
Pearson Edexcel IAL Biology Unit 1 – Polysaccharides
Save valuable planning time with this ready-to-teach, interactive PowerPoint lesson covering polysaccharides for Pearson Edexcel International A Level (IAL) Biology Unit 1.
The lesson takes students from their prior understanding of monosaccharides, condensation and glycosidic bonds into a deeper comparison of amylose, amylopectin and glycogen.
Rather than simply memorising structures, students are encouraged to connect:
structure → bonding → branching → properties → biological function
This resource includes:
Retrieval starter on monosaccharides and disaccharides
Introduction to polysaccharides
Formation of polysaccharides from α-glucose
Condensation and hydrolysis
1,4- and 1,6-glycosidic bonds
Structure of amylose
Structure of amylopectin
Structure of glycogen
Comparison of branching in the three polysaccharides
Why polysaccharides are suitable for energy storage
Links between branching and rapid glucose release
Water potential and the advantage of storing glucose as polysaccharides
Biological application to liver glycogen
Links to cellular respiration and ATP
True/false retrieval activity
Multiple-choice questions
Data-analysis questions
Application challenges
Extended exam-style questions
Mark-scheme guidance
“Spot the Student Error” activity
Exit-ticket assessment
The lesson places particular emphasis on helping students explain biological relationships rather than simply state facts. Students practise linking a structural feature to its consequence, an important skill for Pearson IAL Biology exam questions.
Suitable for classroom teaching, revision, intervention and independent study.
Designed to save teachers planning time while providing purposeful questioning, application and exam-focused learning.
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