Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
B2 1.2
Spec
content
Most human and
animal cells
have a nucleus,
cytoplasm,
membrane,
mitochondria
and ribosomes.
Plant and algal
cells also have a
cell wall and
often have
chloroplasts and
a permanent
vacuole.
Bacterial cells
have cytoplasm
and a
membrane
surrounded by a
cell wall; genes
are not in a
distinct nucleus.
Yeast cells have
a nucleus,
cytoplasm and a
membrane
surrounded by a
cell wall.
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
Be able to relate different types
of cells to their function in a
tissue or an organ.
Know the following parts of
human (animal) cells and their
functions: nucleus, cytoplasm,
cell membrane, mitochondria
and ribosomes.
Know plant cells also have a cell
wall and may have chloroplasts
and a permanent vacuole.
Know that bacterial cells consist
of cytoplasm and a membrane
surrounded by a cell wall; the
genes are NOT in a distinct
nucleus.
Yeast is a single celled organism.
Yeast cells have a nucleus,
cytoplasm and membrane
surrounded by a cell wall.
Lesson
1. Cells and Cell structure
Possible Learning Activities
In pairs students to draw and label plant and animal cell
from knowledge from KS3
Draw and label plant and animal cells.
www.echalk.co.uk/Science/Biology/cells/interactiveDiagrams/
PAcells.html (interactive cells to label)
Possible use of microscopes to view plant/animal cells,
possible cheek cell and methylene blue and onion cell and
iodine.
Students to know roles of mitochondria and ribosomes (extra
from KS3).
Would get students to draw and label animal and plant cells
and discuss then structure and function.
Powerpoint to help with cells and covers bacteria and yeast
cells – these may need lesson 2 to cover fully.
Resources
Worksheets
BBC class clips plant and
animal cells video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learnin
gzone/clips/plant-andanimal-cellstructures/4188.html
Puzzles, quizzes and images
can be found at
www.cellsalive.com
Useful information on cell
structure can be found at
www.biology4kids.com
Cells booklet
Cells exam
questions
HMK
Cells WKS
Differentiation
Comparing cell size
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learnin
gzone/clips/understandingthe-size-ofbacteria/2279.html
SEN
Diagrams of
plant and animal
cells to label.
PPT Cells and organisation
G&T
Look at more
organelles and
their function.
ER, golgi etc
Explain how organelles are structured to suit their functions.
Collins AQA Add pg14-15
KS4 Biology starters cells, cell components etc
Pupils drag and drop
Assessment
opportunities
Cells DVD
Exam Questions
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
Spec
content
B2.1.2
Cells may be
specialised
to carry out a
particular
function.
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
B2.1.1 Specialised cells
B2.2.1 Animal Organs
Specialised cells and cell
differentiation.
Tissues as groups of cells with
similar structure and function
and examples.
Organs made of tissues e.g.
stomach.
Organ systems. Knowledge of
digestive system.
Lesson
2. Specialised Cells
Possible Learning Activities
Do all organisms start from the same ball of cells?
Can all cells carry out any job?
continue to work on yeast and bacteria structure compare
with animal and plant cells from last lesson.
Specialised cells and then onto tissues, organs and systems.
Animal cell specialisation and Cell structure and function,
may be useful
Students use a structured worksheet to gather evidence to
describe specific cells and explain how structure relates to
function
eg Watch video clip of egg and sperm cells or generalise cell
structure compared to function
Produce a poster of labelled specialised cells to explain how
they are adapted for their function.
.
Use Biology starter and living things textbook to identify
specialised plant and animal cells.
Resources
Worksheets
A useful video clip on cells
and their functions can be
found on the BBC website at
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/
clips by searching for ‘1832’.
Look at National Learning
Network materials on
National Stem Centre
website for interactive
resources
Assessment
opportunities
Cells booklet
Cells exam
questions
HMK
Design your own
specialised cell
to carry out a
specific function.
PPT Cells and organisation
Exam Questions
Differentiation
Collins AQA Add pg16-17
SEN
Card sort of cells
and names and
function.
G&T
Is a virus a living
organism?
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
Spec
content
B2 1.3
Dissolved
substances
can move
into and out
of cells by
diffusion.
Definition of
diffusion
and factors
affecting
rate.
