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 Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 B1.3 Module on ‘Reproduction’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This lesson begins with a recap on the stages involved in fertilisation, students will be asked to rearrange a set of sentences into the correct order to correctly describe the process of fertilisation.
Seed dispersal is now introduced, firstly students are asked to consider two questions - why the parent plant wants to disperse seeds away from itself and what are the main methods of seed dispersal that we already know of. Students can discuss the answers to these questions in pairs before feeding back into a class discussion, the answers to these questions can then be revealed.
Next, students will be given a worksheet of questions and will then watch a video on various methods of seed dispersal. Students will need to answer the questions whilst watching the video, the mark scheme for this task is included in the PowerPoint for students to self-assess their work once it is complete.
The last task is a progress check, whereby students will need to copy and complete a paragraph which describes the importance of seed dispersal. Students can either peer-assess or self-assess their work using the answers provided once this is complete.
The plenary requires students to create three quiz questions to test their peers knowledge of what they have learned so far 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 lesson which meets specification points within the AQA Biology Trilogy - Cells SoW.
The lesson begins by pupils using posters around the room to complete a levelled worksheet on the structure and function of animal and plant cells. Pupils will then peer-assess their work, providing feedback of the grade each pupil achieved and ways to improve their work.
Pupils will then complete a 'revision' task in the back of their books, they will need to stick in a sheet and match the structure to the function. Pupils can self-assess their work.
The final task, an assessment task, involves pupils answering a past-paper questions. They should try and do this with their book closed to test their knowledge of what they have learnt this lesson.
Pupil can then either peer-assess or self-assess their work.
All resources are included, please review with any feedback :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Homeostasis’ 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 students discussing what they think the waste products of the body are, they can write down their ideas into their books as a mind map. As an extension pupils can consider which processes within the body actually release these waste products.
The lesson then moves on to identify carbon dioxide and urea as the two major waste products of the body, pupils will then be given a levelled worksheet which they can complete by using information posters either placed around the room or placed on their desks. After pupils have completed this worksheet, they can self or peer assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
The next task is an exam-style question on the work the pupils have just completed, higher ability pupils can challenge themselves by completing these questions in the back of their books and not looking at their notes. Once finished pupils can mark their work using the mark scheme provided in the PowerPoint slide.
The plenary task is an anagram challenge, pupils will need to unscramble 6 words to reveal 6 key words used within 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 Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 B1.2 Module on ‘Structure & Function of Body Systems’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with an introduction to the levels of organisation found within multicellular organisms. Students are then asked to sort the following into the correct order, according to size: cell, organ system, tissue and organ.
Students are then shown the definitions for each of the following: cells, tissues and organs before being asked to complete a mind map of organ systems they alread know of. After spending a few minutes on this task, some of the example answers can be revealed for pupils to mark their work.
Students are now given a list of organs and are asked to pick the organs which belong to the digestive system, respiratory system and water transport system of plants. Once this task has been completed, students can self-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
The next activity requires students to match the correct organ system name to the correct role of that organ system and then pupils need to complete a fill-in-the-blank task, the answers to both these tasks are included in the PowerPoint for students to self-assess their work.
Lastly, students are given a card sort containing organs/cells/tissues - students will need to match the correct cell to the correct tissue and then organ, this can be stuck into a table in their books. This work can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided. Students will finally complete a ‘Team Poster Challenge’ to end the lesson.
The plenary requires to spend one minute talking to the person next to them about what they have learned 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 Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 B1.2 Module on ‘Structure & Function of Body Systems’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with a recap of the key terms learned over the last few lessons on the topics of the skeleton and joints, students need to match the structure to the correct function. This work can then be self-assessed using the answers provided.
Next, students will need to discuss the body muscle groups they already know of with their partner and then create a mind map of their ideas in their books. Students can then check their work against the answers revealed on the PowerPoint.
The next activity requires students to correctly label the diagram of the human body with the muscle groups and then identify the function of each muscle group from a list provided. The mark scheme for this task is included for students to mark and correct their work.
The next part of the lesson focuses on the antagonistic pairs of muscle. Students are shown a diagram of how biceps and triceps work together to either move the forearm upwards to downwards. After viewing the diagram and the explanation, students are asked to complete a fill-in-the-blank task to summarise this process. Their answers can be self-assessed using the PowerPoint presentation.
Lastly, students will complete a progress check in their books - this is a set of questions based upon what they have learned this lesson. This task can be self or peer assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary task requires students to write three quiz questions to test their peers on what they have learned 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 KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the B2 1.3 unit on Adaptation & Inheritance.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with an introduction to variation and what it means to belong to a species. Students will then be shown images of four different people and will be asked to note down the ways in which the people are different from one another and why.
This will lead into the next PowerPoint slide which shows images of characteristics which are inherited - lobed/lobeless ears, eye colour, natural hair colour. Students can make a note of these in their books as examples. Next, students will be shown images of characteristics which could be due to the environment - weight, tattoos/scars, piercings, strength.
Students will now focus on inherited variation, they will be asked to think about their own characteristics and then compare this to a family member - parents/grandparent. Students should then complete a mind map of the characteristics they have inherited from different people, e.g. I have inherited my eye colour from my Dad. If complete, there is an ‘extra challenge’ question for students to consider why they are not identical to either one of their parents.
Next, students will be shown examples of environmental factors which lead to certain types of environmental variation. For example, where you grow up and the football team you support. Students will then need to complete a task which requires students to match the correct environmental factor with the correct type of environmental variation. This task can then be marked and assessed using the mark scheme provided once complete.
The last task requires students to consider a world in which there is no variation, where everyone looked the same as one another. Students will then need to describe the advantages and disadvantages of this world and explain whether it would be a world they would like to live in.
