KS3 Leaf Cross-Section Virtual Microscope Lab

KS3 and GCSE Science Virtual Labs – Growing Bundle

Explore 16 interactive KS3 biology and chemistry virtual labs with printable worksheets and mark schemes in one growing science bundle. Pupils dissect a stargazer lily, count stomata under a virtual microscope, separate the dyes in ink and use bubbling in test tubes to rank metals by reactivity. Each practical gives pupils something to observe, record and explain. Project a lab for the whole class while pupils work on paper, or let them repeat the investigation independently for revision. **Biology – 5 virtual labs** - **Desert plant adaptations.** Compare a saguaro cactus, an aloe and a violet. Use visible features to explain how plants collect and store water. - **Flower dissection.** Dissect a stargazer lily, examine pollen and open the ovary to find the ovules. - **Leaf cross-section.** Prepare a wet mount, focus the microscope and identify the tissues that help a leaf absorb light and exchange gases. - **Seed dispersal and germination.** Test four dispersal methods, then investigate how water, oxygen and temperature affect germination. - **Stomata and guard cells.** Make impressions of both leaf surfaces, count pores in six microscope fields and compare the mean counts. **Chemistry – 6 virtual labs** - **Dissolving.** Test sugar, salt and sand in water. Use balance readings and particle models to explain where dissolved sugar goes. - **Filtration.** Fold filter paper, separate sand from water and identify the residue and filtrate. - **Evaporation and crystallisation.** Heat a salt solution and compare the crystals that form on warm and frozen slides. - **Simple distillation.** Follow an ethanol and water mixture through boiling and condensation, then measure the distillate collected. - **Paper chromatography.** Separate three inks and use the pattern of spots to identify which contain more than one dye. - **Metal reactivity.** Compare magnesium, zinc, iron and copper in cold water and dilute hydrochloric acid. Test for hydrogen and use observations to build a reactivity series. **Where it fits in your scheme of work** Use the bundle alongside **White Rose Science** for Year 7 separation techniques and Year 8 plants and metal reactivity. For **Exploring Science**, including **Exploring Science International**, and **AQA Activate**, select individual labs when teaching mixtures and separation, reactions of metals, plant reproduction, leaf structure or adaptations. The printable worksheets give pupils a written record of their practical work, and the mark schemes support teacher marking or pupil self-assessment. The growing bundle currently contains all 11 labs listed above.