A worksheet with method and subsequent questions (including a higher ability challenge question) on the effect of lipase and bile salts on the breakdown of fat present in milk. A good practical activity for GCSE and A-Level students alike, which demonstrates the impact of bile as an emulsifying agent. Key words: phenolpthalein, milk, ph, bile, fat, triglyceride, temperature, lipase

A resource aimed at Advanced Biology students, this worksheet provides a list of questions related to understanding the events of the cardiac cycle. The questions focus on the characteristic pressure change graph that shows AV valves and semi-lunar valves opening and closing as pressure of blood between artery, atria and ventricles changes. Students often struggle to articulate the difference in pressure as the cause of valves opening and closing; these questions will help to reinforce key concepts. Key words: artery, ventricle, atria, semi-lunar, atrio-ventricular, pressure

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource consists of eight questions that focus on both multiple alleles and codominance. The examples chosen include fur colour in cats, hair colour in cattle and the appearance of the (fictional) American Bigfoot! A good resource to use as either a starter or plenary exercise to test understanding of either codominance or multiple alleles and phenotypic ratios. Key words: genetics, phenotype, codominance, multiple alleles, monohybrid

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource consists of a labelling exercise on the structure and layout of cells in the retina. The worksheet continues with synoptic style application questions about various visual phenomena (e.g. visual acuity, night blindness, averted vision, bleaching of rods and cones). These questions are ideal for building synoptic understanding of how and why the cells of the retina are structured. Key words: Retina, Eye, rods, cones, sclera, choroid, bipolar cell, ganglion cell, sensory neurone, blind spot, fovea, visual axis, lens, suspensory ligament, ciliary muscles, pupil, iris

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource serves as a recap of key events that occur during muscle contraction. The worksheet includes reference to the appearance of striated muscle fibres when in a state of contraction and relaxation (e.g. I bands, A-bands, H-zone) and the sequence of events that occur at the neuromuscular junction when a nerve impuse triggers muscle contraction. Key words: muscle, fibres, A-band, I-band, H-zone, contraction, relaxation, calcium, troponin, tropomyosin, myosin, actin

A worksheet suitable for Level 3 Applied Science Students (but easily adaptable for advanced biology), this worksheet requires students to research the key processes involved in mitosis. The worksheet is written in the style of a BTEC task but it could also be used as a homework activity for any advanced biology class about to study mitosis. Several question prompts are provided along with a weblink to an interactive animation, allowing students to research their own answers to each of the questions Keywords: Mitosis, prophase, anaphase, metaphase, telophase, interphase, chromosomes, centromere, diploid, research

A worksheet containing a simple comparison table looking at the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA followed by questions that ask students to consider why chromosomes may sometimes appear single stranded and sometimes double stranded. A useful exercise for students to become acquainted with chromosome appearance before learning about mitosis, meiosis, etc. Key words: mitosis, meiosis, chromosomes, cells, division, eukaryotic, prokaryotic, DNA

An activity aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource consists of two worksheets that can be used together or separately. The first worksheet begins with a research task that requires students to make their own notes on key processes involved with glucose control; weblinks and animation references are included and this could be set as a homework the week before the topic commences in class. The second worksheet has a recap of the research learning points before continuing into a long-response question carrying a maximum of ten marks. Students are required to use their initial research to answer the long question: 'Describe the factors that influence blood glucose concentration and explain how the body responds to changes in blood glucose levels' before self marking using the mark scheme provided. Key words: glucose, homeostasis, glucagon, insulin, glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen, starch, blood, diabetes

An activity aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource consists of two worksheets that can be used together or separately. The first worksheet begins with a research task that requires students to make their own notes on key processes involved with meiosis; weblinks and animation references are included and this could be set as a homework the week before the topic commences in class. The second worksheet has a recap of the research learning points before continuing into a long-response question carrying a maximum of ten marks. Students are required to use their initial research to answer the long question: ‘Describe and explain how a diploid cell divides by meiosis to produce genetically variable gametes’ before self marking using the mark scheme provided (sixteen marking points are available). Keywords: meiosis, cell division, gametes, diploid, haploid, biology, crossing over, independent assortment, prophase, anaphase, metaphase, telophase, interphase

