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.
The biological molecules topic is incredibly important, not just because it is found near to the start of the course, but also because of its detailed content which must be well understood to promote success with the other 18 CIE International A-level Biology topics. Many hours of intricate planning have gone into the design of all of the 11 lessons that are included in this bundle to ensure that the content is covered in detail, understanding is constantly checked and misconceptions addressed and that engagement is high. This is achieved through the wide variety of tasks in the PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets which include exam-style questions with clear answers, discussion points, differentiated tasks and quick quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons within this bundle:
Tests for reducing and non-reducing sugars
The iodine test for starch
The emulsion test for lipids
The biuret test for proteins
The ring forms of alpha and beta glucose
The meaning of the terms monomer, polymer, macromolecule, monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide
The formation of a glycosidic bond by a condensation reaction
The breakage of glycosidic bonds by hydrolysis reactions
The relationship between the molecular structure and functions of a triglyceride
The relationship between the structure and functions of a phospholipid
The structure of an amino acid and the formation and breakage of a peptide bond
The meaning of the different protein structures and the types of bonding that hold these molecules in shape
The molecular structure of haemoglobin and collagen as examples of globular and fibrous proteins
The relationship between the properties and roles of water in living organisms
The lesson on the biuret test for proteins and the emulsion test for lipids also contains a section which can be used for the revision of topics 2.2 and 2.3
Due to the detail of each of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 4 weeks of allocated teaching time to cover the content.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the alpha and beta glucose, phospholipids and haemoglobin and collagen lessons as these have been shared for free
Simple and facilitated diffusion are forms of passive transport and this lesson describes the factors that increase the rate of this movement across membranes. This fully-resourced lesson is the first in a series of two that have been designed to cover specification point 2.4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A and the involvement of channel and carrier proteins is also described and discussed.
In a number of previous lessons that covered specification points 2.1 and 2.2, students were provided with the details of gas exchange surfaces and the structure and properties of cell membranes. This lesson continually refers back to the content of these lessons so that links can be made between the movement across a cell membrane with the concentration gradient, the parts of the membrane involved and any features that may increase the rate at which the molecules move. A series of questions about the alveoli is used to demonstrate how a large surface area, a short diffusion distance and the maintenance of a steep concentration gradient will increase the rate of simple diffusion. One of two quick quiz rounds is then used to introduce temperature and size of molecule as two further factors that can affect simple diffusion. The remainder of the lesson focuses on facilitated diffusion and describes how transmembrane proteins are needed to move small, polar or large molecules from a high concentration to a lower concentration across a partially permeable membrane.
The other lesson included in this series to cover specification point 2.4 describes active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis.
This lesson describes how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. The concise PowerPoint has been primarily designed to cover the detail of specification point 6.4 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also makes continual links to the previous lesson on DNA profiling where the PCR is important as well as DNA structure.
A quick quiz competition is used to introduce the PCR abbreviation before students are encouraged to discuss with the aim of identifying the enzyme involved and to recall the action of this enzyme as covered in DNA replication in topic 2. Students will learn that this reaction involves cyclical heating and cooling to a range of temperatures so another quiz is used to introduce these values. The main part of the lesson describes the main steps in the PCR and the reasons for each temperature is discussed and explained. Links are constantly made to related topics such as DNA structure are students are challenged on their understanding through exam-style questions. Time is taken to examine the key points in detail, such as the fact that the DNA polymerase used is taken from an extremophile so that it is not denatured at the high temperature.
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 phenotype is the result of an interaction between genotype and the environment and can be affected by multiple alleles at many gene loci. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been primarily designed to cover points 3.14 (i) & 3.15 of the Pearson Edexcel A-level Biology A specification but also includes activities to challenge the students on previous concepts in topics 3 and 2.
