I am a passionate science teacher with a specialism in biology.
I have over 16 years of teaching experience and have experience working and as Co-director of key stage 4 and head of biology.
I am a passionate science teacher with a specialism in biology.
I have over 16 years of teaching experience and have experience working and as Co-director of key stage 4 and head of biology.
** UPDATED**
I have added an updated a glucose colorimetry powerpoint with challenging exam questions.
New food test summary table for students to complete
9 mark OCR exam questions on biological molecules
New short mini test ****
New revision lesson included- used in formal observation, rated outstanding!
This resource pack is 100% suitable for the new OCR A A-level biology specification and all others ( with slight amendments)
This resource bundle includes:
*powerpoint presentations on all the topics such as carbohydrates ( monosaccharide,disaccharide and polysaccharides), proteins, fats, food tests and glucose colorimetry,
*Exam questions from the new and old specification witthevery lesson
*PAG check lists for the food test and glucose colorimetry
*Personalised learning content summary sheet - this is a colour-coded, student-friendly check-list which includes learning outcomes, and other requirements from OCR specification.
End of unit and mid unit tests
Revision lesson - can be used for a formal observation, differentiation / challenging questions included.
100% suitable for OCR A-level biology A specification, 100% suitable for other specifications with slight tweaks!
Are your students struggling with those difficult practical skills questions? Do you want to give your students some much needed practice on skills based questions on practicals, and want to identify specific areas of weaknesses?
Then look no further! I have made resources which have had amazing feed back from both students AND teachers:
I have made:
*two practical skills tests ( a short test and a long test)
These tests address all the module 1 assessment requirements, covering areas such as: Planning, analysis, interpreting data, evaluation.
two booklets of ALL spec A and spec B experimental questions
other smaller practical skills test packs
A ‘practical skills assessed’ hand book which outlines all the requirements for module 1, including a check list for planning an experiment!
UPDATE!!* I have uploaded a ‘key skills in biology’ powerpoint, this includes the differences between accuracy, precision, repeatabillity, reproducibility and validity. Also, this includes annotated practical skills questions which will help students practice essential exam skills, plus there are student exemplar answers which have been marked by examiners.
Students are given examples of experimental methods in many of the questions, and are asked on many occasions to identify limitations and improvements - these questions are very common for the new specification!
As head of A-level biology, I have seen a huge improvement in our students’ responses to practical skills questions after assessing them with this test!
Good luck!
UPDATED with even more exam questions
Here you have lessons needed to teach the Cloning and biotechnology unit from the New OCR A A-level biology on!
Amazing price considering the amount of time invested!
This resource bundle consists of individual power point presentations, lots of relevant important exam questions taken from the previous specification and legacy specification - it will save you a lot of time looking for these !
The best thing about this bundle is, it contains a resource on the effect of calcium ions on milk coagulation. This includes a practical pack, including investigative skills/experimental questions, technicians sheet, and also challenging evaluative questions such as limitations and improvements.
Furthermore, it contains a really good evaluative pack on the experiment ‘estimating the number of microbes on the surface of peas’. Both of these experiments were used as controlled assessments in the old specifications - however, really relevant to module 1 skills- skills our students really struggle on!
UPDATE: I have added 3 more exam question packs on industrial fermenters and population growth, and an exam pack on 6.4 using exam builder.
Powerpoint presentation and lots of exam questions ( including two 6 markers), on the triple content on the B4 unit.
This includes looking at pyramids of biomass and number and energy efficiency in food chains.
There are also two exam packs, one with all the questions and answers from the new OCR A gateway specification and one with questions from 21st century 9-1 specification
These lessons have been rated outstanding by both teachers and students!
ALL detailed, colourful, engaging biological membranes lesson for the OCR A-level biology A specification and many more specifications.
Content:
*lesson 1 includes:structure and function of the plasma membrane, including the components and the fluid mosaic model
lesson 2 includes: different transport mechanisms e.g. passive and active including: simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis, factors increasing the rate of diffusion ( e.g. concentration gradient, surface area, diffusion distance, temperature, size and type of diffusing molecule).
Lesson 3: presentation on osmosis in animal and plant cells, including lots of skills based exam questions related to the PAG on osmosis in potato cells.
Lesson 4: looking at factors affecting membrane permeability and fluidity. focussing on experimental work e.g. beetroot colorimetry experiment, and experimental exam questions are included.
