Yr11/12 Biology Transition

Step up to A level

Work your way through these Biology GCSE Essentials so that you are in a great positin to start your A level studies.

Aim to complete one topic a week starting with cells all the way to transport in plants and circulation and ventilation in animals.

Essential Knowledge!

These are the topics that we consider essential for you to have mastered in preparation for you to be a brilliant A level biologist


Topic 1

Cells

Cells transition lesson presentation

Step Up to A level Resources

Read this document- it guides you through this session and gives you links to revision notes and worksheets

Watch this video

Use these flash cards - they cover cells as well as topics that are coming up

Try these questions and here are the answers

And some more questions here and the answers

And yet more questions with their answers

And specialised cells quick Qs and As

Try our quiz

Topic 3

DNA, nucleotides and proteins

DNA, nucleotides and protein synthesis lesson presentation

Step Up to A level Resources

Read this document- it guides you through this session and gives you links to revision notes and worksheets

Watch these videos:

SnapRevise DNA Structure

SnapRevise Transcription

Use these flash cards and revision notes -

they cover inheritance as well as genetics so useful for A level too

This summary sheet and this key words sheet will help to consolidate your understanding

Some worksheets here

And why not make this Lego DNA model?

And here are some exam questions as well as Physics and Maths Tutor - search for genetics questions

Try our quiz

Topic 4

Movement in and out of cells

Movement in and out of cells lesson presentation

Step Up to A level Resources

Read this document- it guides you through this session and gives you links to revision notes and worksheets

Watch these videos:

SnapRevise Diffusion

SnapRevise Osmosis

Use these flash cards and revision notes

These summary quick questions will consolidate what you aknow

Some worksheets here

And exam questions here

And remember Physics and Maths Tutor - search for questions form a different exam board just for fun

Try our quiz

Topic 5

Transport in animals

Topic 6

Photosynthesis and

transport in plants

Transport in plants lesson presentation

Step Up to A level Resources

Read this document- it guides you through this session and gives you links to revision notes and worksheets

Watch these videos:

SnapRevise Leaf structure and adaptations for photosynthesis

SnapRevise transpiration

SnapRevise photosynthesis

And because you like to sing.... here's the Photosynthesis Song

Use these flash cards and revision notes

These summary quick questions will consolidate what you know- answers here

Some worksheets here

Test yourself with these exam Qs and As

And remember Physics and Maths Tutor - search for questions form a different exam board just for fun

Try our quiz

Biology websites to explore

Videos are also a really good way of helping you get to grips with a topic. Here are some of our favourites:


Test yourself with some exam questions- GCSE and A level here

    • Physics and Maths Tutor have lots of exam questions . Sort by topic and why not try questions from a different exam board....after all....it's all biology! And if you have mastered the GCSE questions try some A level questions for each topic- you may suprise yourslef with how much you can answer

    • Maths Made Easy also has a selection of exam questions and study resources- dip into the A level questions and see how you get on

    • And Revision Science is good for filling those gaps- and this site has A level too- take a look


Take a short course and learn something new

Biology books to read

  • The course text book OCR AS/A level Biology A Student Book 1 , published by Pearson, ISBN: 9781447990796

  • For general A level biology reading Advanced Biology: Principles and Applications Clegg and MacKean ISBN: 9780719576706

  • CPG revision guides will be available to order for the science department in the autumn term. We recommend A-Level Biology: OCR A Year 1 & 2 Complete Revision & Practice ISBN: 9781789080353

  • You may aslo like CPG A-Level Biology: Essential Maths Skills ISBN: 9781847623232

  • To bridge the gap between GCSE and A level try CPG Head Start to A-level Biology ISBN: 9781782942795

  • And keep your GCSE text books and revision guides- lots of what you cover at A level builds upon prior GCSE knowledge and these text books are an excellent way of filling gaps in your knowledge

Useful A Level biology resources

At Sir Isaac Newton we follow OCR Biology A- you can read the specification here. Also take a look at these resources so that you are prepared for what lies ahead: