I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Inheritance, variation and evolution’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins by introducing pupils to the definition of a clone and outlining the different cloning techniques they will learn about in this lesson.
Pupils will firstly learn about two techniques used to clone plants - cuttings and tissue culture. Pupils will learn about these two techniques and will need to complete the correct descriptions on a diagram demonstrating the steps involved with taking plant cuttings. Once this is complete the work can be self-assessed.
The second part of the lesson focuses on adult cloning. Firstly pupils are talked through the process of embryo transplants using a diagram. Pupils will be provided with a worksheet with a flow diagram of the embryo transplant process but missing statements to describe the process. Pupils will need to choose the correct statements to go in these boxes, this work can be assessed using the answers provided once complete.
Adult cell cloning is the other example of an animal cloning technique pupils will need to describe. Firstly, pupils will watch a video about Dolly the sheep and the adult cell cloning process, using this video they will need to answer some questions. This can be checked against the answers which will be provided.
For the next activity pupils will be provided with the diagram of the sequence of events involved in the adult cell cloning process, pupils will be required to fill in the blanks to complete the descriptions of the steps involved. Once completed pupils can use the mark scheme to assess their work.
The final activity focuses on the risks and benefits of adult cell cloning, pupils will be given a list of opinions about this cloning technique and they will need sort them into advantages/disadvantages in their books.
The plenary activity is for pupils to pick a task: either write a twitter message about what they have learnt this lesson or unscramble anagrams to spell out 5 key words from the lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Bioenergetics’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
Firstly pupils are asked to consider why organisms may not be able to continuously carry out aerobic respiration. They can discuss in pairs and then as a class and be introduced to the idea of anaerobic respiration. They will fill then complete a fill-in-the-blank task to sum up this process.
Pupils will then watch a video where they will answer questions about anaerobic respiration, their answers can be checked against the mark scheme provided.
Now pupils are introduced to the idea of oxygen debt, they are given an information card in pairs (for lower ability classes you may want to tag read this as a class) and then pupils will need to answer questions about this information. They can talk about in partners, once finished they can self or peer assess their work.
Finally the different products of anaerobic respiration that are made in different organisms are highlighted, it is touched upon in the video but this is clear slide to show anaerobic respiration in plants, bacteria and yeast.
Pupils will complete some exam-style questions to assess their knowledge of this topic, can be answered in the back of their books to fully test them! Pupils can then mark their own work using the mark scheme provided.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins by pupils given a bit of information about the tissues which make up the lining of the stomach. They will need to read this information in pairs and then answer questions in their book, once completed the pupils can self or peer-assess their work using the answers provided on the next slide.
Pupils will then be introduced to the digestive system, it’s role and the organs involved with this system. They should be able to remember some information from previous lessons on organ systems (see ‘Principles of organisation’ in my shop!).
Now, pupils must read through another card of information in pairs and complete tasks on the board, these tasks will require pupils to label a diagram of a human body to show the locations of the major organ systems and also describe the function of these organs.
The next task is a video which pupils will watch and answer questions, list of questions is provided as a worksheet. Pupils will then self-assess their work using the answers provided after the video has finished.
The final activity is an exam-style question, pupils will answer this on the sheet and then mark their work using the mark scheme.
The plenary task is a word search challenge, there are 10 words associated with digestion in the word search. Pupils will race to complete against each other to complete the word search. You can award a prize if you have any :)
All resources are included at the end of the presentation.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This is a lesson aimed at the new AQA GCSE Biology (2016) - ‘Cells’ SoW.
The lesson begins by identifying examples of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, pupils can begin to think about the structural differences between these two types of cells.
Next, pupils are given a worksheet plus an additional card of information on either the structure or function of a bacteria cell. Pupils will need to walk around the room and trade the information on their card with others to fully complete a labelled diagram of a bacteria cell and descriptions of the functions for each structure.
Once completed pupils can peer or self-assess their work using the information within the PowerPoint slide.
The next activity requires pupils to apply their knowledge of the structure of bacteria (prokaryotic) cells and compare this to the structure of eukaryotic cells, pupils need to construct a list/table in their books to identify the similarities and differences between these two cells. Pupils can then self-assess their work against the list provided in the PowerPoint slide.