The students begin the lesson by having to identify phenotype and species from their respective definitions so that a discussion can be encouraged where they will recognise that phenotypic variation within a species is due to both genetic and environmental factors. The main part of the the lesson focuses on these genetic factors, and describes how mutation and the events of meiosis contribute to this variation. A range of activities, which include exam-style questions and quick quiz rounds, are used to challenge the students on their knowledge and understanding of substitution mutations, deletions, insertions, the genetic code, crossing over and independent assortment. Moving forwards, the concept of multiple alleles is introduced and students will learn how the presence of more than 2 alleles at a locus increases the number of phenotypic variants. Another quick quiz round is used to introduce polygenic inheritance and the link is made between this inheritance of genes at a number of loci as an example of continuous variation. The final part of the lesson describes a few examples where environmental factors affect phenotype, such as chlorosis in plants.
As this is the final lesson in topic 3, the numerous activities can be used for revision purposes and to show the links between different biological topics.
This detailed lesson describes how the structure of a prokaryotic cell differs from the structure of an eukaryotic cell. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of point 2.1.2 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and describes how the size and cell structures differ and also covers the additional features that are found in some prokaryotic cells.
A clear understanding of terminology is important for A-level Biology so this lesson begins with a challenge, where the students have to add an additional prefix to their prefix and suffix table which they believe will translate as before or in front of. This leads into the discovery of the meaning of prokaryote as before nucleus and this acts to remind students that these types of cell lack this cell structure. Links to the previous lessons on the eukaryotic cells are made throughout the lesson and at this particular point, the students are asked to work out why the DNA would be described as naked and to state where it will be found in the cell. Moving forwards, the students will discover that these cells also lack membrane bound organelles and a quick quiz competition challenges them to identify the specific structure that is absent from just a single word. In addition to the naked DNA, students will learn that there are also ribosomes in the cytoplasm and will discover that these are smaller than those found in the cytoplasm of an eukaryotic cell (but the same size as those in chloroplasts and mitochondria). The remainder of the lesson focuses on the composition of the cell wall, the additional features of prokaryotic cells such as plasmids and there is also the introduction of binary fission as the mechanism by which these organisms reproduce.
This detailed lesson describes the importance of the dipole nature of water and its numerous properties to living organisms. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover the details of specification point 1.7 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B course and the intricate planning ensures that each role is illustrated using a specific example.
As the final lesson in the biological molecules topic, not only does this lesson cover the important content related to water but also acts as a revision tool as it checks on key topic 1 content such as condensation and hydrolysis reactions. A wide range of tasks are used to check on current understanding and prior knowledge and quick quiz competitions introduce key terms and values in a memorable way. The start of the lesson considers the structure of water molecules, focusing on the covalent and hydrogen bonds, and the dipole nature of this molecule. Time is taken to emphasise the importance of these bonds and this property for the numerous roles of water and then over the remainder of the lesson, the following properties are described and discussed and linked to real-life examples:
high specific heat capacity
polar solvent
surface tension
incompressibility
maximum density at 4 degrees Celsius
This bundle of 6 fully-resourced lessons have been designed to cover the content as detailed in topic 1.4 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification. The specification points in this DNA and protein synthesis topic which are covered by the lessons are as follows:
The structure of DNA
The semi-conservative replication of DNA
A gene is a sequence of bases on DNA that codes for an amino acid sequence
The structure of mRNA
The structure of tRNA
The process of transcription
The process of translation
Base deletions, insertions and substitutions as gene mutations
The effect of point mutations on amino acid sequences
The engaging PowerPoint lessons and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities and tasks that include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes, quick quiz competitions, useful hints and discussion periods.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons then download the structure of DNA and transcription lessons as these have been uploaded for free.
This lesson describes the formation of dipeptides & polypeptides and the different levels of protein structure. Both the engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification points 1.3 (ii), (iii) & (iv) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and also makes continual links to previous lessons such as amino acids as well as to upcoming lessons like antibodies and enzymes so students can understand where proteins are involved.
The start of the lesson focuses on the formation of a peptide bond during a condensation reaction so that students can understand how a dipeptide is formed and therefore how a polypeptide forms when multiple reactions occur.
