Theory. This lesson has been written for GCSE students with the focus on the fine details which they need to be able to understand in order to successfully answer exam questions on this topic. The lesson begins with a fun slide which challenges their mathematical skills to work out a number of years and spot that a dingbat represents the Big Bang. This leads students into the key details of the theory and includes when it was believed to have happened. The rest of the lesson focuses on two main pieces of evidence, namely red shift and CMBR. Students are guided through these topics and related topics such as the Doppler effect are revisited. The final part of the lesson uses a quick competition to get students to recognise the names of alternative theories and a set homework challenges them to add details in terms of evidence to support each of steady state and creationism.
This is a concise revision resource which has been designed to cover the crucial details of topic C5 (Electricity and chemistry) of the CIE IGCSE Combined Science specification, for examination in June and November 2020 and 2021. The topic of electrolysis is commonly assessed in the examinations so time was taken during the design to ensure that understanding is constantly checked so that any misconceptions are addressed.
The following content receives particular attention in this revision lesson:
The use of the terms electrolyte, electrode, cathode and anode
Understanding that solid ionic compounds cannot be used in electrolysis, but only electrolytes when molten or in aqueous solution
The attraction of positive ions to the cathode and the gain of electrons
The attraction of negative ions to the anode and the loss of electrons
Predicting the products at the electrodes
The lesson finishes with a summary task about the electrolysis of aluminium oxide where students have to apply their knowledge. This sheet has been differentiated two ways so that students of different abilities are able to complete the task
This detailed lesson describes how aerobic glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain produce energy for sport and exercise. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover the 4th part of point A7 in UNIT 1 of the Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science specification which states that students should understand how these stages produce energy as well as the role of the mitochondria.
The lesson has been written to include a wide range of tasks which include exam-style questions and discussion points to check on understanding and quiz competitions to introduce key terms and values in a memorable way and to maintain engagement and motivation. There is a focus on the link between each stage and the next and the location in a cell where each one occurs.
Due to the extensiveness of this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2 teaching hours to cover the detail within this resource
This fully-resourced lesson describes the roles of the SAN, AVN, bundle of His and the Purkyne fibres in the cardiac conduction system. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the fifth specification point in topic 1.1.2 of the AQA A-level PE specification
The lesson begins with the introduction of the SAN as the natural pacemaker and then time is given to study each step of the conduction of the impulse as it spreads away from this node in a wave of excitation. The lesson has been written to make clear links to the cardiac cycle which is introduced to provide a deeper understanding and to the structure of the heart and students are challenged on their knowledge of this system. Moving forwards, students are encouraged to consider why a delay would occur at the AVN and then they will learn that the impulse is conducted along the Bundle of His to the apex before being conducted on the Purkyne fibres so that the contraction of the ventricles can happen from the bottom upwards. The final task of the lesson challenges the students to describe the full sequence of events in the conduction of the electrical impulse through the heart tissue, and there is a particular emphasis on the use of key terminology
This clear and detailed lesson describes how ATP is formed by chemiosmosis during the process of oxidative phosphorylation. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover all of the specification points under point 5.4 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and includes details of the electron transport chain, proton gradients and ATP synthase including the roles of the electron carriers, the mitochondrial membranes and oxygen.
The lesson begins with a discussion about the starting point of the reaction. In the previous stages, the starting molecule was the final product of the last stage but in this stage, it is the reduced coenzymes which release their hydrogen atoms. Moving forwards, the process of oxidative phosphorylation is covered in 7 detailed steps and at each point, key facts are discussed and explored in further detail to enable a deep understanding to be developed. Students will see how the proton gradient across the inner membrane is created and that the flow of protons down the channel associated with ATP synthase results in a conformational change and the addition of phosphate groups to ADP by oxidative phosphorylation. Understanding checks are included throughout the lesson to enable the students to assess their progress and prior knowledge checks allow them to recognise the clear links to other topics and modules.
This lesson has been written to tie in with the other uploaded lessons on the previous stages of aerobic respiration - glycolysis, the Link reaction and the Krebs cycle.
This lesson explains how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. The PowerPoint has been designed to cover point 6.17 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification.