Resource bundle is complete with exam questions, Student-friendly colourful information-collecting packs and activities.
End of unit test included.
exam question packs include: cell membranes, transport across membranes, beetroot experiment, factors affecting rate of diffusion and osmosis, end of chapter questions, and end of chapter questions on the powerpoint presentation at the end of every lesson!
Here is a powerpoint presentatation and exam questions ( on 6.1 cellular control) suitable for OCR A-level biology A specification and most post-16 specifications.
Topics include:
mutations and their effects
lac operon
Homeobox genes and apoptosis
Please leave a review, and check out all my other A-level biology resources!
UPDATE: End of unit test with markscheme added + new mixed revision questions added.
Contains detailed powerpoint presentations with starters and exam questions, including excellent exam question packs for all the lessons on:
Ecosystems
Food chains and pyramid of number and biomass, and manipulating conditions to improve net primary productivity and secondary productivity
Recycling in ecosystems - including the Nitrogen and carbon cycle
Studying ecosystems- using quadrats, types of sampling, using Transects ( line and belt- including continuous and interrupted)
please leave feedback!
I have thoroughly tracked all the current past papers from 2023 to 2018 to come up with accurate prediction questions and answers for AQA combined trilogy higher students.
My predictions were 64% accurate for the chemistry paper 1 2024 and 84% accurate for the predicted topics.
This pack comes with a predicted topic list, predicted question and answer pack.
EVERYTHING you need to teach osmosis! This resource pack includes an excellent power point presentation, which slowly introduces the concept of osmosis, step-by-step instilling key concepts including ideas on Turgidity, plasmolysis and flaccidity. This presentation also includes an experimental component on osmosis in potatoes, including a planning experiments, conclusion and evaluation section, and key skills based questions.
This resource bundle is completely relevant for the OCR Gateway science 9-1 specification, IGCSE biology and any other specifications!
The powerpoint presentation includes all the information needed to teach osmosis effectively, including exam questions, useful animations and diagrams, and differentiated learning outcomes.
Also, there are two differentiated workbook packs for higher and lower ability students, this worked really well for the weaker and more-able students.
Furthermore, there are excellent 6 mark questions and skills based questions for students to work through, including a role play activity!
Hope it helps!
An excellent and detailed powerpoint presentation on classification.
End of chapter questions included.
Lessons include:
biological classification
Features used in classification
evidence used in classification the three Domain system
Classification and phylogeny
A powerpoint is also included on Evolution and natural selection.
There is a 4.3 exam pack, including numerous challenging questions on classification and evolution - there is a mark scheme also!
A separate exam question pack is included with new specification questions on phylogeny and evidence using in classification.
Lastly, smaller booklet questions is included with new specification questions on natural selection and evidence, natural selection 12 mark question, Evidence used in classification 6 mark question.
All you need to teach Natural selection and Evolution for any specification!
Here you have power point presentations and exam questions, all relevant to the new A-level OCR biology specification!
Powerpoint presentations are very detailed, including topics such as variation, natural selection, adaptations, evidence for natural selection, and many example questions on natural selection!
Check the 4.2 Exam pack, it is packed with lots of relevant evolution questions ( with classification questions also), with mark schemes also!
All you need to effectively teach the plant responses unit for the new OCR A-level biology A-specification! Also compatible with other specifications!
I have spent a great deal of time to make this dull topic interesting!
You will find a very colourful, informative and engaging power point presentation including everything from the specification.
Every lesson includes learning outcomes, key words, starters, plenaries and exam questions!
Additionally, there is a plant responses end of unit test ( with mark scheme) and challenging Auxin experimental exam questions ( with mark scheme).
Topics include:
phototropism, geotropism, chemotropism, thigmotropism
experiments on Auxin,
plant hormones and cell signalling,
uses and actions of: Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Abscisic acid (ABA), Ethene,
The experimental evidence for the role of auxins in the control of apical dominance
The experimental evidence for the role of gibberellin in the control of stem elongation and seed germination
practical investigations into the effect of plant hormones on growth
Updated resources:
A 17 mark exam question taking from Cambridge A-level biology specification on how increasing the concentration of GA affects seed germination. This also included relevant experimental questions, Including a 7 mark question on writing a method,
Animal and plant responses end of unit test
Check my animal responses unit bundle for all other 5.5 resources.
A combined unit test on Ecosystems, populations and sustainability ( 6.5 and 6.6 text book units or 6.3.1 and 6.3.2 specification), perfect for the new OCR-A level biology specification.
