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 10 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
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
This bundle contains 18 detailed and engaging lessons which cover the following specification points in module 3 (Exchange and transport) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification:
3.1.1: Exchange surfaces
The need for specialised exchange surfaces
The features of an efficient exchange surface
The structures and functions of the components of the mammalian gaseous exchange system
The mechanism of ventilation in mammals
The mechanisms of ventilation and gas exchange in bony fish and insects
3.1.2: Transport in animals
The double, closed circulatory system in mammals
The structure and functions of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules and veins
The formation of tissue fluid from plasma
The external and internal structure of the heart
The cardiac cycle
How heart action is initiated and coordinated
The use and interpretation of ECG traces
The role of haemoglobin in transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide
The oxygen dissociation curve for foetal and adult haemoglobin
3.1.3: Transport in plants
The structure and function of the vascular systems in the roots, stems and leaves
The transport of water into the plant, through the plant and to the air surrounding the leaves
The mechanism of translocation
As well as the detailed A-level Biology content of the PowerPoint slides, the resources contain a wide range of tasks including guided discussion points, exam-style questions and quiz competitions which will engage and motivate the students
This lesson focuses on the key terms associated with ecosystems and describes how populations are affected by a range of factors. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources are part of the 1st lesson in a series of 4 lessons that cover the details of point 7.4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification
As shown in the cover image, a modified version of the quiz competition BLOCKBUSTERS runs throughout the lesson and this introduces new terms as well as challenging students to recall key terms that were encountered in previous topics. These include population, ecosystems, competition, niche, abiotic factors and carrying capacity. Each time a term is met, time is taken to describe its meaning and to explain its relevance and context in this topic of populations in ecosystems. Exam-style questions are also used to challenge the students to apply their understanding and displayed mark schemes allow them to assess their progress. Prior knowledge checks interspersed within the lesson which check on topics such as the nitrogen cycle, adaptations and the biological classification of a species
This fully-resourced REVISION LESSON has been designed to provide the students with numerous opportunities to assess their understanding of the content of module 5.2.2 (Respiration) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification. The importance of this metabolic reaction is obvious and this is reflected in the volume of questions in the terminal exams which require an in depth knowledge of the stages of both aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
The lesson contains a wide range of activities that cover the following points of the specification:
Glycolysis as a stage of aerobic and anaerobic respiration
The use and production of ATP through respiration
Anaerobic respiration in mammalian muscle tissue
The stages of aerobic respiration that occur in the mitochondrial matrix
Oxidative phosphorylation
The use of respirometers
Calculating the respiratory quotient value for different respiratory substrates
Revision lessons which cover the other sub-modules of module 5 are uploaded and tie in well with this content
This fully-resourced lesson looks at the effects of nervous mechanisms on the heart rate. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the part of point 5.1.5 (k) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification which states that students should be able to demonstrate and apply their knowledge and understanding of the control of the heart rate by the cardiovascular centre in the medulla oblongata
This lesson begins with a prior knowledge check where students have to identify and correct any errors in a passage about the conduction system of the heart. This allows the SAN to be recalled as this structure play an important role as the effector in this control system. Moving forwards, the three key parts of a control system are recalled as the next part of the lesson will specifically look at the range of sensory receptors, the coordination centre and the effector. Students are introduced to chemoreceptors and baroreceptors and time is taken to ensure that the understanding of the stimuli detected by these receptors is complete and that they recognise the result is the conduction of an impulse along a neurone to the brain. A quick quiz is used to introduce the medulla oblongata as the location of the cardiovascular centre. The communication between this centre and the SAN through the autonomic nervous system can be poorly understood so detailed explanations are provided and the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions compared. The final task challenges the students to demonstrate and apply their understanding by writing a detailed description of the control and this task has been differentiated three ways to allow differing abilities to access the work
This bundle of 9 revision lessons covers the specification content in all of the topics of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology 9-1 specification.
Topic 1: Key concepts in Biology
Topic 2: Cells and control
Topic 3: Genetics
Topic 4: Natural selection and modification
Topic 5: Health, disease and the development of medicines
Topic 6: Plant structures and functions
Topic 7: Animal coordination, control and homeostasis
Topic 8: Exchange and transport in animals
Topic 9: Ecosystems and material cycles
All of the lessons have been written to include a range of activities to engage the students whilst enabling them to assess and evaluate their content knowledge so that they recognise those areas which will need further attention prior to the exams.
This is a fully-resourced REVISION lesson that challenges the students on their knowledge of the content found in TOPIC 4 (Biodiversity and Natural resources) of the Edexcel A-level Biology (Salters Nuffield) specification. The lesson contains an engaging PowerPoint (104 slides) and accompanying worksheets that use a range of exam questions, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to motivate the students whilst they evaluate their knowledge of the different sub-topics.
