The Ultimate 'Task-Driven Independent Learning' Resource for A Level OCR Biology A
Save time with 15 versatile, independent learning units with over 60 tasks embedded. Distributed across the whole A Level Biology course so they’re ready to use at any time!
Independent learning reduces time spent teaching content, in favour of doing other important tasks including correcting misconceptions and building on the basics.
Contains:
- Starters ('getting going')
- Background information and examples
- Main tasks
- Plenaries ('quick recap')
- Extensions
- Answers
- Designed specifically so a non-specialist teacher can pick them up
- Great for quiet study lessons
- The majority of exercises and tasks can be completed autonomously in around 1 hour – perfect for homeworks
Well researched, extensive and challenging, these will be extremely useful in the absence of the teacher, or the usual teacher
- Answers included for self-marking
- Built-in extension tasks to keep even your fastest finishers on task for the whole hour
- Learning objectives for self-assessment
- Diverse array of activities provides interesting opportunities to develop understanding of core content, as well as to practise data analysis and practical evaluation skills
Share with others:
What do teachers say about this resource? (12186, 12187, 12188)
I wish had access to this before! Would have saved me time in teaching and assessing for understanding, particularly the sliding filament theory with step by step pictures.
The variety and size of the whole resource is amazing. Scaffolds learning very well with low-order to higher-order questions. The extensions are appropriate stretch and challenge resources which help AO3 and AO2. Very relevant to the specification and good quality questions with answers. Shows a holistic view of the specification and can be used as formative assessment.
I liked the simple, easy-to-understand language that textbooks lack. The activities make it very easy for learners to test their learning independently. It can also be used as a retrieval practice. I also appreciated the task on the reason for steps in a procedure. Questions on practicals is where learners lose marks and textbooks do not have these. Loved the statistics section too.
There are extensions and suggest-type questions which add value. In addition, the learning objectives at the start make it very easy to relate the task to understanding. The gap-fill recaps are appreciated. The writer obviously has an understanding of where students struggle and build on first year content, for example the excretion topic gives an opportunity to draw an amino acid and labelling a photomicrograph of a Bowman's capsule.
I found the resource useful. It covered all of the main specification points in my specification as well as for other specifications.
The explanations for the tasks were easy to follow and the diagrams were also very clear. Some of the diagrams I felt were better than the ones in our current textbook. A range of different activities will keep the student´s interest.
I felt this resource was a great revision resource for students which complements the course. I would like to use it as a homework resource or retrieval practice in lessons, especially if I am absent. The instructions are clear so students can complete each task with little teacher assistance.
I also think this would be excellent for supporting less able students with their learning and preparing their notes as the questions are straight forward and link directly to learning.
I think this complements the course beautifully.
The resource was very useful and I would use this with my A level classes. It covered all of the essential topics and I would consider using the resources as a homework task after completing each of the topics. I thought the resources were good for reinforcing students' understanding of the subject matter.
The tasks were challenging and required the application of knowledge.
I loved the diagrams and thought they were very clear and reinforced concepts learned in class.
I also like the fact the answers are provided so students can receive instant feedback on their performance.
Instructions for tasks were clear.
I liked the style of questions, which ranged from lower demand, like gap fills, to higher demand, like more open questions. This allows for differentiation and will help students build up their knowledge. There is good use of diagrams with blank labels to complete and a good range of questions using different command words like ‘suggest’ and ‘explain’.
High educational value, due the range of question styles.
What do teachers say about this resource? (11451, 11452, 11453)
Incredibly useful and comprehensive resource - well structured and with many tasks for students to complete independently during cover lessons.
- Includes a range of tasks
- Differentiated so that all students can access the learning.
- Refers to relevant specifications
- Includes task that not only develop essential knowledge but also skills and scientific method
- Background information is very useful to supplement text books/web information ...
[This] has been really valued by staff and students.
I thought the resource was a great addition to the teaching material. The information was well laid out and clear instructions were provided for each task.
I liked the range of activities that students could work through. The material was pitched at a good level with extension activities for more able students. This also enabled them to read around the topic areas. The essay questions were a great way for students to build up their own notes.
The maths element was something I was grateful for because it is always a tricky area and students vary in levels of ability.
The retrieval activities at the start of each activity were a great revision tool for students to cement their knowledge.
Well researched, extensive and challenging, these will be extremely useful in the absence of the teacher, or the usual teacher.
I particularly liked the comparison with different exam boards, and listing the specification criteria numbers: this makes the resource extremely adaptable for all schools to relate it to their own exam board. I also liked the variety of task set: diagrams, tables to be filled in with key words, research tasks, drawing tasks, “state” and “describe” questions: this maintains the concentration of students in a cover lesson situation.
Keywords
- A Level Biology
- AS Biology
- A Level Biology Independent Learning
- A Level Independent Learning
- A Level Science Independent Learning
- H020
- H420
- Development of practical skills in biology
- Foundations in biology
- Exchange and transport
- Biodiversity, evolution and disease
- Communication, homeostasis and energy
- Genetics, evolution and ecosystems