A Level Biology

Student handbook

Contents

Page 3-4 Resources

Page 5-6 Teaching Order

Page 7 Examination Breakdown

Page 8-12 Practical Skills in Biology

Page 13-24 Starting A Level Biology – Study advice

Page 25-26 Additional Reading List

Resources

Kerboodle

Kerboodle is available for all students. It allows students to access an electronic version of

the course text along with study guides and further materials to help with the AQA A Level

syllabus. You can access Kerboodle through the Student Portal on the College website

(www.dsfc.org.uk). A link is provided both on your Subject Page and on your Online

Resources page.

The Sixth Form Librarian will carry out the initial set up and contact all students with the

login details.

You will receive an email with your username along with an initial password which you will

be prompted to change the first time you login. If you have any problems logging in please

see Rachel in the library.

Course Textbooks

While Kerboodle allows an online textbook to be accessed, physical copies of the course

text are also available. These will often be required in lessons.

Year 1

ISBN-10: 0198351763 ISBN-13: 978-0198351764

Year 2

ISBN-10: 0198357702 ISBN-13: 978-0198357704

Recommended Study Guides

ISBN-10: 1927309190 ISBN-10: 1927309204 ISBN-13: 978-1927309193 ISBN-13: 978-1927309209

AQA BIOLOGY TOPIC ORDER

Year 1 Autumn Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Section 1: Biological Molecules Section 2: Cells

Biological molecules Maths Skills in Biology Cell Structure

Transport across cell membranes Mitosis

Year 1 Spring Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Nucleic Acids Cell recognition and the immune system

Section 3: Organisms Exchange Substances With Their Environment

Section 4: Genetic Information, Variation And Relationships Between

Organisms Animal Exchange DNA, Genes and Protein Synthesis

Animal Transport

Year 1 Summer Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Plant Exchange Biodiversity Plant Transport Revision for Year 13 entrance exam

Revision for Year 13 entrance exam Section 7: Genetics, Populations, Evolution and Ecosystems

Section 5: Energy Transfer In And Between Organisms

Populations in Ecosystems

Energy and Ecosystems

Year 2 Autumn Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Section 5: Energy Transfer In And Between Organisms

Section 7: Genetics, Populations, Evolution and Ecosystems

Photosynthesis Populations and Evolution Respiration Inherited Change

Section 6: Organisms Respond To Changes In Their Environment

Response To Stimuli

Year 2 Spring Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Nervous Coordination And Muscles Section 8: The Control of Gene Expression

Homeostasis Gene Expression Recombinant DNA Technology

Revision and Essay Writing Revision and Essay Writing

Year 2 Summer Term

TEACHER A TEACHER B

Revision and Essay Writing Revision and Essay Writing

All exams will be taken at the end of the second year. There will be three papers altogether.

Practical skills

In addition to the practical skills questions in exams, students will be awarded a certificate for demonstrating competencies across a range of practical tasks that they will complete over the two years of the course. This is not graded, it is awarded on a pass/fail basis. The practical tasks that students are required to complete are:

Task Completed

Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction.

Year 1

Preparation of stained squashes of cells from plant root tips; set-up and use of an optical microscope to identify the stages of mitosis in these stained squashes and calculation of a mitotic index. Students should measure the apparent size of cells in the root tip and calculate their actual size using the formula: Actual size = size of image/magnification

Year 1

Production of a dilution series of a solute to produce a calibration curve with which to identify the water potential of plant tissue.

Year 1

Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the permeability of cell-surface membranes.

Year 1

Dissection of animal or plant gas exchange system or mass transport system or of organ within such a system.

Year 1

Use of aseptic techniques to investigate the effect of antimicrobial substances on microbial growth.