This is an absolutely amazing deal, and will save you hours worth of work! This is becaus this superb Photosynthesis unit bundle contains - I repeat contains EVERYTHING you need to effectively teach the unit to your A-level biology students!
This bundle is completely compatible for the new OCR A-level biology A specification and includes:
*** Detailed and informative lesson presentations on all the topics
exam questions on literally all the topics - all in seperate word documents so you can print it bit-by-bit as you teach
a fantastic practical photosynthesis exam question pack - have endured the painstaking process of extracting ALL- yes ALL the experimental questions on photosynthesis into one booklet! **
** There is an pair-activity on cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation, whereby students use the grid to assess each other’s understanding on both of these processes. Students need to verbally recall or draw diagrams, while the other person acts as the assessor.**
there is a fantastic, challenging synoptic extended question where students are required to compare photophosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation, students can use the fantastic diagrams provided.
Topics include:
The interrelationship between respiration and photosynthesis - includes a challenging synoptic question!
Chloroplast and photosynthetic pigments structure and function
The light dependent stage
the light independent stage
photophosphorylation
factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
This bundle has EVERYTHING your A-level biology department needs to successfully implement the practical endorsement component of the A-level specification! I say everything- as everything in this bundle was highly recommended by an OCR official during a monitoring visit!
It consists of:
Student-friendly check lists for every PAG + additional ones we have made in order for the students to meet the skills
a summarised, student-friendly document of the OCR practical document showing the criteria used to assess biological drawings, graphs and table of results.
moderation activity sheets for staff to fill in
scanned examples of students work to use for moderation, to ensure staff are confident with assessing particular skills. Additionally, this allows departments to work collaboratively and collectively come to an agreement about how to assess the skills.
Staff questionairre of the flexi-tracker- this was a fantastic way for me to assess which areas students needed training on, I was able to see their confidence level at the start of the training session and at the end!
Analysis of questionairre document
Additional PAG activities for students to complete incase they have performed poorly on biological drawings, graph skills or research skills. Note- you will need to add these PAGS to the flexi-tracker and add/ update the skills.
NEW: Powerpoint presentation on PAG skills e.g. biological drawings, graphs etc.
Having had a scary OCR monitoring visit, we were highly advised to make PAG check lists for every PAG!
This has been a FANTASTIC way of documenting which skills students have met, and if not - why they did not meet a particular skill. It Also allows the monitoring visitor to see whether a student re-met the skill on a later date, therefore showing the examiner you are not freely giving away ‘mets’!
Not only has this allowed us to track student’s progress, but it allows students to clearly see which criteria they need to meet, and why they have not met it, thus allowing them to use formative feedback to improve their skills.
The checklists also has relevant maths skills, and a section where students can.
The moderation documents are essential and will help develop consistency in marking, for all biologists in a particular department. My staff were very pleased with the moderation activities, and honestly said how much it benefited them and improved their confidence in assessing the skills.
I truly hope this helps, it truly helped us as we were awarded with a pass for the practical endorsement- phewwww!
please leave a review!
Fantastic practical exam questions on 6.4 cloning and biotechnology - completely compatible with OCR A-level biology A specification!
This bundle contains exam questions on planning an experiment on renin, a synoptic question on asexual and sexual reproduction
This also contains a resource on the effect of calcium ions on milk coagulation. This includes a practical pack, including investigative skills/experimental questions, technicians sheet, and also challenging evaluative questions such as limitations and improvements.
Furthermore, it contains a really good evaluative pack on the experiment ‘estimating the number of microbes on the surface of peas’. Both of these experiments were used as controlled assessments in the old specifications - however, really relevant to module 1 skills- skills our students really struggle on!
If you like this bundle, then buy my full bundle, with ALL the lessons!
This test is a great way to assess your students on the following statistical tests:
student T- test
Chi-squared test
Simpson’s index of diversity
Standard deviation
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient
All these statistical tests are fundamental in the new A-level biology specification, These test will allow you to see how confident your students are with applying the statistical tests and interpreting the calculated values.
UPDATE: A Statistical tests pack which includes all the statistical tests questions from OCR A-level biology has now been made, This also includes a mark-scheme. I have also included a front sheet which summarises the purpose of each test, examples, describing null hypothesis using examples, and when how to reject or accept null hypothesis. Print this off if you do not want to print the tests off separately!