Ever thought about using quarries as a topic for a coursework essay?

Obvious now I think of it, quarries are an excellent topic for the AS coursework essay and the QuarryEd website provides some excellent resources.

To quote the homepage:

“Although perhaps unlikely at a first glance, the extractive industry can provide learning opportunities for students of A level biology, such as species adaptations to survive in particular environmental conditions, ecosystem dynamics, succession, the ecological impact of human activities and nature conservation management techniques.”

Lots of downloadable information sheets.

Excellent biology resources for genetics, DNA to protein and cells

I would like to recommend this site form the University if Utah This site provides resources, activities and lesson plans that are entirely appropriate for A Level and is certainly worth exploring or directing your students to (they like the mouse party activity in particular).

Learn.Genetics

Examples of activities found on the site are:

Online activities:

Build a DNA molecule

Transcribe and translate a gene

cells and scale

Mouse Party (how drugs affect the brain)(worksheet available in the resources list mentioned below).

PCR virtual lab (A2) and Gel Elecrophoresis

There is also loads of information on topics such as knockout mice, epigenetics, cloning etc. Some of these might be useful resources for possible coursework essays.

In addition there is a sister site teach.genetics which has a  long list of lesson plans and worksheets that are of an appropriate level. I personally like the activity on risk (the risk continuum), which helps make a potentially dull topic in AS a little more active. There is a lot here, including some fun lab ideas plus support material for the HSW section of the course, and is well worth browsing.

I have added quite a few of the online activities into my Moodle coursepage (such as the transcribe a gene activity). I have also found it very useful when students have afternoon free lessons but just want to surf the net…at least they can surf the learn.genetics site in a productive way.

Enjoy!