These free teaching resources and biology practical investigation ideas are referred to within the OCR AS Biology specification.

Many other practical investigations and resources to support your teaching are available throughout the SAPS website. Please go to Secondary Resources for a filterable index of other resources available.

F211

Water potential on plant tissue

• Practical - Measuring the water potential of a potato cell, including the Chardakov method

Root tip squash

• Practical - Investigating mitosis in allium root tip squash

Using a microscope to annotate mitosis

• Practical - Investigating mitosis in allium root tip squash

Using a potometer to compare xerophytes and non-xerophytes

• Practical - Comparison of transpiration rates

Using a potometer to compare environmental factors on water uptake

• Practical - Comparison of transpiration rates

Investigating stomata

• Video clip - Leaf structure, stomata and carbon dioxide

F212

Ecological data collection, presentation and evaluation

• Ecology Exercise 1 - Measuring abundance and random sampling

• Ecology Exercise 2 - The distribution of species across a footpath

Selective breeding and genetics

• Video clip - Norman Borlaug and selective breeding of wheat 

• Video clip - Muriel Weldale and complex gene interactions 

• Video clip - William Bateson and patterns of inheritance

• Video clip - The discovery of gene switches in maize

Extended Project Qualification

We have a large number of resources, including ideas for practical investigations, for the extended project qualification in the student section of the website.

Planning an investigation or extended project

Project and practical investigation ideas