Bioaccumulation
I can describe how toxic materials can accumulate and affect organisms in a food chain.
Bioaccumulation
I can describe how toxic materials can accumulate and affect organisms in a food chain.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Some toxic substances are persistent (they stay in the environment and do not break down).
- If consumed, persistent toxic substances can be passed up the food chain.
- The bioaccumulation of toxic substances can cause damage to organisms, particularly top predators.
- The use of pesticides in farming can cause bioaccumulation.
Keywords
Toxic - A toxic substance is one which is poisonous to organisms.
Bioaccumulation - An increase in the concentration of a chemical within an organism is called bioaccumulation.
Pesticide - Pesticides are chemicals that are used to control pests (organisms that compete with humans for food supplies).
Common misconception
Pupils do often not understand that pesticides can build up within a food chain.
The lesson covers examples of how pesticides can be absorbed into producers and passed along food chains as organisms eat food.
To help you plan your year 7 science lesson on: Bioaccumulation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 7 science lesson on: Bioaccumulation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Ecosystems unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a chemical which kills organisms that might eat or damage a crop
a chemical which kills plants. They are sometimes called weedkillers
a chemical which kills insects
a chemical which kills moulds