The next activity is an assessment activity, pupils will need to complete the past-paper question in their books and again self/peer-assess their work using red pens.
The final activity involves a list of ‘True/False’ statements, to gauge the progress of the class this could be completed by students holding up red/amber/green cards to identify whether they think the statement is true or false.
All resources are included in the PowerPoint presentation, please review to provide me with feedback :). Thank you.
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Cells’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson begins with a review discussion of antibodies. Students should describe the structure and function of antibodies in addition to the roles of plasma and memory cells.
Students are then introduced to the function of vaccines a simulation of immune response through a descriptive graph. They should take notes of the following slides which define immunity, both passive and active. The two forms of immunity are also described as a flowchart, students will use this chart to help them complete the first task of the lesson! Answers are available on the following slide for self-assessment. The second task is to copy and complete a table to summarise active and passive immunity.
The next slides introduce the three main types of vaccines, students should take good notes before answering an exam style question. Answers are available on the following slide for self-assessment.
Students will then think>pair>share to discuss the features of a successful vaccination program. They should consider side effects, administration, production, and herd immunity.
Herd immunity is then defined and used to explain historical examples of population-wide vaccinations. Students will use these slides to inform the next task, in which they’ll be asked to consider why a vaccine may fail to eliminate a disease. They will be given a short reason and asked to describe why this reason impacts immunity. Answers for self-assessment are available on the following slide.
The plenary task for this lesson is to create a keywords list from the lesson overall.
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Inheritance, variation and evolution’ SoW, specifically for the higher-tier, biology only specification.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins with an introduction to the work of Gregor Mendel, students will firstly watch a video and answer questions using the information provided. Once finished with this introductory task pupils can self-assess their work against the marking criteria.
The next task focuses on genetic diagrams drawn to represent the crosses Gregor Mendel carried out during his investigations. Pupils will be prompted to draw the genetic diagrams themselves to show the genotypes of offspring of the F1 and F2 generation of pea plants in the example given. There is a prompt which you can reveal for those students of a lower ability. Once this task is complete pupils can check their work against the answers which are provided.
Now there is a quick check mid-plenary for pupils to consolidate knowledge of what they have learnt so far, a set of questions is provided and the mark scheme for pupils to check their work against.
The next part of the lesson focuses on why Mendel’s important work was not wholly recognised within his lifetime, pupils can read an extract of information and use this to answer questions. Once complete pupils can self-assess their work using the answers provided.
The final part of the lesson is looking at how Mendel’s work was imperative to the development of the double-helix model of DNA and subsequent genetic research and discoveries. Pupils will need to read a page of information, in pairs, and answer questions provided on the PowerPoint slide. For those pupils of a lower ability it may be easier to tag read the information and answer questions in groups. Once completed pupils can check their work against the success criteria provided.
The final task is for pupils to answer an exam question on this topic, pupils can complete in their books (at the back of their books for an extra challenge) and assess their work using the mark scheme once complete.
The plenary task is for pupils to come up with a questions that they would like to ask Mendel about his work.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Ecology’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
Pupils are firstly asked to come up with a food chain for humans eating rice, then humans eating chickens and to consider the differences in energy efficiency between the two. This then leads onto the second slide which explains how shorter food chains mean more efficient food production.
The second task is for pupils to think > pair > share ideas about methods farmers could employ to ensure animals gain new biomass at an efficient rate. Once pupils have written their ideas down in their books the answers can be revealed on the PowerPoint, students can check their work against the answers and correct anything they need to. The methods listed on the PowerPoint have disadvantages, pupils should then have a short discussion in pairs of what these negatives are before they are revealed.
The next part of the lesson focuses on fish stocks, students are given some information and are asked to consider how we might sustainably manage fish stocks. Once students have some to discuss as groups and then as a class, pupils are given a set of questions they will need to answer whilst watching a video. Once this is complete students can self-assess their work.
The last part of the lesson focuses on biotechnology in food production. Students will be given some information sheet in their groups and should use this information to answer a set of questions, once pupils have completed these questions they can self or peer-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
The very last task may be more suited to higher-ability classes. Pupils will be given a set of jumbled up sentences, students need to place the sentences in the correct order to describe the process of making mycoprotein, students can assess their work once complete.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy ‘Organisation’ SoW within the Biology specification.
