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

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 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

A resource aimed at advanced biology students, this worksheet consists of a discussion of the main points regarding control of blood glucose: why it is important, how it happens, how it is controlled, causes of diabetes, etc. The worksheet is designed to be interactive with students answering question prompts and furthering their understanding as they work through each section. The final page of the worksheet contains various weblinks to online resources and animations which they can use to complete the worksheet independently. Key words: glucose, glycogen, starch, gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, glucagon, insulin, diabetes, type 1, type 2, sugar, osmosis, water potential, osmotic lysis, liver, muscles, uptake

This resource could be used with both GCSE and A-Level biology students. The worksheets included in this resource provide a step-by-step method to construct a model prokaryotic (bacterial) cell using simple resources such as coloured wool, small coloured elastic bands ('loom' bands are ideal), plasticine, sellotape and a plastic freezer bag. The worksheets include a full list of instructional prompts to build the model, each with a key question to check understanding. The worksheets also include an extension page which deals with processes such as scale and binary fission. This is an engaging activity and a great way to turn a very theoretical subject into a practical experience for students. Key words: Prokaryotic, bacterial, binary fission, nucleoid, plasmid, cell wall, pili, flagellum, flagella, pilus, capsule

A worksheet aimed at advanced level biology students as a quick review of the main details of the fluid mosaic structure of cell membranes. There is a clear diagram that requires labelling along with follow-up questions on the function of each component.

A resource aimed at GCSE (14-16 year old) biology students, this worksheet provides a labelling task for animal and plant cells as viewed down the light microscope along with mix and match task relating to the function of each organelle. The task also includes some extension questions on the nature of mitochondria for students to research (perhaps as a homework exercise). The resource is tailored to the Hodder AQA 9-1 Biology textbook but the page references in the worksheet could easily be adapted to any other textbook reference.

A resource aimed at advanced level biology students, this worksheet provides a comparison table for mitosis, meiosis I and meiosis II. Students often confuse the events of these processes, particularly the movement of chromosomes and so it is a useful exercise to clarify which events happen where. Keywords: mitosis, meiosis, chromosomes, chromatid, diploid, haploid, centriole, centromere

An activity aimed at GCSE biology (age 14-16) students on the topic of stem cells. The activity includes a powerpoint presentation and a questionnaire word document. The powerpoint can be printed out on separate sheets of A4 and posted around the classroom for students to find - each slide has a suitable image together with clear explanatory text. The questionnaire matches the slides and so students can then match the answer to the relevant question. In terms of delivery, students can be paired up after they complete the activity and asked to verbally test each other on their knowledge of stem cells, checking that the information gathered has been understood. This can then lead into a whole class teacher-led discussion using the powerpoint slides to summarise the topic and check responses to each question. The activity includes coverage of the nature of stem cells, embryonic versus adult stem cells, IVF, uses of stem cells, ethical issues, tissue culture and medical treatments that are possible using stem cell therapy.

A worksheet aimed at A-Level Biology students that asks students to apply their knowledge of ecology to that of conservation. The worksheet focuses on how our knowledge of succession can be used to conserve moorland and native bird species in the UK. Full answers are provided on the second page of the worksheet. Key words: Succession, conservation, moorland, birds, ecology, ecosystem, habitat

Suitable for A-Level Biology, this worksheet provides a series of questions suitable for use as a plenary, on the causes of lactose intolerance. The questions make synoptic links with other topics including biological molecules and enzymes. Key words: Lactose, enzyme, hydrolysis, milk, glucose, galactose

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 GCSE (14-16 year old) students, this resource is ideal as a starter activity following a lesson on the principles of osmosis. The worksheet includes several questions that probe understanding of what osmosis is, how we can use knowledge of osmosis to predict water movement into and out of cells and finally a challenge question on how salt can be used to kill slugs by dessicating them. Keywords: osmosis, water, hypertonic, hypotonic, isotonic, concentration, turgid, flaccid, plasmolysed, slug, salt

A worksheet aimed at advanced biology students who are studying a topic on gene technology and the role of restriction endonucleases. The worksheet consists of task where students are required to choose the most appropriate restriction enzyme to cut out a gene from a piece of DNA. Students are given four different examples of restriction enzymes, together with information about the recognition sequence for each enzyme. Using this information, students must then select the most appropriate enzyme to cut out the gene. Key words: restriction endonuclease, gene, recognition sequence

A resource aimed at advanced level biology students, this worksheet leads students through an area that often causes difficulty - interpreting evidence for the Calvin Cycle. The worksheet looks at the classic experiment performed by Melvin Calvin that provided evidence for the sequence of events that occurs in cyclic photophosphorlyation or the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis. The worksheet introduces the idea of radioactive tracers and asks students to predict the effect of switching lights off or reducing carbon dioxide levels. Graphs are shown recording the levels of RuBP and GP in response to these changes. Answers to each question are provided on the second page of this worksheet Key words: Light independent reaction, cyclic photophosphorylation, ATP, RNADP, glycerate - 3- phosphate, triose phosphate, ribulose bisphosphate, ribulose phosphate, light dependent reaction, calvin cycle

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 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 worksheet aimed at advanced biology students, this resource is useful as a starter exercise on the topic of gas exchange in fish. The worksheet includes a mix and match task that focuses on the basic anatomical features associated with gills followed by questions related to the single circuit layout of a fish's circulatory system. Key words: fish, circulatory, counter-current, concurrent, blood, gas exchange, oxygen, carbon dioxide, gills, Fick's law, equilibrium, surface area, concentration gradient, exchange surface

A worksheet that allows students to work through the main points about each blood vessel: artery, arteriole, venule, vein and capillary. Covers aspects of both structure and function of blood vessels.

This worksheet is aimed at A-Level Biology students and covers the principles of restriction mapping of plasmids using restriction enzymes. This is often a difficult topic for students to understand, but this worksheet covers the basic principle, worked examples and also provides some questions for students to practice the principles. Key words: Restriction, enzyme, plasmid, mapping, kilobases, DNA, base pairs, restriction site, fragment, electrophoresis