Oxygen
passes
through cell
membranes
by
diffusion.
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
Dissolved substances can move
into and out of cells by diffusion.
Know that diffusion is the
spreading out of particles in a gas
or solution resulting in a net
movement from a region where
they are at a higher concentration
to where they are at a lower
concentration.
Lesson
3. Diffusion
Possible Learning Activities
Have a smell nice/unpleasant? Wander around room
and see who smells it first and discuss with class.
Can diffusion occur in space?
Resources
Worksheets
Movement of substances
booklet
Movement of
Substances
Diffusion exam questions
Diffusion exam
Questions
PPT KS4 Movement in and out
of cells.
Discussion and notes/diagrams.
Atomscope
Know how factors such as
concentration gradient affect the
rate of diffusion and the greater
the concentration difference the
faster the rate of diffusion.
Use pot perming crystals, water trough and OHP
or
Demo ‘pink string experiment’ (conc ammonia and string
soaked in phenolphthalein for a minute or so, then removed
and left to dry overnight-then experiment carried out in
diffusion tube).
Diffusion DVD
Oxygen for respiration passed
through cell membranes by
diffusion.
Nice experiment, but make sure you get the right type of
string, (not waxy).
Students can write up their findings and draw diagram/s
from the experiment.
Possibly link diffusion here with oxygen entering cells
Use atomscope diffusion to demo particles and the process
of diffusion.
Use exam questions to re enforce diffusion concept.
Assessment
opportunities
Collins AQA Add pg18-21
HMK
How does heat,
change in state,
stirring affect the
rate of diffusion.
Explain in terms
of particles.
Differentiation
SEN
Card sort of cells
and names and
function.
G&T
Is a virus a living
organism?
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
B2 1.3
Spec
content
Dissolved
substances
can move
into and out
of cells by
diffusion.
Definition of
diffusion and
factors
affecting
rate.
Oxygen
passes
through cell
membranes
by diffusion.
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Lesson
Learning Objectives
Know how factors such as
concentration difference
(gradient) affect the rate of
diffusion.
Oxygen for respiration passed
through cell membranes by
diffusion.
Explain that diffusion is faster if
there is a bigger concentration
difference.
4. SA:Volume ratio
Possible Learning Activities

Fresh beetroot placed in iced water and warm water –
compare and explain the difference in the depth of colour
of the water.
Blue agar experiment to analyse effect of surface area on
diffusion. Use 4 blue agar cubes approx 1x1x1cm or
1.5x1.5.1.5cm and bench strength acid. Cut cubes in to half,
quarters and eights.
Apply knowledge of factors affecting diffusion rate to lungs
and intestines.
Use idea of SA/VOl ratio to discuss optimum cell size.
Get students to predict how the following will affect diffusion
rate:
1. Increasing the concentration gradient, 2. Increasing the
surface area, 3. Increasing the temperature.
Resources
Worksheets
A useful video on diffusion
can be found on the
McGraw-Hill website at
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072495855/st
udent_view0 by selecting
‘Chapter 2’ and the ‘How
Diffusion Works’ animation.
Assessment
opportunities
HMK
Why are
elephants not
made of one
cell?
Collins AQA Add pg18-21
Differentiation
SEN, G&T
Fold a sheet of
A4 into half and
repeat until you
cannot fold
anymore.
Measure
dimensions an
compare SA and
VOL.
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
B2.8
Spec
content
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
Explain what a fossil is.
life comes from
fossils.
Fossils are the
‘remains’ of
organisms from
many years ago,
which are found
Describe ways in which fossils are
formed – from hard parts that do
not decay easily; when conditions
for decay are absent; when parts
are replaced by other materials as
they decay; as preserved imprints.
in rocks. They
can be formed in
various ways.
Many early
forms of life
were soft bodied
Explain why fossils are useful to
us today – to provide evidence of
how life has developed; to help us
understand evolutionary
relationships.
so left few traces
behind; these
traces have
been mainly
5. Fossilisation
Possible Learning Activities
Show pictures of fossils. Ask learners what a fossil is?
Evidence for
early forms of
Lesson
Suggest reasons why scientists
cannot be certain how life began
on Earth.
Deal with misconceptions that fossils are bones.
