Worksheet starter task to recap the basics of amino acid structure

A comprehensive six page worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource deals with all the major aspects of how a nerve impulse originates and is propagated along a neurone. The worksheets include diagrams that show the different open and closed positions of sodium and potassium channels with space for students to show their own positions of the relevant ions (this is with reference to an online animation - weblink included on the worksheet). The worksheet also has a labelling exercise for the classic action potential graph as well as details on saltatory conductance and factors affecting speed of impulse transmission. Key words: nerve, neurone, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period, action potential, resting potential, sodium, potassium, diffusion, ATP, ATPase pump

A mark scheme posted in response to a request from a customer that purchased the nitrogen cycle worksheet: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/nitrogen-cycle-11285758

This is a personal learning checklist (PLC) tailored for the second year of the new AQA Biology Advanced Level specification. This is an excel spreadsheet with five worksheets in total, each one covering specification references: 3.5 Energy transfers 3.6 Organisms respond to change 3.7 Genetics & ecosystems 3.8 Control of gene expression 6.1-6.5 Mathematical requirements Each worksheet contains the full list of statements/learning outcomes taken directly from the specification, along with a grid for students to RAG rate their confidence as well as space to write notes and set targets. The worksheets have been formatted to allow easy printing of each worksheet. Each worksheet can be printed and collated with others to form a full checklist for the entire year. Students could also be emailed this PLC and complete using a computer - the final worksheet collates information from the self -analysis carried out on previous pages and presents an overall percentage score for the level of confidence in each topic plus an indication of whether a student is 'secure' in that topic area. This is an essential resource for anyone teaching the new biology advanced level specification. Key words: personal learning checklist (PLC), self assessment, targets, AQA, biology

A resource aimed at GCSE (14-16 year old) biology students, this worksheet consists of nine questions that probe understanding of the process of osmosis. This resource is ideal to use as a starter activity following the classic practical investigation into how different concentrations of salt or sugar solution affect the mass of a potato chip. Key words: osmosis, mass, percentage change, water, concentration

This resource is aimed at A-Level Biology students and lists the mechanisms behind each of four different lung diseases and disorders: asthma, tuberculosis, pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. As well as being a useful collection of revision notes in itself, the task here is for students to explain how each of these diseases causes a reduced tolerance to exercise - this is often asked in exam questions and requires students to apply their knowledge of Fick's Law. Each disease will impact on surface area, concentration gradient and/or thickness of exchange surface thereby reducing the rate of diffusion; the challenge is for students to explain this

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource provides several prompts for students to research and learn about the nature of the nerve impulse and action potential. Extension tasks are also provided along with weblinks to animations and information sources. This is a good activity to set a class as a homework or as an independent learning task prior to teaching of the topic in class. Key words: Nerve, neurone, nerve impulse, action potential, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period, resting potential, propagation, sodium, potassium, influx, efflux, membrane

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource provides two sequencing tasks: one for the events that lead to generation of an action potential and one for the events of synaptic transmission. Both of these topics are frequently examined by most major exam boards and so this is a useful task to reinforce the factual content of these topics with students. Key words: synapse, action potential, nerve, neurone, transmission, vesicle, neurotransmitter, diffusion, depolarisation, repolarisation, refractory period

A resource aimed at advanced biology students, this is a table that displays the structural formulae of various biological molecules, including triglyceride fats, cellulose, amylopectin, a tripeptide, maltose and sucrose. Students are required to identify each molecule and also which enzyme is responsible for breaking it down plus the breakdown products.

A comprehensive six page worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource tells the story of how the work of several scientists ultimately led to the discovery and understanding of DNA. The worksheet includes diagrams, images and information relating to classic experiments performed by scientists (including Friedrich Meischer, Fred Griffiths, Oswald Avery, Alfred Hershey, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick.

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this is a useful resource to check understanding and factual recall with students following a topic on synaptic transmission. The worksheet includes a sequencing exercise for the main events involved with an excitatory synapse and further questions related to how the synapse functions. Key words: synapse, excitatory, acetylcholine, vesicles, neurotransmitter

An activity aimed at A-Level Biology students. This activity involves a series of statements that can be given to a class at the start of a lesson with the instruction that they draw the phosphorous cycle based on this information. Students should initially do this in pairs but can then be teamed up in larger groups to show, discuss and explain their own diagrammatic interpretations of the phosphorus cycle. Finally, the whole class can be brought together to discuss the best way of joining these statements together into an agreed phosphorous cycle. Key words: Phosphorous, cycle, ATP, NADP, weathering, phosphates, fertilisers, glycolysis, kinase, phosphorylation

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

An activity aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource provides a detailed step by step set of instructions for students to construct their own detailed models of cells undergoing meiotic cell division. The activity provides an excellent way for students to clarify their understanding on how chromosomes behave and appear at different stages of meiosis and how haploid cells are produced from diploid cells. The second page of the activity provides a template of cell diagrams which can be printed out on A3 paper and used as a template for student to attach their models. Once complete, students can then copy a diagram of their model or take a photograph to record their work. The activity also contains an extension task which asks students to consider the impact of independent assortment of chromosomes. Please note that this activity requires two sets of pipecleaners (each of different colours and some adhesive white labels to identify genes carried on each pipecleaner 'chromosome'.

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students which provides a neat summary of the key points in the Nitrogen Cycle. The resource covers naming of key compounds (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, ammonium ions), deamination, ammonification, decomposition and denitrification. The resource also has two 'challenge' questions for more able students to apply their knowledge. Key words: Nitrogen cycle, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, deamination, ammonification, decomposition, denitrification

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource focuses on how restriction enzymes can be used to map the position of genes within a plasmid. The worksheet consists of background information on restriction enzymes followed by a question whereby students can use logical thought to work out the position of a gene within a larger sequence of DNA. Key words: bacteria, host, gene, mapping, restriction endonucleases

Science students often struggle to understand the concept of a control investigation, something which is regularly examined by most exam board specifications. This worksheet explains clearly what a control investigation is and then provides several practice investigations which require students to describe a suitable control. Finally, the worksheet provides an extra 'challenge' question for more able students to describe how control experiments were important in establishing the germ theory of disease and debunking the myth of spontaneous generation.

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource has a series of questions that require students to calculate water potential values in order to predict the direction of water movement between different cells. The worksheet also has diagrams of both animal cells and plant cells showing water movement in, out and no net movement - students are required to match each diagram to the circumstance that would cause each effect. A useful worksheet to review understanding of the key ideas involved with osmosis

A worksheet aimed at high ability GCSE or advanced level biology or applied science students, this resource provides a research task for students to complete independently on the topic of thermoregulation. The worksheet has clear criteria for the research task and provides several individual prompts that lead students through the task. Weblinks are provided at the end of the worksheet. Key words: thermoregulation, temperature, research, vasoconsstriction, vasodilation, shivering, piloerection, respiration, core temperature