A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
This fully-resourced lesson challenges the students to use fully labelled genetic diagrams to interpret the results of monohybrid and dihybrid crosses as detailed in topic 7.1 (Inheritance) of the AQA A-level Biology specification. Step-by-step guides are used to demonstrate how diagrams for the inheritance of one and two genes should be constructed and a focus is given to the areas where students commonly make mistakes, such as in writing out the gametes. The main task of each section of the lesson provides an opportunity for the students to apply their understanding by calculating phenotypic ratios. All of the questions have fully-explained mark schemes and students can assess their progress and address any misconceptions immediately. Key genetic terminology is used throughout the lesson and mirrors that used in actual exam questions.
This is an engaging and fully-resourced revision lesson which uses a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content within topic 2 (Cells and control) of the Edexcel GCSE Biology 9-1 specification.
The specification points that are covered in this revision lesson include:
Describe mitosis as part of the cell cycle, including the stages interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase and cytokinesis
Describe the importance of mitosis in growth, repair and asexual reproduction
Describe the division of a cell by mitosis as the production of two daughter cells, each with identical sets of chromosomes in the nucleus to the parent cell, and that this results in the formation of two genetically identical diploid body cells
Explain the importance of cell differentiation in the development of specialised cells
Discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine
Describe the structures and functions of the brain including the cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres and medulla oblongata
Explain how the difficulties of accessing brain tissue inside the skull can be overcome by using CT scanning and PET scanning to investigate brain function
Explain the structure and function of sensory receptors, sensory neurones, relay neurones in the CNS, motor neurones and synapses in the transmission of electrical impulses, including the axon, dendron, myelin sheath and the role of neurotransmitters
Explain the structure and function of the eye as a sensory receptor including the role of the cornea, lens and iris
Describe defects of the eye including cataracts, longsightedness and short-sightedness
Explain how long-sightedness and short-sightedness can be corrected
The students will thoroughly enjoy the range of activities, which include quiz competitions such as "Can I have a P please BOB” where they have to recognise the different phases of mitosis from pictures or descriptions. The activities will crucially enable the students to determine which areas of topic 2 will need their further attention. This lesson can be used as revision resource at the end of the topic or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams.
This fully-resourced lesson looks at the coordination and control of heart rate by the cardiovascular centre in the medulla oblongata. The engaging and detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover the second part of point 6.1.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should know the roles and locations of the sensory receptors and the roles of the autonomic nervous system and effectors in the control of heart rate.
This lesson begins with a prior knowledge check where students have to identify and correct any errors in a passage about the conduction system of the heart. This allows the SAN to be recalled as this structure play an important role as the effector in this control system. Moving forwards, the three key parts of a control system are recalled as the next part of the lesson will specifically look at the range of sensory receptors, the coordination centre and the effector. Students are introduced to chemoreceptors and baroreceptors and time is taken to ensure that the understanding of the stimuli detected by these receptors is complete and that they recognise the result is the conduction of an impulse along a neurone to the brain. A quick quiz is used to introduce the medulla oblongata as the location of the cardiovascular centre. The communication between this centre and the SAN through the autonomic nervous system can be poorly understood so detailed explanations are provided and the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions compared. The final task challenges the students to demonstrate and apply their understanding by writing a detailed description of the control and this task has been differentiated three ways to allow differing abilities to access the work
This lesson has been written to tie in with the previous lesson on the conducting system of the heart which is also detailed in specification point 6.1.3
This bundle contains 7 fully-resourced and detailed lessons that have been designed to cover the content of topic 14.1 of the CIE International A-level Biology specification which concerns homeostasis in mammals. The wide range of activities included in each lesson will engage the students whilst the detailed content is covered and the understanding and previous knowledge checks allow them to assess their progress on the current topic as well as challenging them to make links to other related topics. Most of the tasks are differentiated to allow differing abilities to access the work and be challenged.
