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.

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource provides 21 questions on the topic of DNA structure. This is a good resource to reinforce key vocabulary associated with this topic. Answers to all the questions are provided on the second page of the worksheet.

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 worksheet that is aimed at A-Level Biology students, providing data from an investigation into the effect of caffeine on the heart rate of Daphnia. Students are required to use the 95% confidence limits and standard error test to determine whether the results are statistically significant or not. Key words: Statistics, Daphnia, heart rate, caffeine, 95% confidence limits, standard error, standard deviation, significance, null hypothesis

Aimed at either GCSE or A-Level Biology students, this activity is part of a DRAW IT series of activities. A class is divided into two halves: one half gets the diagram and has to write a commentary as to what each stage in the diagram is depicting; the other half gets a written commentary about the process and has to draw a diagram representing each stage. The two halves of the class can then be paired up to discuss the process of eutrophication, before asking students to summarise during class discussion or on the main whiteboard of the classroom. An easy way to get information on a complex process across to students quickly. Key words: Eutrophication, draw, write, pollution, algae, sunlight, photosynthesis, decomposition, decay, oxygen, respiration, death, fish, organisms, aquatic

A worksheet that provides secondary data from an investigation into the population density/abundance of plant species in a field. The worksheet requires some calculations to estimate population density and total population size across the whole field. There is also consideration of the reasons why quadrats are always deployed randomly and why random sampling is required for any fieldwork investigation. Key words: quadrat, fieldwork, dandelions, daisies. estimate, population, density, abundance, calculations

A worksheet that reviews the key points about succession in an ecosystem: what it is, how it happens, sequence of events, factors affecting and different types. The worksheet also has a question on diversity index in a mown and unmown lawn as an example of deflected succession. Key words: Succession, diversity, climax, community, grass, shrubs, pioneer, species, trees, index, primary, secondary, deflected

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students that provides four questions to practice their knowledge of the technique of mark-release-recapture. The questions also test student's understanding of the limitations of this technique and causes of inaccuracies Key words: Mark, release, recapture, biology, limitations, assumptions, N1, N2, n, population, estimate

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource uses the context of sickle cell disease to provide synoptic style questions on the nature of haemoglobin, the phenomenon of incomplete dominance, the link between sickle cell disease and malaria and finally, the phenomenon of heterozygote advantage. Key words: sickle cell, heterozygote advantage, malaria, incomplete dominance

A worksheet starter task aimed at GCSE (14-16 year old) biology students. The worksheet consists of six questions related to the topic of mitosis whereby students are required to sort diagrams showing different stages of cell division and describe key events.

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

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource is useful as a review of how colorimeters work and how they should be operated. The second worksheet contains a list of questions on different types of error that may result from laboratory investigations, some of which may be experienced when using a colorimeter: zero errors, systematic errors and random errors. The third worksheet is a differentiated version of the above, with an emphasis towards more simple ideas on the difference between qualitative and quantitative errors and calibration curves.

Worksheet that asks students to work through a chi-squared analysis of data from an investigation into PTU tasting ability. Useful as a lesson starter or plenary review on chi-sqaured. Keywords: chi-squared, statistics, PTU, tasting, null hypothesis, probability, degrees of freedom, critical value

A worksheet resource that could be used by either 14-16 or 16-18 year old biology students, this resource provides an 'active video' task on the history of thalidomide with a series of question prompts that students complete while watching the video clip. the video clip can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0QpnqjKGJo The video clip provides an overview of the thalidomide tragedy and how the United States stood their ground in refusing a drug licence while the disaster played out across the rest of the world. This is a good activity to set the scene for any topic on how drugs are developed and the importance of drug testing and clinical trials. Key words: Thalidomide, disaster, focomelia, drugs, clinical trials, pharmaceutical, USA, regulations