The lesson has been designed to cover as much of the topic 4 specification as possible, but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention:
Three-domain classification
The features of the kingdoms
Evolutionary relationships
Behavioural, anatomical and physiological adaptations
Glycosidic bonds
The structure and function of cellulose
The ultrastructure of plant cells
Calculating the index of diversity and the heterozygosity index
Applying the Hardy-Weinberg principle to calculate allele frequencies
This lesson is suitable for revision at the end of the topic, in the lead up to the mocks or in the lead up to the actual A-level exams as topic 4 is assessed on both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
This lesson describes the meaning of biodiversity, explains how it relates to a range of habitats, and describes how to calculate an index of diversity. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets are part of the first in a series of 2 lessons that have been designed to cover the content of topic 4.6 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. The second lesson describes the balance between conservation and farming.
A quiz competition called BIOLOGICAL TERMINOLOGY SNAP runs over the course of the lesson and this will engage the students whilst challenging them to recognise species, population, biodiversity, community and natural selection from their respective definitions. Once biodiversity as the variety of living organisms in a habitat is revealed, the students will learn that this can relate to a range of habitats, from those in the local area to the Earth. When considering the biodiversity of a local habitat, the need for sampling is discussed and some key details are provided to initially prepare the students for these lessons in topic 7. Moving forwards, the students will learn that it is possible to measure biodiversity within a habitat, within a species and within different habitats so that they can be compared. Species richness as a measure of the number of different species in a community is met and a biological example in the rainforests of Madagascar is used to increase its relevance. The students are introduced to an unfamiliar formula that calculates the heterozygosity index and are challenged to apply their knowledge to this situation, as well as linking a low H value to natural selection. The rest of the lesson focuses on the index of diversity and a 3-step guide is used to walk students through each part of the calculation. This is done in combination with a worked example to allow students to visualise how the formula should be applied to actual figures. Using the method, they will then calculate a value of d for a comparable habitat to allow the two values to be considered and the significance of a higher value is explained. All of the exam-style questions have mark schemes embedded in the PowerPoint to allow students to continuously assess their progress and understanding.
An engaging lesson presentation (70 slides) and associated worksheets that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within unit C2 (Bonding, structure and properties of matter) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification (specification point C5.2)
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Chemical bonds
Ionic bonding
Ionic compounds
Properties of ionic compounds
Covalent bonding
Metallic bonding
Properties of metals and alloys
The three states of matter
State symbols
Structure and bonding of carbon
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “The name’s BOND…” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
This is a fully-resourced lesson that looks at the functional and structural differences between the transport tissues in a plant, the xylem and phloem. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (41 slides), which includes numerous student-led tasks, progress checks and quick competitions and two question worksheets, one of which is a differentiated version to enable those students who are finding this topic difficult to still be able to access the learning.
The lesson begins with the introduction of the two tissues as well as a brief introduction to the substances which they each carry. The next part of the lesson focuses on the xylem cells and the resulting xylem vessel, and key terms such as lignin are brought into the lesson so that students can understand how these cells are waterproofed, which causes them to decay and form hollow tubes. Having met a lot of information, students are challenged to act like an examiner to form a table based question to compare the xylem against the phloem where they have to come up with features which could be compared against. This table will form the backbone of the lesson and students will use it later in the lesson when they have to write summary passages about each of the tissues. Moving forwards, a quick competition is used to enable the students to meet the names of the cells that form the phloem tissue, the sieve tube elements and the companion cells. Students will see how they are involved in the functioning of the phloem and questions are posed which relate to other topics such as the involvement of mitochondria wherever active transport occurs. Progress checks like this are found at regular intervals throughout the lesson so that students can constantly assess their understanding.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students. If you are looking to teach about these tissues but to a higher standard, you could use my uploaded alternative called Xylem and Phloem (A-level)
Each of the 9 revision lessons included in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to engage and motivate the students whilst they assess their knowledge of the CIE IGCSE Chemistry specification. The PowerPoints and accompanying resources use a range of activities which include exam-style questions with fully explained answers, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to challenge the students on the following topics:
Topic 2: Experimental techniques
Topic 3: Atoms, elements and compounds
Topic 4: Stoichiometry
Topic 5: Electricity and Chemistry
Topic 6: Chemical energetics
Topic 7: Chemical reactions
Topic 9: The Periodic Table
Topic 11: Air and water
Topic 14: Organic Chemistry
The lessons will keep students thoroughly engaged during revision periods whilst enabling them to identify the areas of the specification which require further attention.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the topic 4 and 9 lessons as these have been shared for free
This bundle contains 11 fully-resourced lessons which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points in topics 7 and 8 of the CIE A-level Biology specification:
TOPIC 7
The structure of xylem vessel elements, phloem sieve tube elements and companion cells
The relationship between the structure and function of xylem vessel elements, phloem sieve tube elements and companion cells
Explain how hydrogen bonding of water molecules is involved with the movement in the xylem by cohesion-tension in transpiration pull and adhesion to cell walls
The pathways and mechanisms by which water and mineral ions are transported from the soil to the xylem and from roots to leaves
Assimilates move between sources and sinks between phloem sieve tubes
The mechanism by which sucrose is loaded into the phloem
The mass flow of phloem sap down a hydrostatic pressure gradient
TOPIC 8
The double, closed circulatory system of a mammal
The relationship between the structure and function of arteries, veins and capillaries
The role of haemoglobin in carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide
The significance of the oxygen dissociation curve of adult haemoglobin at different carbon dioxide concentrations
The external and internal structure of the heart
The cardiac cycle
The role of the SAN, AVN and Purkyne tissue in the initiation and conduction of the heart action
The lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of tasks which include exam-style questions with mark schemes, discussion points and quiz competitions that will check on current understanding as well as making links to previously covered topics.
