A Level video: Nephron structure and function

This is an excellent video for A level revising the nephron. Recommend that students review structure of the kidney first so they understand how the nephron is situated in the cortex and medulla of the kidney:

A Level worksheets: Section 8.5

These worksheets covers section 8.5 Making sense of what we see fromt he A2 SNAB textbook. I developed these as I had a A2 class of lads who did not like making their own notes. These worksheets focused them and ensured they worked through the section methodically. All the answers come in order so as they read through the section they can fill the sheets in as they go. Very useful for cover lessons and homework also (plus, if I am honest, to set the students to work on in class when you are overloaded with admin and need them to just work on their own but also be productive).

Worksheets: Section 8.5 Making sense of what we see

A Level worksheets: Visual development

Worksheets to coincide with section 8.4 of Topic 8 A2 level Edexcel Biology from the context based Textbook. This allows the students to work through the chapter and create notes in the style of answers to exam questions. This method can be useful as it prevents students from effectively copying out the textbook in lieu of notes and so think about what they are writing. Also they are great as cover lesson or homework.

Worksheets for section 8.4 Visual development

AS Level Biology: cystic fibrosis videos

I had a good look at the range of available videos and these very short ones seem to be the most informative:

Video 1: Very short introductory video explaining what CF is

Link to video on About.com (1.25 minutes)

Living with CF videos:
1: This video 8.22 minutes. I found this a very useful video to show the students so the appreciate the seriousness of the disease. It is quite emotional.

Dying Young

2. This video lasts about 9 minutes and outlines the treatments and medications required in one day for a 10 year old girl. Again it is useful to show as it highlights to the students all the medications, and the reasons for them.

Day in the Life

This video lasts for 3 minutes 30 seconds and is an excellent overview of  how CF is inherited, symptoms and treatment:

Advice from my Year 11′s on how to revise:

I asked my Year 11′s what advice they would give to year 10 on how to revise for their Year 10 exams. This is the summary of their most popular points:

• Create a revision timetable
• Have little 10 minute breaks every hour.
• Make conclusions after each paragraph
• Just LISTEN in class and think to yourself “do you understand it”
• Use Cue cards for definitions and test yourself until you can remember the answers with ease.
• Get off Facebook/MSN/ichat etc. (loads of students suggest this)-TURN YOUR COMPUTER OFF.
• Get Sleep!
• Read through your textbook.
• Concentrate when you are reading, don´t be thinking about other things.
• Make yourself a little revision test on each topic and test yourself.
• Keep your books and notes from Year 10.
• Try and have an area where you do your revision which doesn’t have any things to distract you.
• Always revise the stuff you don’t like first.
• Don’t just copy notes from a book.
• If you have an exam coming u split the subject into topics and learn each topic per night.
• Revise how you want to: drawing pictures could help you to understand.
• Create shortened versions of your information that you are studying, which includes all the main points.