Year 1

Additional practical tasks will be carried out during the course which will give students the opportunity to demonstrate skills that the practical certificate requires. Recording Practical Tasks It is important that students keep a record of the practical tasks. They form an important part of the taught course and will be examined in the A Level exams as well as in assessed class work. Students often prefer to dedicate a section of their folder to practical work although others may prefer to keep a lab book. Both of these are acceptable and each student can decide which method they would prefer – it is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all information is recorded. Guidance on how to keep a lab book is given on the document titled ‘Practical Guidance’

The following list describes the competencies and skills students must master over the two year course while there is also a need to develop proficiency in using apparatus and techniques.

Task Completed Use of chromatography to investigate the pigments isolated from leaves of different plants, e.g., leaves from shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant plants or leaves of different colours.

Year 2

Investigation into the effect of a named factor on the rate of dehydrogenase activity in extracts of chloroplasts.

Year 2

Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of respiration of cultures of single-celled organisms.

Year 2

Investigation into the effect of an environmental variable on the movement of an animal using either a choice chamber or a maze.

Year 2

Production of a dilution series of a glucose solution and use of colorimetric techniques to produce a calibration curve with which to identify the concentration of glucose in an unknown ‘urine’ sample.

Year 2

Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the distribution of a given species.

Year 2

Competency Practical mastery

In order to achieve a pass, students will need to have met the following

expectations.

Students will be expected to develop these competencies through the

acquisition of the technical skills specified in Appendix 5 of the DfE

subject content for each science subject Biology, Chemistry and

Physics. Students can demonstrate these competencies in any practical

activity undertaken throughout the course of study. The 12 practical

activities prescribed in the subject specification, which cover the

requirements of Appendix 5c, will provide opportunities for

demonstrating competence in all the skills identified together with the

use of apparatus and practical techniques for each subject.

Students may work in groups but must be able to demonstrate and

record independent evidence of their competency. This must include

evidence of independent application of investigative approaches and

methods to practical work.

Teachers who award a pass to their students need to be confident that

the student consistently and routinely exhibits the competencies listed

below before completion of the A level course.

1. Follows written procedures a. Correctly follows instructions to carry out experimental techniques

or procedures.

2. Applies investigative

approaches and methods

when using instruments and

equipment

a. Correctly uses appropriate instrumentation, apparatus and materials

(including ICT) to carry out investigative activities, experimental

techniques and procedures with minimal assistance or prompting.

b. Carries out techniques or procedures methodically, in sequence and

in combination, identifying practical issues and making adjustments

when necessary.

c. Identifies and controls significant quantitative variables where

applicable, and plans approaches to take account of variables that

cannot readily be controlled.

d. Selects appropriate equipment and measurement strategies in order

to ensure suitably accurate results.

3. Safely uses a range of

practical equipment and

materials

a. Identifies hazards and assesses risks associated with these hazards,

making safety adjustments as necessary, when carrying out

experimental techniques and procedures in the lab or field.

b. Uses appropriate safety equipment and approaches to minimise risks

with minimal prompting.

4. Makes and records

observations

a. Makes accurate observations relevant to the experimental or

investigative procedure.

b. Obtains accurate, precise and sufficient data for experimental and

investigative procedures and records this methodically using

appropriate units and conventions.

5. Researches, references and

reports

a. Uses appropriate software and/or tools to process data, carry out

research and report findings.

b. Cites sources of information demonstrating that research has taken

place, supporting planning and conclusions.

Biology required activities (1-6 AS), (1-12 A-level)

