Part 1 Checkpoint

9 Teacher notes

Aim
The aim of the revision activity is to provide support for students who need to progress from Know
to Apply for the AQA syllabus mastery goals.
The aim of the extension activity is to provide extension for students who have already achieved
Apply. The activity is also suitable for higher ability or older students in need of further extension
work.

Revision activity notes

It is recommended that students achieving less than 50% complete the revision activity.
There are five tasks that cover the Know and Apply statements in Big Idea 9. Students may not
need to complete every task.
Task 1 Students use a food web to answer questions that are designed to test the key words
linked to food chains and food webs.
In question 3, students add extra food chains to the web. Some students may need help with this
applied task by talking through the web in advance.
Task 2 Students use a diagram of a flower to complete a table to identify the parts of the flower
and choose the functions of each part from a list provided. More able students may be able to
complete the table without the list of functions.
Task 3 Students define pollination and complete a table to compare wind- and insect-pollinated
flower structure. You may wish to remove all descriptions from the table to make it more
challenging.
Task 4 Students have to put a series of sentences into the correct order to describe the stages of
reproduction in the flowering plant.
Task 5 Students read descriptions of seeds and choose the most likely method of seed dispersal.
They then explain why seed dispersal is important to the survival of the parent plant and its
offspring. A hint is given to guide the writing.

Revision activity answers

Task 1
1 a earthworm, snail, rabbit
b thrush, rabbit
c thrush, buzzard, snake
d thrush, rabbit
e grass
2 a more, less, more
b population, competition, nutrition, pollution, bioaccumulation
3 clover written at base; line to rabbit; line from rabbit to fox (new); link clover to snail; line from
snail to blackbird (new); line from blackbird to snake

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This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
 Part 1 Checkpoint
9 Teacher notes

Task 2
Letter Name of part Function of the part
petal attracts insects
A

stigma receives grains of pollen

B

anther produces pollen

C

ovary contains ovules

D

ovule female sex cell

E

Task 3
1 Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma.
2
Part of flower Wind pollination Insect pollination
pollen large number of small, light larger grains, fewer grains,
grains sticky
anther loosely attached and dangle held firmly inside the flower
outside flower
petal small, dull brown or green brightly coloured, large, may
have perfume
stigma hangs outside petals to sticky
catch pollen
nectar no nectar large amount of sweet nectar

Task 4
C, E, B, F, D, A, G:
“A pollen grain lands on a stigma during pollination. A pollen tube grows down the style. The
male nucleus moves down the pollen tube. The male nucleus joins with the female nucleus in
fertilisation. The ovules develop into seeds inside the ovary which forms the fruit. The seeds
are dispersed. The seeds start to grow in the process of germination.”

Task 5
1 wind, animal, water, explosive, animal
2 If seeds disperse away from parent plant (and other offspring) then there will be less
competition for space, light, (soil) nutrients, and water. Therefore, the offspring are more likely
to survive and reproduce.

© Oxford University Press 2016 http://www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
 Part 1 Checkpoint
9 Teacher notes

Extension activity overview

Redonda Island at risk of extinction
Students are given information about Redonda Island, which has lost most of its wildlife due to a
large number of goats and omnivorous black rats. Conservationists are removing the goats and
killing the rats to restore the natural habitat. The tasks involve production of a food web by
extracting the relevant information; writing a letter applying the information to a new situation;
explaining bioaccumulation; and suggesting how seeds are dispersed between islands.
Students could work in pairs or individually. They will need plain paper for the food webs and
writing paper for the other tasks. Building the food web is likely to take the most time. They could
be encouraged to go through the bullet points and pick out which animals are herbivores and which
are carnivores. The rats eat everything. Students working in pairs could divide the written tasks
between them after discussing the answers. Once they have worked out the food web they could
produce a poster.

Extension activity answers or marking guidance

Task 1
rats

seabirds

goats

fish
lizards

insects

(island) plants (phyto)plankton

Task 2
The letter should include the dangers of overgrazing by increasing numbers of goats and the
possibility that eventually the population will be too big for the food available.
Task 3
The answer should explain how toxic substances can accumulate in a food chain using the
relationships in their food webs.
Task 4
Birds and bats might eat seeds on other islands and carry them over and drop them in faeces. Or
they might carry them on feathers/fur. Students should realise that birds and bats can do this
because they can fly between islands.
Task 5
An extra activity based on a future food web is given for those who finish early. The food web is
likely to be similar to the first one but omitting the goats and rats.
© Oxford University Press 2016 http://www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.