A resource aimed at GCSE biology students, this worksheet provides a brief review of basic key terms (e.g. antibody, antigen, phagocyte, lymphocyte) followed by more open ended and challenging questions that require students to fully explain the principles of active immunity in their own words. Key words: active, immunity, phagocyte, lymphocyte, vaccination, antibody, antigen

A worksheet that provides a matching exercise for key definitions related to ecology (e.g. population, community, ecosystem, niche, etc). Useful as a plenary task once this topic has been covered, which provides students with a written record of what each term means. Key words: Ecology, ecosystem, population, niche, community, competition, intraspecific, interspecific, habitat, environment

A quick test comprising four questions on mark-release-recapture, use of random sampling with quadrats and chi-squared statistical analysis. Useful at the end of a series of lessons on ecology as a quick review of key principles. The assessment includes answers to all the questions. Key words: chi-squared, mark-release-recapture, random sampling, quadrats, ecology, test, exam, answers, quiz

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students that compares and contrasts pyramids of number with pyramids of biomass. The worksheet requires students to perform simple calculations of total biomass and consideration of the pyramid shapes that result. Key words: biomass, number, pyramid, energy, loss, efficiency

A worksheet that can serve as either a starter or plenary review of competitive and non-competitive inhibitors. The worksheet ends with a review of end-product inhibition - often missed by students when they revise this topic. Key words: enzyme, inhibitor, active site, competitive, non-competitive, end-product To view more resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/cmrcarr

A resource aimed at advanced level biology students, this worksheet provides a research task on the theory, mechanisms and applications of DNA fingerprinting. Several questions/prompts are provided along with weblinks to online resources for students to use during their research. Keywords: DNA, fingerprinting, restriction fragment length polymorphism, microsatellite, short tandem repeat, unique, forensic, paternity

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource consists of 23 questions relating to the topic of translation/protein synthesis. Each question requires a single word answer. This is a good exercise to reinforce key vocabulary. The final few questions focus on the words associated with cancer and loss of control of the cell cycle.

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students that reviews the key points about facilitated diffusion across a membrane. The worksheet includes reference to factors that determine whether a substance can pass freely across a membrane, the nature of carrier and channel proteins, the requirement of ATP and graphs comparing rate of uptake via simple diffusion versus facilitated diffusion (this is an oft-asked exam question, so useful for students to review this in lessons).

A resource aimed at post-16 biology students, this worksheet contains a list of written instructions for students to draw in order to recreate a diagram of the light independent reactions of photosynthesis. This task can be given to the whole class and then a printed diagram of the light independent reactions given out at the end of the activity for students to compare their drawing to; alternatively the class can be divided into two at the start of the lesson - half get a diagram of the light independent reactions and are asked to describe each stage while the other half get this worksheet and are asked to draw a diagram; the two halves of each class can then be asked to verbally feedback to each other. This is a useful way of turning an otherwise dry topic into an involving and engaging activity. Key words: photosynthesis, light independent, RuBP, G3P, TP, ATP, RNADP, NADP, Calvin cycle, photophosphorylation, RUBISCO

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource focuses on the mechanism of action of agonists and antagonists. The worksheet includes a diagram and explanation of how agonists and antagonists work, followed by some examples of common drugs and chemicals that can act as agonists or antagonists of the autonomic nervous system. A diagram of the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system is included and is required for the final page of the worksheet - a series of questions that asks students to predict the effect of various drugs and poisons (e.g. beta blockers, muscarine, atropine, etc). This is a good activity for making the link between theory and practice; most students really enjoy being able to predict the action of a drug from a simple understanding of its mechanism. A second, shorter worksheet is also included on the same topic which could be used as a revision activity once the key concepts have been taught. Key words: agonist, anatgonist, sympathetic, parasympathetic, sympathetic, autonomic, muscarine, beta blockers, atropine, noradrenaline, acetylcholine, sarin

A worksheet aimed at 14-18 year olds that provides a comprehension activity on the story of Typhoid Mary - a good example of how compelling evidence was used to identify and isolate the cause of an infectious disease over one hundred years ago.