The following sub-topics are covered in this bundle of lessons:
The importance of homeostasis
The role of negative feedback mechanisms in the homeostatic control systems
The role of the nervous and endocrine systems in homeostasis
Deamination of amino acids and the urea cycle
The gross structure of the kidney and the detailed structure of the nephron
The process of ultrafiltration and selective reabsorption in the formation of urine
The roles of the hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, ADH and the collecting ducts in osmoregulation
The regulation of blood glucose concentration by the release of insulin and glucagon
The role of cyclic AMP as a secondary messenger
The stages of cell signalling
If you want to see the quality of the lessons before purchasing then the lesson on osmoregulation is a free resource to download
This lesson outlines how bacteria become resistant to antiobiotics and discusses its consequences and the steps taken to reduce its impact. The PowerPoint and accompanying worksheet have been designed to cover specification points 10.2 (b & c) of the CIE A-level Biology specification
President Trump’s error ridden speech about antibiotics is used at the beginning of the lesson to remind students that this is a treatment for bacterial infections and not viruses as he stated. Moving forwards, 2 quick quiz competitions are used to introduce MRSA and then to get the students to recognise that they can use this abbreviation to remind them to use mutation, reproduce, selection (and survive) and allele in their descriptions of the development of resistance by evolution through natural selection. The main task of the lesson challenges the students to form a description to explain how this strain of bacteria developed resistance to methicillin, making use of the five key terms emphasised above. Moving forwards, there is a focus on the hospital as the common location for MRSA infections and students will recognise that this opportunistic pathogen can infect through open wounds to cause sepsis and potentially death. Figures from infections and deaths in hospitals in the US are used to increase the relevance and students will learn how a MRSA prevention program in VHA facilities includes screening of surgery patients to try to reduce its impact. The lesson concludes with a discussion about other methods that can be used by hospitals and general practitioners to reduce the impact of MRSA and to try to prevent the development of resistance in other strains.
The wide variety of tasks that are written into the 18 lesson PowerPoints and accompanying resources that are included in this lesson bundle will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the detailed content of topic 4 of the Edexcel A-level Biology B specification (Exchange and transport).
The following specification points are covered by these lessons:
Understand how the surface area to volume ratio affects the transport of molecules in living organisms
Understand why organisms need a mass transport system and specialised gas exchange surfaces as they increase in size
The structure of the cell surface membrane
Passive transport is brought about by diffusion and facilitated diffusion
Passive transport is brought about by osmosis
Understand how the properties of molecules affects how they are transported
Large molecules are transported in and out of cells by endocytosis and exocytosis
The process of active transport
The phosphorylation and hydrolysis of ATP
Understand how insects, fish and mammals are adapted for gas exchange
The structure of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries
The advantages of the double circulatory system
The sequence of events of the cardiac cycle
The myogenic stimulation of the heart
Interpreting ECG traces
The role of platelets and plasma proteins in the sequence of events leading to blood clotting
The structure of haemoglobin in relation to its role in the transport of respiratory gases
The Bohr effect
The dissociation curve of haemoglobin
The significance of the oxygen affinity of foetal haemoglobin
The similarities and differences between the structure and function of haemoglobin and myoglobin
The formation and reabsorption of tissue fluid
Know that tissue fluid that is not reabsorbed is returned to the blood via the lymph
The structure of the xylem and phloem in relation to their role in transport
The movement of water by the apoplastic and symplastic pathways
The cohesion-tension model
Hours and hours has gone into the intricate planning of all of these lessons and the quality can be sampled by downloading the following lessons which have been uploaded for free:
Surface area to volume ratio
ATP, active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis
Structure of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries
Double circulatory system
Apoplastic and symplastic pathways
A fully-resourced lesson which includes a lesson presentation (24 slides) and a worksheet which is differentiated so that students can judge their understanding of the topic of writing half equations for electrolysis and access the work accordingly. The lesson uses worked examples and helpful hints to show the students how to write half equations at both the cathode and anode. Time is taken to remind students about the rules at the electrodes when the electrolyte is in solution so that they can work out the products before writing the equations.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 years old in the UK) but could be used with older students.
This bundle of 3 lessons covers all of the content in the sub-topic B6.1 (Monitoring and maintaining the environment) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
Be able to explain how to carry out a field investigation into the distribution and abundance of organisms
Be able to estimate population numbers in a given area
Describe both positive and negative human interactions within an ecosystem
Explain human impacts on biodiversity
The benefits and challenges of maintaining local and global biodiversity
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 9 revision lessons uses a range of exam questions (with explained answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to engage the students whilst challenging their knowledge of the content in the Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Physics specification:
All 8 topics are covered by the lessons in this bundle:
Topic 1: Forces and motion
Topic 2: Electricity
Topic 3: Waves
Topic 4: Energy resources and energy transfers
Topic 5: Solids, liquids and gases
Topic 6: Magnetism and electromagnetism
Topic 7: Radioactivity and particles
Topic 8: Astrophysics
There is also an additional lesson which challenges the students on their knowledge of the 21 Physics equations
If you want to see the quality of the lessons, download the topic 1 and 7 and equations revision lessons as these are free
This lesson describes the main stages of meiosis, focusing on the events which contribute to genetic variation and explains its significance in life cycles. The detailed PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover points 2.1.6 (f) & (g) of the OCR A-level Biology A specification and includes description of crossing over, independent assortment, independent segregation and the production of haploid gametes
In order to understand how the events of meiosis like crossing over and independent assortment and independent segregation can lead to variation, students need to be clear in their understanding that DNA replication in interphase results in homologous chromosomes as pairs of sister chromatids. Therefore the beginning of the lesson focuses on the chromosomes in the parent cell and this first part of the cycle and students will be introduced to non-sister chromatids and the fact that they may contain different alleles which is important for the exchange that occurs during crossing over. Time is taken to go through this event in prophase I in a step by step guide so that the students can recognise that the result can be new combinations of alleles that were not present in the parent cell. Moving forwards, the lesson explores how the independent assortment and segregation of chromosomes and chromatids during metaphase I and II and anaphase I and II respectively results in genetically different gametes. The key events of all of the 8 phases are described and there is a focus on key terminology to ensure that students are able to describe genetic structures in the correct context. The final part of the lesson looks at the use of a mathematical expression to calculate the possible combinations of alleles in gametes as well as in a zygote following the random fertilisation of haploid gametes. Understanding and prior knowledge checks are interspersed throughout the lesson as well as a series of exam-style questions which challenge the students to apply their knowledge to potentially unfamiliar situations.