The lesson starts by a recap on knowledge covered in KS3, pupils are asked to put tissues, cells and organs in order according to size and complexity. Once the answer is revealed pupils are then given definitions of cells, tissues and organs and are will need to answer some questions about the differences between the three structures.
Pupils are then given the definition of an organs system and will then need to complete a brainstorm of the different types of organ systems they can think of. On the next slide pupils can self-asses their work using the list of organ system examples.
In the next activity, pupils will be given a list and diagrams of different organs, they need to write down which organs they think are present in the digestive system, respiratory system and the water transport system in plants. Once completed pupils can self-assess their work using the answers provided.
The next activity is for pupils to match the correct name of an organ system to the description of its function. Following self-assessment of this task pupils will need to complete a quick recap fill-in-the-blank task.
For the last activity pupils are given a card sort of names and diagrams for cells, tissues and organs. They will need to sort these into three columns and they can then self-assess their work.
The plenary task is a poster challenge - pupils get into groups and complete a poster of information on the topic of organisation as quickly as possible.
Thank you for looking :) any questions please leave a comment and I will get back to you! And any feedback would be appreciated.
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy GCSE Biology ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins by completing an activity which recaps the role of each of the components of blood.
Pupils are then introduced to the three types of blood vessels - artery, vein and capillary. Looking at a diagram provided pupils will need to consider the differences between the three in terms of structure an function.
Pupils will then watch a video and answer questions about arteries and capillaries, the answers to the video are provided so that pupils can then self-assess their work.
The next slide will show how veins are structured and how they work to move blood back to heart from the rest of the body. Pupils could draw a diagram to represent this if there was time.
The next part of the lesson is the longest activity, pupils will need to either copy the blank table into their books or be given a printout of the table. Using cards of information pupils will need to complete the table, which shows the structural features of each of the blood vessels. The answers to this activity are provided so that pupils can either peer or self-assess their work.
The next activity is a quick fill-in-the-blank task to demonstrate the role of the capillaries within the body.
Students are now introduced to the idea of a double-circulatory system, using a diagram and a description of the system pupils will need to answer questions about the role of this system, which can then be self-assessed.
The plenary task is for pupils to pick one question to answer from a list of traffic-light questions, green for most difficult and red for easiest.
All resources are included in the lesson, any questions please leave a comment for me to get back to you and any feedback would be much appreciated :) thanks!
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Ecology’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
Pupils are firstly given some information, in pairs, on how temperature can affect the rate of decay. They are asked to read through the information and complete a set of questions. Once this task is complete pupils can self-assess their work using the answers provided.
The next task is for pupils to think > pair > share ideas about how you could stop or delay the decay process with food. Some images are provided on the PowerPoint slide as a prompt to help students, they can also use the information from the first task to help them come up with ideas. Once pupils have been given time to write their ideas down you can discuss as a group and then reveal the 5 main ways in which foods can be preserved.
Pupils will then be given a set of information about each of these preservation methods, they need to use this information plus the information from the first task they completed to explain how each of the methods helps to prevent or delay the decay process. Pupils can then self or peer assess their work once complete.
For the next task pupils are asked to use information posters places around the room or on their tables to answer a set of questions about decay & recycling. Once pupils have completed these questions they will need to assess their work using the answers provided.
The very last task is an exam question that pupils can either complete in silence at the back of their books - higher ability - or perhaps use the work they have completed this lesson if they are lower ability.
The plenary task is for students to write three sentences to summarise what they have learnt this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This is a resource for the new GCSE AQA Specification, it meets specification points from the ‘Infection & Response’ unit.
This resource contains two shorter lessons or one full lesson on bacterial & viral diseases.
Bacterial disease: This lesson begins with pupils considering why death rates due to infectious diseases are now 30% lower than they were in the early 20th century.
You will then introduce the three bacterial diseases the students will need to learn about - salmonella, gonorrhoea and bacterial diseases in plants - and ask students to discuss what they already know about these diseases.
Pupils will then copy the table from the PowerPoint into their books and they can either read information in pairs or use the information placed around the room to complete the table. You could check the students have recorded all relevant information by self-assessing the work using red pens.