Required activity Apparatus and technique reference

1. Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of an

enzyme-controlled reaction

a, b, c, f, l

2. Preparation of stained squashes of cells from plant root tips; set-up

and use of an optical microscope to identify the stages of mitosis in

these stained squashes and calculation of a mitotic index

d, e, f

3. Production of a dilution series of a solute to produce a calibration

curve with which to identify the water potential of plant tissue

c, h, j, l

4. Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the permeability

of cell-surface membranes

a, b, c, j, l

5. Dissection of animal or plant gas exchange or mass transport system

or of organ within such a system

e, h, j

6. Use of aseptic techniques to investigate the effect of antimicrobial

substances on microbial growth

c, i

7. Use of chromatography to investigate the pigments isolated from leaves

of different plants eg leaves from shade-tolerant and shade- intolerant

plants or leaves of different colours

b, c, g

8. Investigation into the effect of a named factor on the rate of

dehydrogenase activity in extracts of chloroplasts

a, b, c

9. Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of

respiration of cultures of single-celled organisms

a, b, c, i

10. Investigation into the effect of an environmental variable on the

movement of an animal using either a choice chamber or a maze

h

11. Production of a dilution series of a glucose solution and use of

colorimetric techniques to produce a calibration curve with which to

identify the concentration of glucose in an unknown ‘urine’ sample

b, c, f

12. Investigation into the effect of a named environmental factor on the

distribution of a given species

a, b, h, k, l

Now that you’ve chosen to study biology in more depth, you may be feeling rather unsure about starting your A Level Biology course. But don’t worry – this guide has been designed to help you work through your A Level course! The new GCE specification is designed to follow on from GCSE dual sciences or from GCSE Biology as a separate science. Our objective in Biology is to develop your interest in the many different fields of biology, whilst ensuring you appreciate how biological research is carried out through knowledge of how science works. Consequently, you should already be familiar with most of the major topics and some of the important terms covered by the Biology course, for example, cell structures and the differences between plant and animal cells. You may need to refresh your memory on some of these though!

What is the A Level Biology course like? Before you begin your A Level Biology course it is important that you read through these pages for advice on how to make the step up to A Level and gain the best grade you can. A good starting point is to realise that you (not just your teacher!) should know the awarding body specification and check the topics, terms and definitions required. The specification and your textbook will highlight important things to concentrate on, such as where to emphasise detail. For example, your AQA specification states: “Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are important information-carrying molecules. In all living cells, DNA holds genetic information and RNA transfers genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes.” This tells you several things. Firstly, you will see that a familiar topic is involved – DNA. Secondly, a new term has been introduced – RNA which transfers information, it goes on to describe the structure of both DNA and RNA in detail. Understanding and using the specification and textbook in this way is essential. You can find the specification on the AQA website: http://www.aqa.org.uk.

The enjoyment factor

Biology is the scientific study of life. We are living things ourselves so biology is about us too! Discovering how your body works and fits in with other living things is fascinating – hopefully you already enjoy this aspect of biology. During the A Level course, you will get the chance to delve deeper into why things are the way they are. You’ll be surprised at how much you already know from GCSE. It can be very satisfying to really grasp the more difficult concepts and the links between them. Most of us enjoy a good medical story and so much of A Level Biology is about the human body – how it works. If you prefer more up-to-date, technological topics, A Level Biology covers cutting edge issues too. These can include DNA technology, which can even make news headlines! However if you are more hands-on, then biology at A Level is also very much about seeing and doing. Remember, whichever aspect you prefer, enjoy your course!

Getting Started in Biology

At Dereham Sixth Form College

What are the main differences between GCSE and A Level Biology? Although there is much overlap in topics and terms, there is quite a lot of new material that you won’t have met before. Also, you need to go into more detail regarding the topics you are already familiar with and your level of thinking and explaining has to be deeper.

New material

There will be many more facts and unfamiliar terms to learn and recall in exams than there were at GCSE. Examples of new areas include the structure of cell membranes, the immune response and classification. Don’t be put off by all the complex terms you will start to come across, they are important for scientists to communicate precisely what they mean, and as your A Level course progresses you will become more comfortable and confident with using them.

Detail You must be prepared to go into a topic or subtopic in much more detail than at GCSE. This sometimes means using specific examples of what you know in general (e.g. named examples of types of body tissues). It might involve describing something in much more detail than before (e.g. exactly how your heart beats and how this is controlled). Another good example is mitosis – if you can’t remember what it is, have a quick look at your GCSE notes! For A Level Biology you need to name and explain what happens in each stage of mitosis and show an understanding of why these things happen. This brings us on to …

Thinking and explaining

As well as going into more detail and giving examples wherever you can, you need to justify your statements and apply your knowledge and skills to unfamiliar examples. Justifying what you are saying in A Level Biology often involves relating structure to function, i.e. explaining why something looks the way it does or why a particular structure allows it to function. For example, knowing the detailed structure of the cell membrane allows you to explain its many functions. Now you can apply this knowledge to discuss how an unfamiliar medical drug might work by changing the structure of the membrane.

