English National Curriculum - Science
Mission Objectives
Define trophic levels and identify them in food chains, food webs and pyramids of biomass
Define biomass and describe how it can be measured
Explain why not all biomass is passed from one trophic level to the next
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Words and meanings to learn
decomposers
organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down dead plant and animal matter, releasing nutrients back into the environment and recycling them through the ecosystem
apex predator
a predator at the top of a food chain that has no natural predators and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem
energy transfer
the movement of energy through the trophic levels of a food chain or food web
trophic level
the hierarchical positions in a food chain, representing the flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another
pyramid of numbers
The pyramid of numbers is a graphical representation showing the number of individual organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
Samantha is an accomplished science educator whose current work centres on curriculum design and professional development, supporting teachers to deliver high-quality science education through evidence-informed approaches. She is a former Head of Chemistry and Sixth Form Tutor with extensive Key Stage 4 and 5 experience, and has worked as an AQA examiner, giving her valuable insight into assessment standards and what students need to succeed.
Samantha has written the complete KS4 Science curriculum, fully aligned with the AQA GCSE Science: Trilogy specification. Covering biology, chemistry and physics, the curriculum is carefully sequenced so that students build knowledge cumulatively and see clear connections between concepts across the three sciences. Drawing on her experience as an examiner and on research into effective teaching, she has designed it to embed retrieval practice, clear explanation, worked examples and the required practicals throughout, preparing students for the demands of the GCSE exams. Grounded in the realities of the classroom, the curriculum is rigorous for students and manageable for busy teachers.
In her spare time, Samantha enjoys playing the accordion with her local orchestra and has recently taken up cricket.
Handouts: 10 minutes on biomass and trophic levels.
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