A resource aimed at advanced biology, applied science or physical education students, this worksheet provides several questions that lead students through the topic of blood doping. Lance Armstrong is used as a contextual example of an athlete that has been disgraced following the revelation that he was involved in blood doping; the worksheet provides questions on the effect of EPO, the impact on blood cell counts and how haematocrit tests could be used to provide evidence. The worksheet also has follow up questions on the use of steroids and diuretics in sports. Key words: Sports, Blood, doping, haematocrit, EPO, steroids, diuretics, lance armstrong, blood volume, steroids

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology or applied science students, this resource provides several question prompts that require students to research norm blood count values and the nature of various diseases and disorders of the blood: leukaemia, sleeping sickness, anaemia and malaria. The worksheet includes weblinks and references for students to use as part of their research. Key words: blood, count, malaria, leukaemia, sleeping sickness, trypanosomes, plasmodium, anaemia, red blood cells, white blood cells, erythrocytes, leukocyctes

A resource aimed at advanced level biology, applied science or physical education students, this worksheet comprises of a series of questions that discuss the nature of an ECG and its interpretation. The worksheet also includes questions on abnormal ECG traces and diagnosis of conditions such as tachycardia and bradycardia. A useful resource to use as a lesson starter or plenary once this topic has already been taught.

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

This is a personal learning checklist (PLC) tailored for the first year of the new AQA Biology Advanced Level specification. This is an excel spreadsheet with five worksheets in total, each one covering specification references: 3.1 Biological molecules 3.2 Cells 3.3 Organisms exchange materials 3.4 Genetic information 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. 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 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 aimed at higher ability 14-16 students or advanced post 16 biology students, this resource provides a research task for students to independently learn about the topic of thermoregulation. Various prompts are provided along with a set of internet links that students can use for their research. Key words: thermoregulation, vasoconstriction, vasodilation, sweating, shivering, piloerection, homeostasis, negative feedback

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students, ideal as a lesson starter activity. The worksheet looks at energy flow through a cow and requires students to calculate energy losses and energy assimilated as biomass. There are follow up questions that touch on intensive farming and productivity of a grassland pasture. Keywords: Cow, energy, transfer, food chain, farming, biomass, intensive, respiration, photosynthesis, calculate, productivity, kilojoules

A worksheet designed for advanced level biology students that provides a quick quiz of fifteen questions related to the function of different cell organelles. This would be useful as a starter of plenary activity at the end of a topic on cell organelles or could be used as a quick research task using textbooks at the start of the topic. Answers to each question are provided.

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students, this resource provides a two dimensional diagram showing the ultrastructure of a eukaryotic cell. Students are required to identify the organelles, state their function, list the sequence of organelles that would be involved in the production of proteins and finally complete an exercise on calculating magnification of a mitochondrion.

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

Aimed at advanced biology students, this resource leads students through the design and use of a respirometer. The first few questions deal with causes of pressure changes inside a respirometer tube and predicting the direction in which fluid within a manometer tube would flow. The worksheet then moves on to cover two different investigations - measuring the amount of oxygen consumed over time and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide produced over time. Tables for the recording of data and calculations (e.g. converting distance measurments to volumes) are provided along with questions that check understanding. The data gathered from both oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide can be plotted as graphs to calculate rate of respiration or used to calculate RQ values, indicating which respiratory substrate is being used by the organisms under test (blowfly larvae are suggested). The second worksheet in this resource deals specifically with a thermo-barometrically balanced respirometer and calculation/interpretation of RQ values. Key words: respirometer, manometer, blowfly larvae, maggots, rate, RQ value, volume, distance, temperature, control, potassium hydroxide, thermo-barometrically balanced

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

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 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 resource aimed at advanced biology students, this worksheet requires students to interpret the British Royal Family pedigree chart and explain the inheritance of haemophilia from Queen Victoria (thought to be where the mutation first arose) onwards. Keywords: pedigree, chart, genetics, haemophilia, gene, allele, mutation, probablility