There are also some terms or ideas that you shouldn’t use at A Level. You will come across these as the course progresses but one example is the fair test – at A Level you would instead talk about controlling variables and making reliable, repeatable

measurements.

Using a different approach at A Level

Compared with your A Level course, the GCSE course in school was less detailed and your progress was more structured. At A Level you need to structure your own personal study. You need to organise yourself and do it in advance as much as possible. Everything from paper, pens, folders and a hole punch to textbooks and specifications (we’ll come back to this). And finally, construct a time planner (daily, weekly and termly). At A Level you are likely to cover more than one biology topic in the same week so you will have notes, handouts, homework, practicals and suggested reading for each topic. This will be the same for each subject, such as Chemistry, Physics, etc. that you are studying! But remember, we are all different and the way you work should suit you and may be different from how other students work.

When can you work?

Plan your time. Start by using the structure of your course. For example, look carefully at when your Biology classes are scheduled and plan appropriate times that will fit in with studying the topics and with homework deadlines. Too often, students come to classes having not looked at a topic since the previous week. Try to plan a short session to look over work before the next lesson. Homework is designed to help with this but you still need to plan when it will get done. It’s also a good idea to read/study a topic before going into a class; use your textbook – it’s there to help you! If you develop this habit and it suits you, you will find the topic being discussed in the lesson makes much more sense.

Before starting your course, decide where and when you work best. Let family and friends know. Stick to these times so they become regular and form a habit. This is much easier than chopping and changing and it also allows you to stick to your rest and relaxation times too. Are you a morning or an evening person? It is well known that people differ in this regard, so if you don’t know, try working at different times. Whichever you find is best – stick to it! If you find working in the morning or the evening doesn’t make much difference then you may be the type who can concentrate at a variety of times.

Make up a weekly planner so that you have blocks of time for each subject. For each subject you should plan at least as long as the class time allocated (5 or 6 hours per week). Note clearly when you are studying Biology and stick to it; use that time to meet homework deadlines. If you find you have some time left over, use it to sort out your personal study notes, revise the week’s topics or read ahead. The extra time spent regularly improving your understanding is what helps obtain the grades. Students who succeed in their A Level courses will be those who develop a routine-way of working in their own time so that they are able to

add to and enhance their learning. This is independent learning and it makes a real difference.

How do you work throughout the course?

Don’t just slog! By just putting in the hours (in class or at home) but not being efficient or not testing yourself you may literally waste that time. Reading through or rewriting notes is a start but you also need to process your study. Now is a good time to look back at how you worked and revised for GCSE. Make a note of what worked and where it went wrong – remember, everyone is different, and you should find out what suits you, develop a routine and stick to it.

Processing your work is very important. It means engaging with the concepts and facts and reorganising them somehow, not just reading a book and hoping it goes in. How do you process information? There are many ways of doing this – some of which will suit you while others won’t – here are some suggestions.

(a) Bullet points and practice questions Instead of rewriting notes word for word (tedious!), you could write out revision bullet points, preferably from memory. You could also answer questions such as those found in the textbook as well as the resources on Kerboodle. (b) Working with others Another good way to process information is to explain it to others – teachers will tell you that they only really understood some things when they had to teach them for the first time! If you can find a friend who will partner you regularly, you can explain topics to each other. This will be a great way of processing and understanding the work – and be a bit more fun too (beware of distracting each other though!). (c) Use manageable chunks It is easy to feel overwhelmed by a whole unit, module or topic but if you approach it week by week in smaller chunks, it will feel manageable. But you have to be organised and work regularly to keep up with the constant flow of new material.

