BIOLOGY
Welcome to Petroc PACE +
A Level Biology
The information on this page will give you a flavour of what life is like studying Biology A Level at Petroc and help to expand your knowledge. Take a look around!
Start by watching the welcome presentation from one of our our lecturers, Catherine Williams, and learn what the content you will be learning on the course.
Why not have a go at this month's activity all about careers in Biology.
Once you are finished check out what else Petroc has to offer on the Life at Petroc page!
June Content
An activity for you to try at home
Careers in Biology
Click here to find interviews with over 50 experts working in the field of Biology.
We would like you to:
Select three interviews in fields that interest you and watch them.
Identify three characteristics that make them successful biologists.
Set yourself three targets that are going to help you become a successful A Level biologist
Through the link you can find a selection of interviews including with marine biologists, biologists working in cancer research, immunologists and Sir David Attenborough.
Becoming a Biologist: Top Tips for Life Science Careers
Watch this video to learn what advice Scientists give to those who are thinking of a career in Biology
July Content
Watch the latest video from Catherine and then complete the activity!
Find a media and a topic that interests you. This can be a film, a book, a podcast or even a game.
Why did you choose that particular film, book, podcast or game?
What have you learnt about biology from completing that task?
Bring your review with you to your first biology lesson to share what you found out with a small group of your fellow students!
August Content
Get ready for September!
Course preparation resources
Starting an A level course in biology can be daunting, but if you come in well prepared and with a desire to learn then it is a very rewarding subject. This pack of resources is aimed at preparing you better to make a smooth transition to A level. Included is some hints and tips for study skills and a task to help you come into those first lessons well prepared.
To get a good overview of the course you may like to download the course specification:
https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/171736-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-biology-a-h420.pdf
This is the syllabus for the whole two year course, written by the exam board.
We would strongly advise you to purchase a copy of the course book:
OCR A Level Biology.
Ann Fullick
Publisher: OUP
ISBN-10: 0198351925
You can buy it in two parts, AS and A2 or the whole two years in one book. It has been around for a few years now so you should be able to pick up a second hand copy. There are other text book options available and if you have a different one in a preferred style then that is fine.
Note: you will need to read other books as well, such as those available in the classroom and in the library, in order to gain the top grades!
After such a long gap in your schooling you might feel you want use a book to help bridge the gap between GCSE and A level. So, over the summer you might want to pick up a copy of the Head Start to AS Biology revision guide from CGP that covers topics linking GCSE to A Level biology.
Publisher: CGP
ISBN: 978 1 78294 2795
Study skills
Coming into A level will require you to become more independent learners and some of your study skills will need refining. For some of you, new skills will need to be learnt. The good news is that we do have some suggestions, and that we will not be spoon feeding you all the answers and writing all the notes for you!
The Learning Toolbox website (http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/study.html) has lots of tips and strategies to help you study better.
This website has further ideas to help you to learn faster & smarter https://oedb.org/ilibrarian/hacking-knowledge/
Summer Activity
At AS level you will look in much closer detail at the inner workings of cells, and how they are seen using different types of microscope.
1. Use one of your biology books (or the Web if you haven’t bought a book yet) to label as many parts of this animal cell as you can. You should be able to add at least 10 label
2. Draw out a table for 10 cell organelles and summarise their main functions (as below)
3. Describe 3 specialised cells that you have studied (found in animals or plants). Describe how the cell structure is adapted to the function of these cells. Try and make reference to some of the organelles you have summarised in the table