The plenary task requires students to spend a minute talking the person next to them about what they have learned 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 homeschool pack designed for the GCSE Biology course, specifically the ‘B1.3 Infection & Response’ unit of work.
For more lessons & homeschool packs designed for KS3 and KS4, please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This comprehensive pack contains nine pages of information, to meet all learning objectives within the GCSE Biology ‘Infection & Response’ unit of work. This is followed by five pages of questions, differentiated to suit a range of abilities, as well as a detailed mark scheme for students/parents to mark and correct answers.
The pack covers the following topics:
Heath & Wellness
Pathogens & Disease
Preventing Infections
Defence Mechanisms
Antibiotics & Painkillers
Vaccination
Bacterial Diseases
Viral Disease
Fungal & Protist Diseases
Cancer
Antibiotic Resistance
Drug Trials
Smoking
Alcohol
Thanks for looking :), if you have any questions please email me at swift.education.uk@gmail.com.
This is a homeschool pack designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the ‘B2.3 Adaptation & Inheritance’ unit of work.
For more lessons & homeschool packs designed for KS3 and KS4, please visit my shop at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This comprehensive pack contains eight pages of information, to meet learning objectives within the Year 8 ‘Adaptation & Inheritance’ unit of work. This is followed by three pages of questions, differentiated to suit a range of abilities, as well as a detailed mark scheme for students/parents to mark and correct answers.
The pack covers the following topics:
Competition & Adaptation
Adapting to change
Variation
Continuous and discontinuous variation
Inheritance
Natural Selection
Extinction
Thanks for looking :), if you have any questions please email me at swift.education.uk@gmail.com.
This is a lesson designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology 'Scaling up’ scheme of work.
This lesson begins by identifying the purpose of mitosis - growth and repair. Pupils will then be given a double-sided worksheet, the first side corresponds to the first 5 mins 51 seconds of the video included in the PowerPoint slide. Pupils will need to watch the video and answer the questions on the sheet, they are in order but for lower ability classes you may want to stop the video and guide pupils through the work. Self-assess this work using the answers provided in the PowerPoint before moving on with the video.
The next part of the video guides pupils through what happens during Mitosis - Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. Pupils have diagrams of the the processes on the back of their worksheet, they will need to use the video to name the stages and describe what is happening. Self-assess work using the answers that are provided in the PowerPoint.
The next activity, pupils are given real images of a cell going through mitosis and descriptions of the stages, they need to cut and stick the stages and the pictures in the correct order to complete a flow diagram. Pupils peer or self-assess their work using red/green pens.
Past-paper question provided as an extra activity for higher-ability pupils - pupils answer the question in their books and peer-assess using the mark scheme
Resources are included in the PowerPoint, thank you for looking :)
This is a lesson designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology ‘Scaling up’ scheme of work.
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.
Next, pupils 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.
This task is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the 'Ecology’ SoW.
For more resources 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 activity contains a set of differentiated questions worth 20 marks in total, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension or revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work against their target grades, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
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 designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology 'Cell-level lsystems’ scheme of work.
Pupils will learn about the products made during photosynthesis and how these are used plants. In particular the uses of protein, cellulose, starch and fats & oils. At a higher level pupils will consider the advantages and disadvantages of energy storage molecules such as fats, oils & starch.
Pupils will have an opportunity to use information points around the room to complete a levelled worksheet on this topic which will be peer assessed at the end of the lesson. Extension opportunities are available if finished.
Once this first activity has been self or peer assessed pupils will then have the opportunity to conduct an experiment to investigate the presence of starch in normal and variegated leaves. Students will also learn about investigations that can be carried out to prove that chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and light are needed for photosynthesis to take place.
The last activity pupils will complete are two exam-style questions on the topic of the lesson, this can then be self-assessed.
All resources are included in the PowerPoint presentation, thank you for purchasing :)
This is a lesson designed to meet specification points for the new OCR GCSE (Gateway) Biology 'Cell-level lsystems’ scheme of work.
The lesson begins with a recap from the last lesson, children are shown images of pieces of equipment which could be used to measure the rate of photosynthesis. Students can discuss, and write down in their books, a simple method using the equipment pictured. They can then self-assess their answers using the answer provided on the PowerPoint.
Children will now be given a worksheet which describes an experiment carried out to test the effect of carbon dioxide concentrations on the rate of photosynthesis. Students will need to plot a graph to represent the results, and then answer questions about this data.
Lastly, students will be introduced to the idea of the inverse square law - when you double the distance from a light source, the light intensity falls by a factor of four. Students will then need to use this to answer some questions in their books.
All resources are included in the PowerPoint presentation, thank you for purchasing :)
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology 'Cells' SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not confident at all (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic.
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology 'Bioenergetics' SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not confident at all (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic.
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology ‘Infection & Response’ SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not at all confident (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test on ‘Infection & Response’ for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic.
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology ‘Homeostasis’ SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not at all confident (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test on ‘Homeostasis’ for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after the test to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology ‘Inheritance, variation & evolution’ SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not at all confident (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test on ‘Inheritance, variation & evolution’ for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic
This is a resource which contains all of the learning outcomes for the new AQA Biology ‘Ecology’ SoW.
Pupils should mark whether they feel they very confident (green), a little confident (amber) or not at all confident (red) for their ability to achieve each learning outcome.
This can be used before an end-of-topic test on ‘Ecology’ for pupils to reflect on areas of revision which are most important. It can also be used again after to see whether students have progressed in their understanding of the topic
This task is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Biology GCSE, particularly the ‘Cells’ SoW.
For more resources 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 activity contains a set of differentiated questions worth 20 marks in total, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension or revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work against their target grades, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)