How do you remember facts?

There are many more facts, terms and definitions in A Level Biology compared with GCSE. Many of these will be unfamiliar, and feature more complex terminology. However, some are more important than others and there are ways of dealing with them.

(a) Multicoloured highlighting A good starting point is the specification itself. Here, the key terms are picked out for you and you will find similar key terms and definitions highlighted in your textbook. Highlighting in your notes or making your own glossary (look at the one in your textbook) are good ways of making key facts memorable and familiar. (b) Study skills Once again, memorising is an individual skill; everyone is different in how they learn. However, certain things are known about how we learn. These can be found in study skills books (there are some available in the Library). (c) Reminder notes and concept mapping We have mentioned that explaining to others is a good way of learning, but for more personal study you need to consider things such as note writing and memory techniques as well as revision, self-testing and practising exams. Visual memory is far better than verbal memory – it uses a different part of your brain and is more efficient. So make your study and revision notes as visual as possible. Use your own drawings, flow charts and diagrams. Some people also like to use concept maps or spider diagrams, especially for revision. If you have never done one of these, have a go.

Useful websites

(a) http://www.s-cool.co.uk (b) Full access to the New Scientist website is available through Your Online Resources in the Student Portal.

It is useful, in biology especially, to use a search facility such as Google for pictures (e.g. micrographs of cell structures) and diagrams (e.g. blood vessel structure). However, a warning about using websites – plagiarism/copying is not allowed!

Action plan

What I need to do to make sure I am ready for my A Level Studies

What do I already know?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?

What do I need to do before my course starts?

Stretch yourself – study skills

We suggested ways of ensuring that your study time is as effective as possible. Here we will be considering ways to go beyond just doing enough. In order to reach your full potential, your studying needs to be well directed and focused on achieving good quality answers in your examinations. Questions with sample student answers and examiner annotations are included in the online Kerboodle package which you will have access too. Don’t expect to be able to write such answers straight away! However, with practice and some concentrated study your answering technique should improve.

Improving study skills

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter you need to refer to your textbook. Your teacher will probably tell you which topic is coming next – so try to read about that topic before the lesson. Then during the actual lesson you should be able to listen more attentively, make clear notes, contribute to discussion and ask any relevant questions.

Having made use of one excellent resource and reread the topic in your textbook, what about other resources? Your textbook, good as it is, is limited by space and the need to keep to the specification. There are many other potential resources available to you, including:

Websites

S-cool – Free revision resources Specialised textbooks – the biology department has provided a

suggested reading list. Journals such as Biological Science Review (available in the Library) and

New Scientist (available online through Your Online Resources). Your teacher – teachers usually have a deep interest and enthusiasm for

their subject and have spent many years studying it, so please make use of their expertise.

Examiners’ reports on previous examinations – these are available on the AQA website and can be very useful. They list which topics candidates usually have trouble with and note typical errors made each year. There are also multiple choice quizzes and sample student answers available in Kerboodle.

Stretch yourself

Another way to improve your study skills is to practise examination questions. Try to practise questions from AQA examination papers only – other examination boards do not always have the same content or emphasis within a topic as AQA. Sample question papers are available on the AQA website (see above). There are also sample questions following each module in your textbook.

Making effective use of examination questions

You could simply write answers to these questions by using your notes or from memory. Although both these techniques are fine, there are other, perhaps better, ways to make use of the sample questions.

Read the question and underline the command word; highlight words in bold.

Write an answer and ask a friend to mark it – mark their work at the same time.

Work in a small group (three or four students) to discuss ideas for the answer.

Draw a spider diagram or mind map linking all aspects of the topic. Try to extend the question by writing further subsections. Write your own question on the same topic and ask a friend to answer

it.