This lesson has been specifically planned to lead on from the previous two lessons on the cell cycle and the main stages of mitosis and constant references are made throughout to encourage students to make links and also to highlight the differences between the two types of nuclear division
Each of the 9 lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to cover the content as detailed in module 3.1.2 (Transport in animals) of the OCR A-Level Biology A specification. The specification points that are covered within these lessons include:
A double, closed circulatory system
The structure and function of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules and veins
The formation of tissue fluid from plasma
The internal and external structure of the mammalian heart
The cardiac cycle
How heart action is initiated and coordinated
The use and interpretation of ECGs
The role of haemoglobin in transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide
The dissociation curve for foetal and adult haemoglobin
The Bohr effect
The lessons have been written to include a wide range of activities and numerous understanding and prior knowledge checks so students can assess their progress against the current topic as well as be challenged to make links to other topics within this topic and earlier topics
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the formation of tissue fluid. heart action and ECGs lessons as these are free
An engaging lesson presentation (64 slides) and associated worksheets that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within unit B1 (Cell Biology) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification (specification point 4.1).
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Eukaryotes and prokaryotes
Animal and plant cells
Microscopy
Chromosomes
The cell cycle including mitosis
Stem cells
Diffusion
Osmosis
Active transport
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “SPOT the CELL” and “Take the Hotseat” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
An engaging lesson presentation (61 slides) and associated worksheets that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within unit B5 (Genes, inheritance and selection) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Biology specification
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Sexual and asexual reproduction
Meiosis
Dominant and recessive alleles
Genetic crosses
The history of genetics
Natural selection
Classification systems
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “Number CRAZY" and “Which Scientist is hidden?” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
This detailed lesson has been planned to cover the 1st part of specification point 6.4.3 of the AQA A-level Biology specification which states that students should be able to describe the detailed structure of the nephron and understand its role in ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption and osmoregulation. The lesson was designed at the same time as the other lessons in this topic on ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption and osmoregulation so that a common theme runs throughout and students can build up their knowledge gradually in order to develop a deep understanding of this organ.
Students will come to recognise the renal cortex and renal medulla as the two regions of the kidney and learn the parts of the nephron which are found in each of these regions. Time is taken to look at the vascular supply of this organ and specifically to explain how the renal artery divides into the afferent arterioles which carry blood towards the glomerulus and the efferent arterioles which carry the blood away. The main task of the lesson challenges the students to relate structure to function. Having been introduced to the names of each of the parts of the nephron, they have to use the details of the structures found at these parts to match the function. For example, they have to make the connection between the microvilli in the PCT as a sign that this part is involved in selective reabsorption.
This lesson has been designed for students studying on the AQA A-level Biology course
As the first topic to be taught at the start at the second year of the Edexcel International A-level Biology course, topic 5 is very important and the content includes the key reaction of photosynthesis. All 9 lessons included in this bundle are highly detailed and have been filled with a wide variety of tasks which will engage and motivate the students whilst covering the following specification points:
The overall reaction of photosynthesis
The phosphorylation of ADP and the hydrolysis of ATP
The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis
The products of the Calvin cycle
The structure of the chloroplasts and the role of this organelle in photosynthesis
Be able to calculate net primary productivity
Know the relationship between NPP, GPP and R
Understand the meaning of the terms ecosystem, community, population and habitat
The numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors
The concept of niche
The effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity and the calculation of the Q10
Isolation reduces gene flow and leads to allopatric and sympatric speciation
If you would like to sample the quality of the lessons in this bundle, then download the products of photosynthesis and succession lessons as these have been uploaded for free
A fully-resourced lesson which uses a step-by-step guide to show students how to write fully balanced symbol equations. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (38 slides) and associated worksheets containing questions which iaredifferentiated.
