LAUNCH GCSE Biology · six-week lesson pack

Week 8 · Enrichment — no workbook row — Topic 1 practical

Week 8 Enrichment · Introduce

Enzyme Action: Preparing the pH Investigation

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 1 · enzyme action, pH and Core Practical 1.10 preparation.

Equipment: Planning sheet, apparatus cards, pH-buffer labels, results-table template and current centre method/risk assessment supplied by the teacher. No reagent handling is required in this Introduce lesson.

Week 8 · Enrichment — no workbook row — Topic 1 practical

Week 8 Enrichment · Explore

Amylase and pH: Continuous-Sampling Investigation

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 1 · specification point 1.10 investigation of pH and enzyme activity.

Equipment: Only the apparatus and prepared solutions listed in the centre's current Pearson-aligned CP 1.10 method: typically labelled amylase, starch and buffer solutions, iodine spotting tile setup, clean transfer equipment, reaction vessels, timer and authorised temperature-control equipment.

Week 8 · Enrichment — no workbook row — Topic 1 practical

Week 8 Enrichment · Do

Amylase Rate, Graph and Topic 1 Consolidation

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 1 · rate calculation, CP 1.10 analysis and Topic 1 consolidation.

Equipment: Pupil or teacher-provided raw dataset, calculator, graph paper or local spreadsheet, ruler, command-word frame and Topic 1 retrieval grid.

Week 9 · Introduce

Cell Cycle: Copy, Check, Divide

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification point 2.1 · the cell cycle and mitosis.

Equipment: Stage cards, chromosome-copy counters, prepared diagram or micrograph set, sequencing grid and command-word frame.

Week 9 · Explore

Mitosis Sequence: Chromosome Evidence

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification point 2.1 · mitotic sequence and chromosome evidence.

Equipment: Teacher-approved micrographs or prepared slides, microscope if authorised, stage-evidence key, tally grid, calculator and command-word frame.

Week 9 · Do

Mitosis: Identical Daughter Cells

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification points 2.2–2.4 · identical daughter cells, roles of mitosis and uncontrolled cell division.

Equipment: Chromosome counters, before/after table, calculator, fictional tissue dataset, application cards and GCSE command-word frame.

Week 10 · Introduce

Growth and Differentiation: Building an Organism

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification points 2.5–2.7, growth and cell differentiation in animals and plants.

Equipment: Process cards, fictional/anonymised growth table, calculator, comparison frame and optional root-zone or tissue images.

Week 10 · Explore

Stem Cells and Meristems: Potential Compared

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification point 2.8, embryonic and adult animal stem cells and plant meristems.

Equipment: Source-and-outcome cards, supplied fictional research table, calculator, comparison matrix and enlarged branching model.

Week 10 · Do

Growth and Stem-Cell Data: Evidence Before Claims

Outcome: Edexcel GCSE Biology 1BI0 Foundation · Paper 1 · Topic 2 · specification points 2.5–2.9, growth data, differentiation and stem-cell applications.

Equipment: Fictional/anonymised growth chart, fictional stem-cell results table, calculator, ruler, command-word guide and claim-strength cards.

Week 11 · Introduce

Stem Cells: Evidence Before Judgement

Outcome: Discuss potential benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine.

Equipment: Stem-cell type cards, evidence/ethics/uncertainty mat, glossary sheet and pencil.

Week 11 · Explore

Stem-Cell Evidence: Benefit, Risk, Uncertainty

Outcome: Discuss potential benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine.

Equipment: Simulated data sheet, calculator, percentage frame, benefit-risk-uncertainty grid and pencil.

Week 11 · Do

Stem Cells: Structured DISCUSS

Outcome: Discuss potential benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine.

Equipment: Simulated evidence summary, DISCUSS planner, vocabulary strip, feedback/edit pen and pencil.

Week 12 · Introduce

Genetic Information: Cell to Gene

Outcome: Describe DNA, genes and chromosomes.

Equipment: Nested hierarchy cards, chromosome/DNA ribbon model, labels, arrow strip and pencil.

Week 12 · Explore

DNA Structure: Pair, Twist, Critique

Outcome: Describe DNA as a polymer of nucleotides arranged as two strands coiled into a double helix, with complementary base pairs joined by weak hydrogen bonds.

Equipment: Large nucleotide/base cards, reusable backbone strips, clips or hook-and-loop tabs, sequence sheet and pencil.

Week 12 · Do

Fruit DNA: Extract, Observe, Evaluate

Outcome: Explain how DNA can be extracted from fruit; connect the observation to genetic information.

Equipment: Adult-prepared fruit, salt-detergent solution, sealable bag, filter/mesh, clear tube, cold ethanol controlled by an adult, tray and observation sheet.

Week 13 · Introduce

Inheritance Language: Allele to Phenotype

Outcome: Explain monohybrid inheritance using genetic diagrams and Punnett squares.

Equipment: Large P/p allele tiles, genotype cards, phenotype cards, vocabulary mat and pencil.

Week 13 · Explore

Punnett Squares: Construct the Prediction

Outcome: Explain monohybrid inheritance using genetic diagrams and Punnett squares.

Equipment: P/p allele tiles, 2 × 2 grid sheets, calculator, genotype/phenotype key and pencil.

Week 13 · Do

Inheritance Data: Predict, Calculate, Evaluate

Outcome: Calculate and analyse outcomes using probabilities, ratios and percentages from monohybrid crosses.

Equipment: Blank Punnett grids, simulated repeated-batch dataset, calculator, formula strip, graph paper or comparison table and pencil.