Written for GCSE AQA Trilogy Biology paper 1 Higher. Useful in a mixed ability class for the students who will be doing higher paper. All information is on the work sheet so higher students should be able to work through this on their own or with little teacher input. Need to have completed work on photosynthesis and limiting factors. Mark scheme included. (Worked example updated to include units.)

Lesson presentation on the need for handwashing. Slide 2 is a learning framework. Slides 3-4 are for you to print off for yourself. I’ve just copied and pasted the text that accompanies the video clips that are hyperlinked on those slides. Slide 5 shows how to set up agar plates to grow microbes. Use permanent markers to label the bottom of the agar plate. Add name to the rim of the lid then keep lid on with 2 small pieces of tape. DO NOT SEAL. When microbes grown you will be able to see through the lid (or base) without opening it. DO NOT OPEN CONTAMINATED PLATES. When plates have been observed in a second lesson, use slide 6 to draw microbial growth and conclusions. Label diagrams identifying differences between bacterial colonies and fungal growth. COLLECT PLATES AND GIVE TO TECHNICIAN TO AUTOCLAVE.

Written for GCSE AQA Trilogy Biology paper 1 Higher. Useful in a mixed ability class for the students who will be doing higher paper. All information is on the work sheet so higher students should be able to work through this on their own or with little teacher input. Need to have completed work on photosynthesis and limiting factors. Mark scheme included.

This is a graph drawing task with irregular time intervals. I find it best to do this at the start of a lesson on Human population growth. This leads on to discussions about waste management and pollution. If you ‘google’ world population you get a counter showing changing population in ‘real’ time. I have this running on my screen throughout the lesson. Note down number at the start and end of lesson to get a feel for the scale of this.

Written for AQA Trilogy but would suit any GCSE. Slide 1 - Learning framework Slide 2 - Key words for this lesson. Can be printed off for those that need the spellings. More able students can use it as the basis for a mind map. Slide 3 - diagram of water cycle Slide 4 - description of water cycle Slide 5 - a different diagram of water cycle Slide 6 - description of main processes Slide 7 - two multiple choice questions Slide 8 - a 2mark question

This is my mindmap of the AQA Biology GCSE specification Section 3 Infection and Response. I did it for myself when the new spec. 9-1 levels came out. It was my way of identifying how this spec. was structured. It can also be used for the Biology section of Trilogy, although the numbers may not match, the headings will. If a section is in higher tier only it is labelled with (H) and if it is only on the Biology and not the Trilogy it is labelled with (B). Although I did this primarily for myself, some of my colleagues are also using them and when I left my folder open on the desk I found students asking me for copies. I do not claim that they would suit everyone but if you have that sort of need for a complete overview, in a non-linear format, it might suit you. I have some students using it as a tick list, others highlighting the sections they want to cover for revision. I have even offered it at the start of a topic to certain students. Some would be frightened off by it, so you have to be selective. Each mindmap also contains the keywords and their definitions that now need to be learned in the relevant section. There is also a free resource that is a summary of the whole Biology specification.

Differentiated card sorts. Sheet 1 has less text than sheet 2. Could be KS3 and KS4 or less and more able. I use them as starter activities. Print on card and cut up, put in small zip bags. Could be used as a starter to assess prior knowledge or as a plenary to assess learning in the lesson.

This is preparation for the Reaction time required practical in AQA GCSE Trilogy. Slide 2 is a learning framework for the lesson. Slide 3 provides the key words for the lesson. Can simply be a visual aid to introduce the vocabulary. I tend to print this slide off for individuals in the class who would benefit from their own copy and for TAs. More able students use this as a basis for a mind map to make links between key words. Slide 4 is a picture diagram of a reflex arc. Slide 5 shows a simplified version of previous slide with questions to answer. Differentiate by number of examples given in Q4. Slide 6 is a fill in the gaps cloze. Slide 7 inserts the answers to slide 6. Slide 8 shows a synapse. Slide 9 gives details of each neurone. Slide 10 is a literacy activity. Slide 11 - instructions for a simple ruler drop test. This is a short practical so that students understand what to do for the Required practical next lesson. Slide 12 - Plenary Two sheets supplied one has the diagrams and the other has the questions and cloze. I include these simply because I find them useful for particular students with my mixed ability classes. If I know a particular student makes a meal of using glue, I will print directly onto labels for them. I keep a supply of 4 labels to a page for this purpose.

This worksheet allows students the opportunity to decide if an adaptation is structural, functional or behavioural. Written with AQA Trilogy in mind. Also included Powerpoint slide with answers to be used for self or peer assessment of worksheet.

Written for AQA Trilogy GCSE. Focuses on athletes foot and rose black spot. Although the AQA specification only mentions rose black spot. ( I felt that it was important to know that fungal diseases occurred in humans as well as plants.) Slide 2 is a learning framework for the lesson. Slides 3-6 provide visual aid whilst you explain about the variety of fungal structures. Slide 7 gives extra information about rose black spot as I didn’t feel that the text book we use gave enough detail. Slide 8 answer all questions for each disease. (Red questions aimed at LAPS, green questions aimed at MAPS and purple at HAPS.) Slide 9 is an extra task that could be done as a homework.

Numeracy lesson to support the maths needed for science, particularly cell biology. A5 ws are the same as slide 10 in the presentation. Answer sheet also supplied. I have done a slide on ‘Orders of Magnitude’ separately so that it can easily be slipped in as an extra linked activity or it could be done as a starter for another lesson. Do with AQA Trilogy in mind.

Useful starter activity. 3 tables on a sheet.

This is not an original idea. Plenty to read about it on-line. But I put this slide together to use as a template. Just change the word in the middle and print off.

My GCSE classes always like this. If you use good quality free range eggs they will last longer. The shells take longer to dissolve than cheap ones but the membranes are stronger so less likely to break. The syrup can be reused as often as needed for one set of eggs. It will get thinner but it still works. When the eggs are past their best dispose of them and the syrup as well. Each year when you teach this you will need a new set of eggs and a new jar of golden syrup.

Written for GCSE and above. Comprehension exercise - straight forward, read text and answer questions.

Ecology sampling lesson includes exam style questions and answers. Slide 2 is a learning framework Slide 3 contains key words for the lesson LAPS use as a spelling sheet HAPS use as basis for a mindmap Slides 4-11 Sampling invertebrates in a pitfall trap Slides 12-21 Sampling plants using a quadrat Pitfall trap ws is slides 9&11 Quadrat question ws is slides 16-19

Each worksheet results in the same answers (sheet supplied). Gaps sheet is for the MAPS/HAPS as no missing words given. Options sheet includes 2 alternative answers to choose from for most spaces so more suitable for LAPS

Activity to identify names of endocrine glands. Word doc. has 2 copies of slide 2 of the powerpoint. Makes for easier printing for A5 copies to stick in exercise books. Full instructions on slide 1.

Presentation to introduce abiotic factors Slides 1-9. Slide 10 has a video hyperlink to show woodlice in choice chambers. (Alternatively you could do this as apractical yourself.) Slide 11 shows the set up from the video and slide 12 gives the results from the video clip. Slides 11-12 are also supplied as a worksheet; 2 A5 copies on one A4 sheet. Students should calculate the mean for each condition from the results . Slide 13 works through the calculation answers then in the last slide 14 students have to decide which abiotic factor, light or moisture is most important to the woodlice. Written with AQA Trilogy in mind.