For the mid-lesson plenary some statements about bacterial diseases will be read out and pupils can use thumbs up/thumbs down or RAG cards to show whether they think the statement is true or false. This will give you a chance to address any misconceptions.
The next activity can be a silent task, pupils complete questions in their books and when finished they should peer-assess using their red pen.
The plenary is an exit card (piece of paper) where pupils should write down a topic they feel secure with and an area which they do not feel as secure with. This can be addressed at the beginning of the next lesson.
Viral diseases: The lessons starts with a recap on the viral diseases the students would have learnt about a beginning of the unit when covering communicable and non-communicable diseases (see my Health & Wellness lesson). Students can discuss and then a mind map can be brought together on the white board.
Pupils then draw a table into their books and use the information around the room to complete the table. This is then followed by a mid-lesson progress check, pupils will answer questions in silence in their books which are then self-assessed using red pen.
You can then conduct a game of key word bingo with your students. This works by pupils choosing 6 of the key words from the board and you can randomly read definitions of these key words, if pupils have they key word they should cross the word out. Once all 6 of their key words are crossed out they can call bingo!
The plenary is a 3-2-1 recap of the lesson, pupils should write three facts they have learnt, two key words and a question to test their peers knowledge of viral diseases. If there is time at the end of the lesson
All of the resources are found within the PowerPoint :)
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy GCSE Biology ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins by introducing the composition of the blood - platelets, white blood cells, red blood cells and plasma.
Pupils will jump straight into the first activity, they will be given a place mat worksheet which has questions about each of the four components of the blood. Each student will then be given a slip of information about these four components, the students will need to share information to complete their place mat. Once complete, the answers which will be provided on the PowerPoint slide can be used for pupils to either self-assess or peer-assess their work.
Pupils will now look at how red blood cells transport of oxygen around the body, once this has been explained using diagrams on the PowerPoint slide pupils will then need to arrange sentences into an order to show how this process occurs. Once completed pupils will self-assess their work using the answers provided.
The next activity is a True or False activity about what the students have learnt so far, this could be extended by asking students to re-writing the incorrect sentences so that they make sense.
The final activity is a past-paper question on the components of blood, which pupils can then peer or self-assess.
The plenary is for pupils to brainstorm key words they have learnt from the topic of the heart and blood so far.
All resources are provided in the PowerPoint.
Any questions please let me know via the comments section, if you have feedback please do leave a comment :) thanks!
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy GCSE Biology specification, particularly the ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology, Chemistry and Physics specifications please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins by introducing the heart as an organ and it’s function in the body, pupils will have a few minutes to read through the information on the slide as a ‘memory test’. Then move the slide forward where pupils have to copy and complete the information about the heart, using key words to help them. Pupils can then self-assess their work.
For the next activity pupils are given an information sheet providing information about the structure of the heart and the job of the blood vessels supplying/taking blood away from the hear. Pupils will also be given a worksheet which they will need to complete using this information.
Pupils will then be introduced to the idea of valves, they can watch a short video an have a look at the position of the valves within the heart. They will need to Think > Pair > Share ideas about the function of the valves in the heart. After a short class discussion the answer can be provided for them.
The next activity will require pupils to sort information into a flow diagram to demonstrate the route the blood flows through from the right atrium onwards. The words they need to fill in the boxes will be provided, they can self-assess their work once it has been completed.
The next part of the lesson focuses on problems with blood flow through the heart, firstly pupils are introduced to the idea of coronary arteries being blocked due to cholesterol/fatty deposits. They will provided with some information on the board and will need to answer questions on this information, which can then be assessed once the answers are revealed.
Then they will shown the differences between different types of treatment - surgery, stents or statins - and will be asked some questions about the uses, advantages and disadvantages of these examples of treatment for people with cardiovascular disease.
Again, all answers are provided for pupils to check their work throughout the lesson.
Plenary is to write a twitter message about what the students have learnt this lesson, make sure to #keywords!
Any questions please comment on the resource to ask me, any feedback if you have purchased this resource would be much appreciated :) thanks!
