1. Lesson title: Energy Flows – Pyramids of Biomass
Class: 11a2 Date: 7th December Period:3 No. Pupils:16
Lesson Objectives (WALT):
 To explain how solar radiation is the source of all energy for living organisms and how
this is incorporated into biomass
Time Activity Content / Notes (key points, questions to ask, assessment of learning, safety)
Before Have all the equipment where needed.
entry
11.14 Starter 15 Recall a simple food chain and describe the terms used e.g. producer,
mins herbivore, carnivore. Define biomass. (use the ‘What am I?’ ppt on e-science)
11.29 Main Use the simulation ‘Pyramids of Biomass’ on e-science to show how food
activity 1 chains can be represented as pyramids of numbers and biomass. Go
mins through the issues with pyramid of number with reference to oak trees extra
and draw some in books.
Draw some unusual pyramids of numbers and get students to relate to a
food chain. E.g. lettuce, aphid, tit, hawk
Complete work sheet
11.54 Plenary Work through the pages from NEB
10 mins
Extra work
Risk Assessment Homework Vocabulary (key words)
Complete exam style
questions due in 14th
Differentiation
Links with previous lessons
Specification Links
Radiation from the Sun is the source of energy for most communities of living organisms. Green
plants capture a small part of the solar energy which reaches them. This energy is stored in the
substances which make up the cells of the plants.
The mass of living material (biomass) at each stage in a food chain is less than it was at the
previous stage. The biomass at each stage can be drawn to scale and shown as a pyramid of
biomass.
Equipment
New Edition Biology – if poor weather
Pyramids of numbers and biomass