The main part of the lesson describes the different levels of protein structure. A step by step guide is used to demonstrate how the sequences of bases in a gene acts as a template to form a sequence of codons on a mRNA strand and how this is translated into a particular sequence of amino acids known as the primary structure. The students are then challenged to apply their understanding of this process by using three more gene sequences to work out three primary structures and recognise how different genes lead to different sequences. Moving forwards, students will learn how the order of amino acids in the primary structure determines the shape of the protein molecule, through its secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure and time is taken to consider the details of each of these. There is a particular focus on the different bonds that hold the 3D shape firmly in place and a quick quiz round then introduces the importance of this shape as exemplified by enzymes, antibodies and hormones. Students will see the differences between globular and fibrous protein and again biological examples are used to increase relevance. The lesson concludes with one final quiz round called STRUC by NUMBERS where the students have to use their understanding of the protein structures to calculate a numerical answer.
The biological molecules topic is incredibly important, not just because it is found at the start of the course, but also because of its detailed content which must be well understood to promote success with the other 9 Edexcel A-level Biology B topics. Many hours of intricate planning has gone into the design of all of the 18 lessons that are included in this bundle to ensure that the content is covered in detail, understanding is constantly checked and misconceptions addressed and that engagement is high. This is achieved through the wide variety of tasks in the PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets which include exam-style questions with clear answers, discussion points, differentiated tasks and quick quiz competitions.
The following specification points are covered by the lessons within this bundle:
The differences between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides
The structure of glucose and ribose
The formation of disaccharides and polysaccharides from monosaccharides
The structure of starch, glycogen and cellulose
The synthesis of a triglyceride
The differences between saturated and unsaturated lipids
The relationship between the structure of lipids and their roles
The structure and properties of phospholipids
The structure of an amino acid
The formation of polypeptides and proteins
The role of ionic, hydrogen and disulphide bonding in proteins
The levels of protein structure
The structure of collagen and haemoglobin
The structure of DNA
The semi-conservative replication of DNA
A gene is a sequence of bases on DNA that codes for an amino acid sequence
The structure of mRNA
The structure of tRNA
The process of transcription
The process of translation
Base deletions, insertions and substitutions as gene mutations
The effect of point mutations on amino acid sequences
The structure of enzymes as globular proteins
The concept of specificity and the induced-fit hypothesis
Enzymes are catalysts that reduce activation energy
Understand how temperature affects enzyme activity
Enzymes catalyse a wide range of intracellular reactions as well as extracellular ones
The importance of water for living organisms
Due to the detail included in these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2 months of allocated A-level teaching time to complete.
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons then download the monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides, glucose and ribose, triglycerides, structure of DNA and transcription lessons as these have been uploaded for free.
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 fully-resourced lesson describes how respiration in the absence of oxygen produces a limited yield of ATP and results in lactate or ethanol formation. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying differentiated resources have been designed to cover all of the specification points under point 5.5 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification and explains how pyruvate must be converted to lactate or ethanol using the hydrogen atoms released from reduced NAD to reoxidise this coenzyme to allow glycolysis to continue.
The lesson begins with a focus on the coenzyme, NAD, and students are challenged to recall details of its role in the oxidation of glycerate-3-phosphate. Students will recall that oxidative phosphorylation in aerobic respiration allows these coenzymes to be reoxidised and therefore recognise that another metabolic pathway has to operate when there is no oxygen available. Time is taken to go through the details of the lactate and ethanol fermentation pathways and students are encouraged to discuss the conversions before applying their knowledge to complete diagrams and passages about the pathways. Understanding checks in a range of forms are used to enable the students to assess their progress whilst prior knowledge checks allow them to recognise the links to earlier topics.
This lesson has been written to tie in with the other uploaded lessons on glycolysis and the stages of aerobic respiration as detailed in points 5.1 - 5.5.