This revision lesson has been filled with activities that will challenge the students on their knowledge and understanding of the content detailed in topic 8 (Energy - forces doing work) of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics specification. The wide range of activities in the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources will check on the knowledge of this topic and allow the students to recognise those areas which need further attention before the mock or terminal GCSE exams.
This resource has been designed to cover as much of topic 8 as possible but the following points have received particular attention:
Describe how to measure the work done by a force
Understand that work done is equal to energy transferred
Recall and use the equation to calculate work done
Calculate the changes in energy involved when a system is changed by work done by forces
Recall and use the equation to calculate gravitational potential energy
Recall and use the equation to calculate kinetic energy
Explain how energy is dissipated so that it is stored in less useful ways
Define power as the rate at which energy is transferred and that 1 watt is equal to one joule per second
Recall and use the equation to calculate power
Recall and use the equation to calculate efficiency
The mathematical content of this specification and this topic is heavy and in line with this lots of calculated-based tasks are included and all of the answers are explained in steps so students can assess their progress
The main task of the lesson which challenges students to use the principle of moments has been differentiated so that differing abilities can access the work
This fully-resourced revision lesson consists of an engaging PowerPoint and differentiated resources which together challenge the students on their knowledge of the Key concepts in Physics, which are detailed in topic 1 of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics specification . The content in this topic is particularly important because it will be assessed in both paper 1 and paper 2 of the terminal exams.
The lesson has been filled with a wide range of activities which test the following specification points:
Recall and use the SI units for physical quantities
Recall and use multiples and sub-multiples of units
Be able to convert between different units
Use significant figures and standard form#
To fall in line with the heavy mathematical content of this specification, the main task of the lesson challenges the students to carry out a range of calculations where they have to convert between units and leave their answers in a specific form.
This detailed lesson introduces the 3 main principles of the cell theory and describes how cells are organised into tissues, organs and organ systems. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.1 (i) & (ii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification.
The cell theory is introduced at the start of the lesson and the 1st principle is immediately discussed to ensure that students are aware that all living organisms are made of cells. This principle is discussed with relation to viruses to enable students to understand that the lack of cell structure in a virus is one of the reasons that they are not considered to be living. The second principle states that the cell is the basic unit of structure and organisation and this leads into the main part of the lesson where specialised cells and their groupings into tissues are considered. Students are challenged to compare an amoeba against a human to get them to focus on the difference in the SA/V ratio. This acts as an introduction into the process of differentiation and a recognition of its importance for multicellular organisms. Students will discover that a zygote is a stem cell which can express all of the genes in its genome and divide by mitosis. Time is then taken to introduce gene expression as this will need to be understood in the later topics of the course. Moving forwards, the lesson uses the process of haematopoiesis from haematopoietic stem cells to demonstrate how the red blood cell and neutrophil differ significantly in structure despite arising from the same cell along the same cell lineage. A series of exam-style questions will not only challenge their knowledge of structure but also their ability to apply this knowledge to unfamiliar situations. These differences in cell structure is further exemplified by the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and students will understand why the shape and arrangement of these cells differ in the trachea and alveoli in line with function. The link between specialised cells and tissues is made at this point of the lesson with these examples of epithelium and students will also see how tissues are grouped into organs and then into organ systems. The third principle states that cells arise from pre-existing cells and this will be demonstrated later in topic 2 with mitosis and meiosis.
Each of the 20 revision lessons included in this bundle has been designed to motivate and engage the students whilst they are challenged on their knowledge of the content of the OCR A-Level Biology A specification. The detailed PowerPoints contain a wide range of activities which include exam questions with explained answers, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions that are supported by the accompanying worksheets.
