Great site to get interactive PowerPoint templates

I came across an excellent open source video by Kevin Culpepper which teaches you how to make an interactive matching game in PowerPoint. If you have read my previous post, 13 top tips for teachers, about the use of PowerPoint and how one should limit the use of information slides to, at the very most, 5 in a row and to always incorporate interactive slides then you will see why I am keen on this site. Kevin has provided many templates for games that you can modify and use within your resources and also has videos to show you how to make them yourselves. I intend to have a go at few myself so keep an eye out for some customised matching games etc. Certainly worth having a look so click on the link below:

Culpepper Online

IGCSE, GCSE Biology cell structure and function quiz

Here are two versions of a PowerPoint quiz I have prepared covering cell structure for IGCSE/GCSE level. The quizzes cover structure of a typical animal and plant cell plus functions of the organelles.

The first quiz is entirely multiple choice with the answers revealed in a duplicate set of slides after the 15 questions. This allows for the entire test to be completed and then the answers covered later, (possibly as a self-mark exercise). Natrually the slides can easily be reordered to convert the presentation to a teaching presentation by revealing the answer after each individual question. There is a student answer sheet so that the quiz can be displayed on the board and the student answer in class.

The second version has the first 6 questions (labelling the cell) as short answer questions. Naturally this makes the test slightly harder plus checks for spelling. I always say that spelling DOES matter and instruct the students that incorrect spelling, even if phonetically correct, do not get marks. This encourages students to learn the words properly. Again the answers are added at the end in duplicated, animated slides and a student answer sheet is provided.

It is interesting that, as I developed these presentations, I realised the many different variations by which I could implement this simple quiz. I could remove all the multiple choice and make the entire test short answer. I could just do a paper quiz (obviously). I could also programme both presentations so that students completed the quiz entirely on the computer and have a results sheet printed out at the end to give to the teacher. I am also developing an online quiz for my students to complete via Moodle. I suppose it depends upon facilites available, whether you want to save paper, offer students variation on delivery, save on marking, whether the test is formative or summative etc. and of course dependent upon the abilities and preferences of your individual classes.

As I think this topic is slightly repititous of KS3 work I think using the quiz as a revision tool or completing it entirely via the computer means that KS4 students at least feel that they are advancing even if the content is the same. I do wish the exam boards would start to expand the cell structure taught at KS4 to include more ultra-structure stuff. For example I would include mitochondria, cytoskeleton and centrioles as the students do come across these when we mention respiration and cell division later on. In particular I hate the fried egg image of the animal cell and I always show the inner life of the cell video to the students so they at least have an appreciation of how amazing and complicated the cell really is.

Oops..another rant! Sorry!

Anyway…the resources are below:

Multiple choice quiz:

PowerPoint presentation:

cell-structure-and-function-multiple-choice-quiz-questions-and-answers

Student answer sheet:

cell-structure-and-function-quiz-multiple-choice-answer-sheet

Short answer and multiple choice version:

PowerPoint presentation:

cell-structure-and-function-quiz-questions-and-answers

Student answer sheet:

cell-structure-and-function-quiz-answer-sheet

IGCSE Biology definitions revision game 2 (Zombie attack!)

what2learn_printable_worksheet_5934

IGCSE Biology definitions game 1

what2learn_printable_worksheet_5727

IGCSE Biology characteristics of living things game (Tank Attack: it is noisy!)

My first go at using what2learn. I have started at the beginning of the syllabus and am working my way through the definitions. There are some mistakes but thought I would pop this in as it is fun.
Only the link is added as it is noisy!

http://www.what2learn.com/games/play/5724/

what2learn_printable_worksheet_5724
(sorry about the error on this)