This fully-resourced lesson describes the relationship between the structure of the chloroplast and its role as the site of photosynthesis. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification point 5.7 (i) of the Edexcel A-level Biology B course.
Students were introduced to the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells in topic 2 so this lesson has been written to build on that knowledge. A version of the quiz show POINTLESS runs throughout the lesson and this maintains engagement whilst challenging the students to recall the parts of the chloroplast based on a description which is related to their function. The following structures are covered in this lesson:
double membrane
thylakoids (grana)
stroma
intergranal lamellae
starch grains
chloroplast DNA and ribosomes
Once each structure has been recalled, a range of activities are used to ensure that key details are understood such as the role of the thylakoid membranes in the light-dependent stage and the importance of ATP and reduced NADP for the Calvin cycle.
This lesson has been specifically written to prepare students for the upcoming lessons on the light-dependent stage and light-independent stage
This fully-resourced lesson describes the light-dependent stage, including the production of ATP by cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover specification points 5.7 (ii) & (iii) of the Edexcel A-level Biology course and has been planned to link with the previous lesson on the structure of the chloroplast and to prepare for the next lesson on the light-independent stage.
This is a topic which students tend to find difficult so this lesson has been intricately planned to walk them through each of the key steps of the light-dependent stage. Time is taken to describe the roles of the major protein complexes that are embedded in the thylakoid membrane and this includes the two photosystems, the proton pump and ATP synthase. A series of exam-style questions have been written that link to other biological topics in this course such as cell structure and membrane transport as well as application questions to challenge them to apply their understanding. Some of these resources have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work and to be pushed at the same time. Students will learn that there are two pathways that the electron can take from PSI and at the completion of the two tasks which describe each of these pathways, they will understand how ATP is generated in non-cyclic and cyclic fashion. The final task of the lesson asks them to compare these two forms of photophosphorylation to check that they understand when photolysis is involved and reduced NADP is formed.
Due to the detail included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2.5 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to complete.
Respiration and photosynthesis are two of the most important biological processes, which can be poorly understood by students but unsurprisingly are commonly assessed in the terminal exams. These 8 lessons have been intricately planned so that they contain a wide range of activities that will engage the students whilst covering the key detail to try to deepen their understanding and include exam-style questions so they are prepared for the assessments.
The following specification points in topic 5 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B course are covered by these 9 fully-resourced lessons:
Cellular respiration yields ATP
The different stages of aerobic respiration
The conversion of glucose to pyruvate during glycolysis
The mitochondrial matrix as the site of the Link reaction and Krebs cycle
The production of carbon dioxide, reduced NAD and ATP in the Krebs cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation
The yield of ATP from anaerobic respiration
The production of lactate in mammalian muscles
Ethanol formation in plants
The structure of the chloroplasts
The role of thylakoid membranes in the light-dependent stage
The process of cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation
The use of reduced NADP and ATP in the Calvin cycle
Understand how GALP is used as a raw material in the production of monosaccharides, amino acids and other molecules
Factors that limit photosynthesis including carbon dioxide, light intensity and temperature
Due to the detail of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of a month of A-level lessons to cover these lessons
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the link reaction, Krebs cycle and light-independent stage lessons as these have been shared for free
This detailed lesson describes the light-dependent reaction of photosynthesis and focuses on the transfer of electrons and proton pumping. The PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the first part of point 5.1 of the AQA A-level Biology specification and has been planned to link with the previous lesson on the structure of the chloroplast and to prepare the students for the next lesson on the light-independent reaction.
The light-dependent reaction is a topic which students tend to find difficult so this lesson has been planned to walk them through all of the key details. Time is taken to describe the roles of the major protein complexes that are embedded in the thylakoid membrane and this includes the two photosystems, the cytochrome proton pump and ATP synthase. A series of exam-style questions have been written that link to other biological topics in this course such as cell structure and membrane transport as well as application questions to challenge them to apply their understanding. Some of these resources have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work and to be pushed at the same time. Students will learn that there are two pathways that the electron can take from PSI and at the completion of the two tasks which describe each of these pathways, they will understand how ATP is generated in non-cyclic and cyclic fashion. The final task of the lesson asks them to compare these two forms of photophosphorylation to check that they understand when photolysis is involved and reduced NADP is formed.