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Ecology’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
First of all students are asked to consider why not all of the light that falls onto a plant will be used in photosynthesis. Students can think > pair > share their ideas in their books. Once complete the following slide goes through the possible ways in which light energy can be lost before it used to make new plant biomass. Students will listen and then need to fill in the blanks on a paragraph detailing these processes. Once this task is complete students can self-assess their work.
Students are then shown a simple food chain and asked to think about how biomass could be lost at each stage in the food chain. Pupils can discuss their ideas and create a mind map in their books, why isn’t all of the biomass from trophic level passed on to the next trophic level? The next slide reveals some of these reasons, pupils can check their work against the answers.
Pupils will then be given a worksheet detailing energy loss and energy transfer criteria, students need to use this information to annotate a food chain to show how energy is lost and how much is transferred to the next trophic level. There are a number of ways in which they may do this but there is a sample answer provided to demonstrate how the student could have completed their work.
The last part of the lesson looks at efficiency of energy transfer, pupils will be shown the efficiency calculation and a worked example. Pupils can write the calculation into their books and then use this to answer a set of questions. Once complete pupils can self-assess their work.
The plenary task is for pupils to turn to the back of their books and write three summary sentences on what they have learnt this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Organisms & their Environment’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson in the gas exchange in the leaf of a plant and limiting water loss begins with a starter discussion to remind students of the tissues found in leaves and the tracheal system in insects.
Students will then be asked to think about the relationship between plant an animal cells and respiration of the two respectively. They should also consider when photosynthesis is taking place, and when it is not.
The first task of this lesson is a diagram worksheet to label the structures of a leaf cell. Answers are on the following slide for self-assessment, followed by a light micrograph of leaf structure.
The next task is to consider leaf adaptations for photosynthesis and identify the purpose of the adaptation (to absorb light, for gas exchange, reduce water loss, or transport). Answers follow for self-assessment.
Students are then introduced to the stomata. They should make notes on the structure when the guard cells are swollen or shrunken. The next task is to answer three summary questions, sample answers are available on the following slide for self-assessment.
The problem for all terrestrial organisms is water evaporation from the surface of their bodies. Students are asked to remember the various ways in which insects limit water loss before they are introduced to plant adaptations. Xerophytes are introduced as an example, including cacti and marram grass.
Students will then complete a table using information cards about xerophytic adaptation, and four summary questions. Answers for both follow, for self-assessment.
The final task is to complete an exam style question to consolidate their learning and self-assess to the sample mark scheme.
The plenary is to write three sentences to summarise what they have learnt this lesson!
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Biological Molecules’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson begins with a starter discussion to explain the effect temperature has on enzymes. Students should explain why they think many enzymes cannot function at over 60 degrees celcius.
Then, go on to teach students the inhibitor classifications and their functions through three slides containing definitions and diagrams. Students then have an opportunity to identify competitive and non-competitive inhibitors as a class through two easy diagrams.
Students will then be asked to complete “worksheet 1” independently, in order to practise diagramming competitive and non-competitive inhibition with complete definitions, on their own. The answers are displayed on the following slide so students may self-assess, or you may choose to have them assess each-others’ work in partners. You can find worksheet 1 at the end of the PowerPoint on slide 17.
The following slide explains substrate concentration and reaction rate with competitive, and then non-competitive inhibition. Students should use worksheet 2 (slide 18 of the PowerPoint) to take notes and answer the questions independently.
When worksheet 2 is complete, define potassium cyanide and encourage a discussion between pairs about the danger of cyanide.
Students should then complete the exam style questions from slide 19 and self-assess. If necessary, leave time for questions and discussion.
The lesson concludes with a plenary task which asks students to write a tweet demonstrating what they’ve learned, their tweet should be no more than 140 characters and include #keywords.
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy GCSE Biology ‘Organisation’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology, Chemistry and Physics SoW please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins with an introduction to the types of problems which may arise with the heart, for example leaky valves or problems with the natural pacemaker cells. Pupils are then given a grid with problems of the heart, causes and how to fix the problem all jumbled up. Students will need to shade the boxes that all go together the same colour. For lower ability students they will probably need to discuss this with others around them and they want to to check with you before they start to colour.
Once completed the students can self-assess their work.