A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the PCR abbreviation before students are encouraged to discuss the identity of the enzyme involved and to recall the action of this enzyme. Students will learn that this reaction involves cyclical heating and cooling to a range of temperatures so the next part of this lesson looks at these particular temperatures so the important parts of each of the steps can be understood. Time is taken to examine the key points in detail, such as the specific DNA polymerase that is used and how it is not denatured at the high temperature as well as the involvement of the primers.
This lesson describes how the chemical formula of an ionic compound can be deduced using the formulae of the constituent ions. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover point 1.26 of the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification and also cover the same point in the Chemistry section of the Combined Science course.
This lesson builds on the knowledge acquired in previous lessons when students learnt how to identify the charge of an ion based on the group of the atom. A step by step guide is used to show them how the transfer method can be used to write the formulae for compounds including halides and oxides. Time is taken to introduce the formulae for sulphate, carbonate, hydroxide and nitrate ions and the students are shown how brackets may be needed when writing formulae for compounds containing these ions. Understanding checks in the form of questions and quiz competitions are used to allow the students to assess their progress
This engaging lesson describes the structures of virus particles and explains why viruses are described as acellular and non-living. The PowerPoint and accompanying resource are part of the second lesson in a series of 2 lessons which have been designed to cover the detail of specification point (b) in AS unit 1, topic 2 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification
Details of the COVID-19 epidemic are included in the lesson to increase relevance and to help students to understand this biological topic in greater depth. They will understand that the lack of cell structures results in an acellular classification and the fact that it is unable to reproduce without a host is one of the additional reasons that renders it as non-living. The main focus of the lesson is the nucleic acid, the capsid and the attachment proteins that are present in these microorganisms and time is taken to explain how these structures are involved in the infection of a host cell. The lipid membrane is also introduced and links are made to the previous lessons on eukaryotic cells. The final section uses a version of BBC 1’s POINTLESS to introduce a number of viral diseases in animals and the use of a glycoprotein by HIV to attach to helper T cells is briefly introduced so students are prepared for the immunology option if taken
This lesson describes the structure and function of the human heart and names the blood vessels associated with this organ . The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the first lesson in a series of 2 lessons that have been designed to cover point (b) in topic 3 of AS unit 2 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification
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 including those which have already been covered like circulatory systems as well as those which are upcoming such as the initiation of heart action. There is also an application question where students have to explain why a hole in the ventricular septum would need to be repaired if it doesn’t naturally close over time.
This engaging lesson describes how chromosome mutations result in changes to the number or structure of chromosomes The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the second lesson in a series of 2 lessons that have been designed to cover specification points (f) in topic 3 of A2 unit 4 of the WJEC A-level Biology specification, and there is a key focus on Down syndrome
A human karyotype which has not been altered by a mutation is studied at the start of the lesson to allow students to recall the usual number of chromosomes as well as the sex chromosomes. They are then challenged to identify the differences when presented with the karyotypes of sufferers of Down, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndrome. Students will learn that in the majority of cases, these conditions are the result of non-disjunction and having been assisted in the explanation of the outcome for Down and Klinefelters, they have to form their own for Turner’s. The remainder of the lesson looks at other types of mutations, including translocation, and students will also see how whole sets of chromosomes can be duplicated in polyploidy
This lesson describes the effects of pH on the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the third lesson in a series of 5 lessons which have been designed to cover the content of point 1.4.2 (Many proteins are enzymes) of the AQA A-level Biology specification.
The lesson begins with a short discussion, where the students are challenged to identify how the stomach and the small intestine differ in terms of a particular condition and to explain why the conditions in these neighbouring digestive organs are so important. This introduces pepsin and trypsin and these protease enzymes play a key role throughout the lesson as they are good examples of how different extracellular enzymes have different optimum pH values (which are not necessarily 7.0). Moving forwards, students will discuss how the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction will change if there are small or large changes in pH, and then time is taken to ensure that students can explain these changes with reference to tertiary structure bonds and the shape of the active site. Through the use of a quick quiz competition, the students will be reminded of the key term “buffer” and a series of questions are used to challenge their understanding of how these substances could be used in a practical investigation. They will also learn how buffers are found in blood plasma as well as in red blood cells in the form of haemoglobin. With there being such a large proportion of marks for Maths in a Biology context questions in the AQA assessments, the remainder of the lesson challenges the students to use a given formula to calculate the pH of blood when given the hydrogen ion concentration and to calculate percentage decrease. These questions have been differentiated to give assistance to those that need the support