The lesson begins by talking the students through the three steps involved in writing a chemical symbol equation. The first step involves writing in the formula for the elements. Students are introduced to the term, diatomic, and shown the 8 molecules that have to be written as a pair of atoms. Moving forwards, students are shown how to write chemical formulae for ionic compounds. They are reminded of how to use the group of the Periodic Table to work out the ion charge and how this is crucial when writing the formula. They are also shown how to write formulae which include brackets which is necessary when the charged molecules are involved. Finally, students are reminded of the rules of balancing symbol equations. There are progress checks at each stage so that students can assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be be addressed immediately. Time is taken to talk about state symbols, in case the exam question requires these to be included in the equation. The final section of the lesson involves students bringing their new-found skills together to write symbol equations for a range of reactions, including a neutralisation and reversible reaction. This task is differentiated so that students who need a little bit of assistance can still access the work.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14-16 year olds in the UK)
An engaging lesson presentation (46 slides) which looks at the fractional distillation of crude oil and focuses on the properties of the different fractions.
The aim at the start of the lesson is to ensure that students understand that this process can be broken down into evaporation followed by condensation. Moving forwards, a fun competition is used to introduce the students to the names of some of the important fractions that are produced by this process. At the same time, they will learn the relative position that each fraction condenses on the fractionating column and will be taught that they need to know this position with relation to the other fractions. Students will learn that the fractions have differing properties depending on where they condense and they are challenged to compare fractions by viscosity, length of hydrocarbon and boiling point. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson to allow the students to check on their understanding.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students.
This lesson describes the structure and functions of the sensory, relay and motor neurones. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources have been designed to cover point 8.1 of the Edexcel International A-level Biology specification but also considers the organisation of the nervous system into the central and peripheral nervous systems and therefore also covers point 8.10.
The PowerPoint has been designed to contain a wide range of activities that are interspersed between understanding and prior knowledge checks that allow the students to assess their progress on the current topics as well as challenge their ability to make links to topics from earlier in the modules. Quiz competitions like SAY WHAT YOU SEE are used to introduce key terms in a fun and memorable way.
The students will be able to compare these neurones based on their function but time is taken to distinguish between them based on their structural features. The importance of the myelin sheath for the sensory and motor neurones is briefly discussed and students are introduced to key terminology such as saltatory conduction and Schwann cells so they are prepared for the upcoming lesson covering specification point 8.5. The final task involves a comparison between the three neurones to check that the students have understood the structures and functions of the neurones.
Throughout the lesson, the organisation of the nervous system is discussed and students are provided with additional knowledge such as the differences between somatic and autonomic motor neurones.
A fully resourced lesson which includes an informative lesson presentation (34 slides) and differentiated worksheets that show students how to convert between units so they are confident to carry out these conversions when required in Science questions. The conversions which are regularly seen at GCSE are covered as well as some more obscure ones which students have to be aware of. A number of quiz competitions are used throughout the lesson to maintain motivation and to allow the students to check their progress in an engaging way
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but is suitable for KS3
This detailed lesson introduces ATP as the body’s energy store and energy currency and explains how PC, glycogen and fat are sources for its re-synthesis during exercise. The engaging PowerPoint has been designed to cover the ATP and energy transfer section of topic 1.1.c as detailed in the OCR A-level PE specification.
The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise that the link between muscle contraction, active transport and the conduction of electrical impulses is the need for energy. A number of quick quiz competitions are used throughout the lesson to maintain engagement and to introduce key terms and values and the first quiz round will result in the students meeting adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP). Time is taken to describe the structure of this energy store and to explain how it will be broken down into ADP and a phosphate and that this mechanism results in the release of energy for muscle contraction. Importantly, students will learn that the ATP stored in muscles will only allow for the first few seconds of contraction and therefore if exercise and contraction are to continue, the ATP will need to be re-synthesised. The main part of the lesson explores how phosphocreatine, glycogen and fats are sources for this re-synthesis. Key details about each of these sources are provided and explained and links are made to upcoming lessons on the energy systems as well as to topics already covered such as the different types of muscle fibres. The final round of the quiz, which is called “What’s your SOURCE?” acts a final understanding check as the teams of students have to recognise one of the 4 energy sources based on a description.
This lesson has been specifically written to tie in with the next lessons on the ATP-PC, glycolytic and aerobic energy systems.