Due to the detail included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2.5 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to complete.
This lesson describes the mechanism of ventilation in mammals, including the roles of the ribcage, intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. The content of the engaging PowerPoint has been designed to cover specification point 3.1.3 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and describes the mechanism of inhalation and exhalation at rest.
The lesson begins with a focus on the diaphragm and students will discover that this sheet of muscle is found on the floor of the thoracic cavity. Whilst planning the lesson, it was deemed important to introduce this region of the body at an early stage because the best descriptions will regularly reference the changes seen in this cavity. As the mechanism of inhalation is a cascade of events, the details of this process are covered in a step by step format using bullet points. At each step, time is taken to discuss the key details which includes an introduction to Boyle’s law that reveals the inverse relationship between volume and pressure. It is crucial that students are able to describe how the actions of the diaphragm, external intercostal muscles and ribcage result in an increased volume of the thoracic cavity and a subsequent decrease in the pressure, which is below the pressure outside of the body. At this point, their recall of the structures of the mammalian gas exchange system is tested, to ensure that they can describe the pathway the air takes on moving into the lungs.
The remainder of the lesson involves a task which challenges the students to describe exhalation and then the accessory muscles involved in forced ventilation are also considered.
Respiration and photosynthesis are two of the most commonly-assessed topics in the terminal A-level exams but can be the least well understood by students. These 11 lessons have been intricately planned to contain a wide range of activities that will engage the students whilst covering the key detail to try to deepen their understanding and include exam-style questions so they are prepared for these assessments.
The following specification points in topics 5.1 and 5.2 of the AQA A-level Biology course are covered by these lessons:
The photoionisation of chlorophyll
The production of ATP and reduced NADP through the transfer of electrons and pumping of protons across the thylakoid membrane
Photolysis of water to produce protons, electrons and oxygen
The use of the products of the light-dependent reaction in the Calvin cycle
Carbon fixation involving RUBISCO
The reduction of GP to TP
The regeneration of RuBP from TP
The conversion of TP to organic substances
The environmental factors that limit the rate of photosynthesis
Respiration produces ATP
Glycolysis as the first stage of aerobic and anaerobic respiration
The conversion of pyruvate to ethanol or lactate using reduced NAD
The key details of the Link reaction, Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation
The metabolic pathways of other respiratory substrates
Due to the detail of these lessons, it is estimated that it will take in excess of a month of A-level lessons to cover these specification points
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons, download the chloroplast structure, anaerobic respiration and oxidative phosphorylation lessons as these have been shared for free
This lesson describes the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis and focuses on the mechanisms involved in the production of ATP and reduced NADP. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the details of point 5.2.1 (d) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and has been specifically planned to link with the previous lesson on the structure of the chloroplast and photosynthesis and to prepare the students for the next lesson on the light-independent stage.
The light-dependent stage is a process which students can find difficult to understand in the necessary detail so this lesson has been planned to walk them through all of the key details. Time is taken to describe the roles of the major protein complexes that are embedded in the thylakoid membrane and this includes the two photosystems, the cytochrome proton pump and ATP synthase. A series of exam-style questions have been written that link to other biological topics in this course such as eukaryotic cell structures and membrane transport as well as application questions to challenge them to apply their understanding. Some of these resources have been differentiated to allow students of differing abilities to access the work and to be pushed at the same time. Students will learn that there are two pathways that the electron can take from PSI and at the completion of the two tasks which describe each of these pathways, they will understand how ATP is generated in non-cyclic and cyclic photophosphorylation. The final task of the lesson asks them to compare these two forms of photophosphorylation to check that they understand when photolysis is involved and reduced NADP is formed.
Due to the detail included in this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 2.5 hours of allocated A-level teaching time to complete.