The modules covered in this bundle are:
Module 2.1.1: Cell structure
Module 2.1.2: Biological molecules
Module 2.1.3: Nucleotides and nucleic acids
Module 2.1.4: Enzymes
Module 2.1.5: Biological membranes
Module 2.1.6: Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation
Module 3.1.2: Transport in animals
Module 3.1.3: Transport in plants
Module 4.1.1: Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system
Module 4.2.1: Biodiversity
Module 4.2.2: Classification and evolution
Module 5.1.2: Excretion as an example of homeostatic control
Module 5.1.3: Neuronal communication
Module 5.1.4: Hormonal communication
Module 5.1.5: Plant and Animal responses
Module 5.2.1: Photosynthesis
Module 5.2.2: Respiration
Module 6.1.1: Cellular control
Module 6.1.2: Pattens of inheritance
Module 6.1.3: Manipulating genomes
Helpful hints are provided throughout the lessons to help the students with exam technique and in structuring their answers. These lessons are suitable for use throughout the course and can be used for revision purposes at the end of a module or in the lead up to mocks or the actual A LEVEL exams
Every one of the lessons included in this bundle is detailed, engaging and fully-resourced, and has been written to cover the content as detailed in topic 4 of the AQA A-level Biology specification. The wide range of activities will maintain engagement whilst supporting the explanations of the content to allow the students to build a deep understanding of genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms.
The following 18 lessons covering the 7 sub-topics are included in this bundle:
4.1: DNA, genes and chromosomes
DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Genes
4.2: DNA and protein synthesis
Genome, proteome and the structure of RNA
Transcription and splicing
Translation
4.3: Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
The genetic code
Gene mutations
Chromosome mutations
Meiosis
4.4: Genetic diversity and adaptation
Genetic diversity
Natural selection
Directional and stabilising selection
Adaptations
4.5: Species and taxonomy
Species and taxonomy
4.6: Biodiversity within a community
Biodiversity within a community
Calculating an index of diversity
The balance between conservation and farming
4.7: Investigating diversity
Investigating diversity
Interpreting mean values and the standard deviation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, structure of RNA, gene mutations, natural selection and standard deviation lessons as these have been uploaded for free
This is a fully-resourced lesson which uses exam-style questions, engaging quiz competitions, quick tasks and discussion points to challenge students on their understanding of the content of topics P1 - P6, that will assessed on PAPER 5. It has been specifically designed for students on the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science course who will be taking the FOUNDATION TIER examinations but is also suitable for students taking the higher tier who need to ensure that the fundamentals are known and understood.
The lesson has been written to cover as many specification points as possible but the following sub-topics have been given particular attention:
Factors affecting thinking and braking distance
The 7 recall and apply equations tested in PAPER 5
The units associated with the physical factors challenged in PAPER 5
Recognising the motions represented by different motions on velocity-time graphs
Using a velocity-time graph to calculate acceleration
Resultant forces
Sound waves as longitudinal waves
The electromagnetic waves
Using significant figures and standard form
The relative charges and masses of the particles in an atom
Recognising isotopes
Using the half-life of radioactive isotopes
The development of the atomic model
In order to maintain challenge whilst ensuring that all abilities can access the questions, the majority of the tasks have been differentiated and students can ask for extra support when they are unable to begin a question. Step-by-step guides have also been incorporated into the lesson to walk through students through some of the more difficult concepts such as half-life calculations.
Due to the extensiveness of this revision lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 teaching hours to complete the tasks and therefore this can be used at different points throughout the course as well as acting as a final revision before the PAPER 5 exam.
This is a fully-resourced lesson which uses exam-style questions, quiz competitions, quick tasks and discussion points to challenge students on their understanding of topics B1 - B5, that will assessed on PAPER 1. It has been specifically designed for students on the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science course who will be taking the FOUNDATION TIER examinations but is also suitable for students taking the higher tier who need to ensure that the fundamentals are known and understood.
The lesson has been written to take place at the local hospital where the students have to visit numerous wards and clinics and the on-site pharmacy so that the following sub-topics can be covered:
Cancer as the result of uncontrolled cell division
The production of gametes by meiosis
Mitosis and the cell cycle
Sex determination
The difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases
The pathogens that spread communicable diseases
Identification of communicable diseases
Treating bacterial infections with antibiotics
Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
Vaccinations
Genetic terminology
Genetic diagrams
Structures involved in a nervous reaction
A Reflex arc
Risk factors
Chemical and physical defences
Osmosis and percentage gain and loss
Fossils as evidence for human evolution
In order to maintain challenge whilst ensuring that all abilities can access the questions, the majority of the tasks have been differentiated and students can ask for assistance sheets when they are unable to begin a question. Step-by-step guides have also been written into the lesson to walk students through some of the more difficult concepts such as genetic diagrams and evolution by natural selection.
Due to the extensiveness of this revision lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 teaching hours to complete the tasks and therefore this can be used at different points throughout the duration of the course as well as acting as a final revision before the PAPER 1 exam.