Using the mark scheme

You will find sample mark schemes on the AQA website as well as mark schemes for previous examinations. Try not to look at the mark scheme until after you have attempted the question. These mark schemes are designed for the examiners to use while marking your examinations. When you have written an answer refer to the mark scheme to mark your work. Remember to mark your work not the mark scheme! It is all too easy to read the mark scheme and tick points thinking, “Yes, I said that”, or, “Yes, that is what I meant”. Be careful to read your answer thoroughly and check that you really have made the same point as appears in the mark scheme. Examiner’s reports are also available. These offer insight into common mistakes students made that caused them to drop marks.

Stretch yourself – exam skills

Good exam technique is essential. A Level exams are less forgiving than GCSE ones and you need to approach them appropriately. Here are some pointers to help you.

Reading the question

Some candidates read the question too quickly. They see the topic and start to write all they know about it. This is poor technique. Better candidates read the question at least twice. They will look for the important words that tell them what the examiner wants them to do. These are called command words (see below). A good candidate will check the command word and consider carefully what is being asked. Does the examiner really want to know about the structure of the heart when the question actually says, “Explain why the mammalian heart has four chambers but a fish heart has only two chambers”? In this case the examiner wants to know about single and double circulation systems rather than detailed heart structure.

Remember that the number of marks allocated and the number of lines set aside for the answer are important clues about the level of detail required in your response. If three marks are allocated, ensure that you write down at least three main points.

It is a good idea to keep your examination paper open so that you can see the whole double-page spread. This is because each question is written over a double-page spread and there may be information on one side that you need to refer to while answering later parts of the question. If the paper is folded over you may miss some vital information given in the question.

Finally, read on until you see the statement “End of Examination Paper”. Sometimes pages are left blank to ensure that subsequent questions are on a double page. This can mean that you may miss the final question or questions if you think you have already finished the paper.

Answering the question

When writing answers you must be able to express yourself clearly and concisely. This is particularly true when writing longer responses. Just stop and think before writing your answer. Plan your answer and write a few notes. Select the relevant points and decide on the best sequence in which to write the key points. Only then start to write your answer.

Read your response through after you have written it. In the rush and pressure of an examination it is all too easy to write sentences that are missing words or are incomplete. Make sure that what is written down is exactly what you wanted to write!

Don’t forget that some types of question require you to make links. For instance, if asked to describe how the lungs are well adapted as a surface for gaseous exchange, you will be expected to note each structural feature and explain how it benefits the exchange of gases. If you describe all the features in one go and then try to link them to gaseous exchange, it will be more difficult to make any clear links between the features and their specific benefits. You could answer this type of question very well in table form, by writing the structural feature in one column and the corresponding benefit in a second column.

To help you make links and describe things concisely you could try:

using flashcards to pair up the structure with the benefit or to make other sets of pairs – this could be done with a friend or even in a group

mixing the flashcards together and then sorting them into topic groups using the flashcards in each group to create a mind map for the topic picking cards that could be in more than one topic group and discussing

with friends which topic groups they could be added to modifying the flashcards by adding brief text descriptions or diagrams planning answers to longer questions by writing a few bullet-pointed

notes

Stretch yourself - command words

The list below includes the command words used most often in examinations. The command words that are in italics ask you to use higher skills. This means you are expected to process your knowledge rather than simply recall it. You may need to select certain information or apply your knowledge and understanding to give a detailed account.

Compare – identify similarities. This can be done using a table Contrast – identify differences. This can also be done using a table

Define – specify meaning of the word or term. Describe – provide a detailed account (using diagrams/data from figures or tables

where appropriate). The depth of the answer should be judged from the marks for the question.

Explain – set out reasons or purposes using biological background. The depth of

treatment should be judged from the marks allocated for the question

Identify – name or otherwise characterise

List – provide a number of points with no elaboration. If you are asked for two

points, then give only two! Name – give the name of Plot – mark points between a pair of axes Record – note down Sketch – produce a simple, freehand drawing. A single, clear sharp line should be

used. In the context of a graph, the general shape of the curve would be sufficient.