The next activity should take up a large part of the lesson, around the room place a couple of copies of the posters found at the end of the PowerPoint slide. Pupils will need to walk around the room and use this information to complete the tasks displayed on the board. (If a class is quite disruptive you may want to place this information on desks and not allow students out of their seat!).
Once completed pupils can sit back down, swap their work with the person next to them and mark their work using the answers provided.
The last activity is a past-paper question which involves comprehension and evaluation skills to be implemented. Once again the mark scheme is provided so pupils can assess their own work.
The plenary activity is for pupils to 3 facts, 2 key words and 1 question about what they have learnt this lesson.
All resources are included within the PowerPoint presentation.
Any questions please leave a comment, if you downloaded and used this resource please leave feedback for me :) thanks!
This is a lesson which meets specification points within the OCR Gateway Science - B1 -Cell-Level Systems SoW.
This lesson starts with a description, and diagram, of how DNA is copied via the process of transcription. Students will watch a short animation on the PowerPoint which further outlines this process, they will then need to complete a fill-in-the-blank task. This can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Next, children will look at the structure of DNA and mRNA and compare the two, they will complete a table which outlines the similarities and differences between these two molecules. This can be self-assessed using the answers provided.
The latter part of the lesson is on translation, children will be given a description and shown a short animation of the process of translation. After this, a video will be shown and students will need to answer a set of questions whilst watching. The answers to this task are included in the PowerPoint, and children will need to self-assess their work once it is complete.
The final activity is an exam-style question on DNA.
All resources are included, please review with any feedback :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Cells’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson on Osmosis begins with a discussion to review diffusion and osmosis, students should think about what they remember from GCSE.
After defining osmosis and water potential, students will watch a short video and answer worksheet questions. Answers are available on the next slide for self-assessment.
To test the students’ knowledge, they will then practice identifying direction of movement from water potential of two plant cells. They can use mini whiteboards to pick a movement direction, or lack thereof!
To further the lesson on water potential, students will consider isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic solutions. They will then practice matching these terms to their definitions before completing a worksheet to demonstrate how these conditions affect red blood cells. Answers for self-assessment are on the next slide.
This information is synthesised by a quick discussion of osmosis in onion cells. Then, using their whiteboards to test their understanding of water potential, students will identify what is happening to cells in a series of pictures.
Students will then practise by working through a few exam-style questions and self-assessing to the answers provided in the slides.
As a plenary the students should write three sentences summarising what they have learned in this lesson.
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA AS-level Biology course, particularly the ‘Cells’ module.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA A-level Biology course please visit my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
A-Level lesson format: I teach in more of a lecture style compared to GCSE. In the majority of my A-level lessons the beginning portion of the lesson is mainly teacher-led, where students are expected to take notes onto a handout/in their books. This is then mixed in with student-led activities, as well as questions and exam prep.
You will find some of my slides have blank spaces for you to add more detail/descriptions/explanations. If you look at the ‘Notes’ section underneath each of these slides, you will find additional content which you can add in as you teach!
This lesson on Monoclonal Antibodies and their uses begins with a review of antibodies, plasma b-cells and memory b-cells. Students should also describe the humoral immune response to a pathogen.
Students are then introduced to monoclonal antibodies through description on the slides and a short video. They should take notes and be prepared to fill in a diagram using the statements on the slide. A complete diagram is on the following slide for self-assessment.
The next slides introduce the use of monoclonal antibodies, and then explain how they may be used to target cancer cells, test for pregnancy, and create medical diagnoses. Students will then watch another video which explains pregnancy tests. They will answer a few questions while watching and may self-assess to the answers on the next slide.
Another included task asks students to complete a table explaining how monoclonal antibodies are used in various methods, by using information cards posted throughout the room.
Using this information students will think > pair > share to discuss ethical issues regarding the production of monoclonal antibodies. They will watch three short vidoes to inform their discussion and should include risks, benefits, and impacts on both the individual and society in their answers. Some sample discussion points are available in the notes below the slide.
To consolidate, students will be given a mixture of information cards to sort into a table of advantages and disadvantages of monoclonal antibodies.
The plenary task is to create a three-question quiz to test their peers on today’s lesson.
All resources are included. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)