Resources
Worksheets
A video clip on DNA and
prehistoric animals can be
found on the BBC website at
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/
clips by searching for clip
‘5890’.
Objects to make imprints in sand, plasticine, plaster of Paris.
Observe an exhibition of fossils or fossil pictures and guess
how they were formed and what they are fossils of.
Interesting information on a
huge fossilized skull found in
Argentina can be found at
www.UPD8.org.uk by
searching ‘Godzilla is real’
Make imprints of leaves, shells, bones etc. as models of
fossils
Exam Questions
PPT Fossils
Candidates look at fossil evidence to explain how living
things once lived.
Use IDA as an example of missing link and using fossil
record to establish evolution.
destroyed by
Collins AQA Core pg 80-81
Assessment
opportunities
Exam questions
HMK
How is IDA a
missing link?
Differentiation
SEN
make imprints
in sand,
plasticine,
plaster of Paris.
geological
activity
We can learn
from fossils how
much or how
little organisms
have changed
as life developed
on Earth.
What are the ideal conditions for creating fossils on
land and water?
G&T
Using fossils to
determine
common
ancestors
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
Spec content
B2.8
Causes of
extinction changes to the
environment
over
geological
time, new
predators, new
diseases, new
competitors, a
catastrophic
event, through
the cyclical
nature of
speciation.
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
Define the term ‘extinction’.
Explain how extinction may be
caused.
Explain that organisms become
extinct because something
changes and the species cannot
adapt quickly enough to the new
circumstances.
Lesson
6. Extinction
Possible Learning Activities
Examples of animal extinction and ask for reasons why
each organism is now extinct.
Resources
Worksheets
Assessment
opportunities
Collins AQA core p84-85
Extinction PPT
Extinction cards
Use the two DVDs to establish a list of Reasons for extinction
Exam Questions
DVD extinction files
DVD Dodo guide to extinction
Or use extinction cards and powerpoint to find out the
Reasons for extinction.
DVD extinction files
HMK
What are
currently the
most endangered
organisms?
DVD Dodo guide to
extinction
Differentiation
What factors cause extinction?
Environment
Predator
Climate
Food
Disease
Human influence.
Be able to give two reasons why some organisms are in
danger of extinction.
SEN
Poster on the
reasons for the
extinction of a
species. Eg
dinosaurs.
G&T
Reasons for mass
extinction events
in the past. Are
we in the middle
of another?
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
Spec
content
B2.8
New
species arise
as a result of
isolation
(HT only –
genetic
variation,
natural
selection
and
speciation).
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
Define the term ‘species’.
Explain how new species arise
using the terms

‘isolation’

Genetic variation

Natural selection
 speciation
HT only
Include, explain and use the
terms ‘genetic variation’,
‘natural selection’ and
‘speciation’
Lesson
7. Speciation
Possible Learning Activities
Resources
Worksheets
Assessment
opportunities
Speciation PPT
What is a species?
Natural Selection PPT
Exam Questions
Describe what a species is and write a definition.
Explain how new species arise
isolation – two populations of a species become separated,
eg geographically
genetic variation – each population has a wide range of
alleles that control their characteristics
natural selection – in each population, the alleles that control
the characteristics which help the organism to survive are
selected
Speciation – the populations become so different that
successful interbreeding is no longer possible.
Give examples Liger, Zorse, Mule why are they not new
species?
HMK
Pick two animals
and imagine they
could reproduce.
What would the
offspring look
like?
Differentiation
SEN, G&T
Sort and match
different body
parts from
different
animals. Are
they new
species?
Biology B2
Additional
Spec
Ref
Spec
content
Unit
Cells, speciation
and extinction
Learning Objectives
To assess progress during the Cells,
speciation and extinction Unit
Lesson
8. Assessment
Possible Learning Activities
Learners to sit in exam positions and complete exam paper.
Following lesson marked exam papers returned and learners
using mark scheme complete any missing or incorrect
questions/marks with teacher.
Each learner writes on the front of the exam paper 3 areas
for improvement or areas for revision.
Any leaner who achieves a below a grade C must repeat the
exam after a period of time to complete extra revision.
Resources
Worksheets
Cells, speciation and extinction
exam paper.
Assessment
opportunities