State – a concise answer is expected with no supporting argument. Analyse – separate information into components and identify their characteristics

Calculate – generate a numerical answer, with working shown

Comment – this is an open-ended instruction inviting you to recall or infer points of interest relevant to the context of the question

Deduce – draw conclusions from information provided

Determine – the quantity cannot be measured directly but can be obtained by calculation. A value can be obtained be following a specific procedure or substitute values into a formula.

Discuss – give a detailed account that addresses a range of ideas and arguments. Explain – set out purposes or reasons Illustrate – present clarifying examples Interpret – translate information into recognisable form Outline – restrict the answer to essential detail only Predict – suggest possible outcome(s) Review – survey information Suggest – apply your biological knowledge and understanding to a situation

which you may not have covered in the specification. Summarise – present principal points without detail

Stretch yourself - practice questions

Here are some questions for you to try. Think carefully about the command words and the basic skills required. 1 Outline the way in which the immune system provides long-term immunity to a

disease such as TB. 2 Explain how the Bohr effect causes the release of extra oxygen from

haemoglobin. 3 Review the evidence for evolution. 4 Suggest how the Malaysian Tapir (an endangered species of mammal) could be

conserved. 5 Comment on the following statement and illustrate your answer with clear

examples. “Global warming will lead to a whole new range of diseases affecting the UK.”

A Suggested Reading List for A Level Biologists

Magazines, Newspapers and Journals Biological Sciences Review (available in the Library) New Scientist (available through Your Online Resources in the Student Portal) Scientific American Nature Science British Medical Journal Any scientific articles in newspapers (e.g. the Guardian on Wednesday) Your Online Resources (access via the Student Portal) New Scientist – provides you with the ability to search their entire website along with their magazine archive going back to 1989. Issues Online – contains up-to-date information and statistics on the latest issues affecting biology including diseases, biotechnology and GM, cloning and stem cells, endangered and extinct species and fertility and reproduction. Websites

https://www.sciencedaily.com/ - An award-winning science news website http://www.ibiblio.org/virtualcell/index.htm – An interactive cell biology site http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/GG – A website showing illustrations of

many processes of biotechnology http://www.uq.oz.au/nanoworld – Visit the world of electron-microscopy http://www.dnai.org/a/index.html – Explore the genetic code http://nobelprize.org – Details of the history of the best scientific discoveries http://nature.com – The site of the scientific journal http://royalsociety.org – Podcasts, news and interviews with scientists about recent

scientific developments http://www.nhm.ac.uk – The London Natural History Museum’s website with lots of

interesting educational material http://www.bmj.com – The website of the British Medical Journal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science_and_environment - The BBC news page for

Science and the Environment

Books Research these on Amazon and select a few to read:

Richard Dawkins: The Selfish Gene (available in the Library) The Blind Watchmaker (available in the Library) Unweaving the Rainbow Climbing Mount Improbable The Ancestor’s Tale

The Greatest Show on Earth The Magic of Reality (available in the Library)

Steve Jones: Y: The Descent of Men In the Blood: God, Genes and Destiny (available in the Library) Almost Like a Whale: The 'Origin of Species' Updated The Language of the Genes

Matt Ridley Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature The Language of Genes Francis Crick: Discoverer of the Genetic Code Nature Via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human

James Watson: DNA: The Secret of Life The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA (available in the Library)

Lewis Thomas: The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher. The Medusa and the Snail: More Notes of a Biology Watcher

Barry Gibb: The Rough Guide to the Brain (Rough Guides Reference Titles)

Charles Darwin: The Origin of the Species (illustrated edition available in the Library)

Armand Marie Leroi: Mutants: On the Form, Varieties and Errors of the Human Body

David S. Goodsell: The Machinery of Life

Ernst Mayr: This Is Biology: The Science of the Living World

George C. Williams: Plan and Purpose in Nature

Steve Pinker: The Language Instinct (available in the Library)

Edward O Wilson: The Diversity of Life (available in the Library_

Primo Levi: The Periodic Table

Richard Leaky: The Origin of Humankind

Bill Bryson: A Short History of Nearly Everything (available in the Library)