There are four great lesson ideas in the programme presented by teachers from across the country. Year 2 teacher Jess Scott explains how to teach about pushes and pulls by inspiring her class to model a Big Bad Wolf. They are set to work in pairs, one describing which forces they are using as the other models. Is a pinch a push or a pull? Jess shares her tips for recording results and assessing. Deputy Tony Davies explains an intriguing way to introduce friction: the ‘jelly chopsticks’ race with added cooking oil! Year 5 teacher Kate Mottram sets her class the challenge of investigating which track will be best for their rocket balloons to fly down. She explains how this is a great way to teach about forces, friction and fair testing. The programme ends with a cracking idea from David Aston using paper helicopters. Each of the ideas includes an online lesson plan and lots of resources for viewers.

THIS PROGRAMME AND THE ASSOCIATED CLIPS CONTAIN A LUNG DISSECTION AND SHOULD BE WATCHED FOR SUITABILITY BEFORE SHOWING TO STUDENTS As part of her research, Ceri meets asthmatic athlete Wayne Ashall, a 400 metre runner and hopeful for the 2012 Olympics. Wayne’s personal best is only seconds off the world record, but he’s hoping that Ceri’s work may be able to help him perform even better. Ceri and Wayne carry out a spirometry test, a common test to diagnose lung conditions and Ceri dissects a set of animal lungs to explain how the lungs work and the effects asthma has on the lungs. Medication plays a big part in enabling Wayne to compete, so Ceri takes Wayne through the different aspects of her research, which may lead to new treatments and possibly even a cure for asthma. There are curriculum materials fully integrated with the programme, plus additional CPD materials and bonus web clips.

Explore Antarctica in this video designed for KS1/2 geography and science lessons, looking at the area and how humans can live in such conditions. Describing where Antarctica is, what the climate is like and what it takes to live there, visiting teachers from England explain clothing, food they eat and how they travel around. Part of KS1/2 Antarctica series, the video relates to Unit 7 of the KS2 geography curriculum, and covers geographical enquiry and skills elements. It also links in with science Unit 4C: Keeping Warm, and Unit 3C(3): Choosing materials for a purpose. A group of British teachers embark on a four-week expedition to Antarctica and demonstrate how humans are able to live on the South Pole. Designed for use in KS1/2 geography and science lessons, the programme begins with an explanation of where Antarctica is, what the climate is like and what it takes to live there. The teachers then show what clothes people should wear in Antarctica, how they should travel and what food they should eat in order to survive such cold conditions. They also explore a science project that tests what effect the cold has on their bodies. .

There are over 100 elements in the universe, of which 81 are metals. In this Pupil Programme, Science teacher Subathra Subramaniam explores some of these, explains the usefulness of the Periodic Table and discovers why some elements are more reactive than others. At Portobello Market in London she learns why gold, silver and copper are ideal for making jewellery and what properties they have in common. Subathra then examines the alkali metals, which are the most reactive and are found in group 1 of the Periodic Table. She looks at their characteristics, reactions and uses. She also explores the halogens, a group of non-metals, found in group 7 of the Periodic Table, which display their own qualities and trends. Professor Holloway of Leicester University, an expert on fluorine, the most reactive of these non-metals, demonstrates just how nasty it can be. He shows how each of the halogens reacts with hydrogen, and we learn there’s a surprising number of good uses for halogens.

Year 5/6 teacher David Aston shows us how to encourage children to behave like scientists and separate materials by solving a mystery - just what are the ingredients of Alien Soup? His class uses sieves, filter paper and magnets to discover the answer. Meanwhile Sam Harvey demonstrates how, with simple ingredients from the kitchen cupboard, you can create a stunning irreversible change that leaves pupils open-mouthed. She also explains how this activity can be used to improve their prediction skills. The Snowman’s Coat is also an idea which involves children predicting. Will putting a coat on a snowman keep him colder? Or warm him up so he melts? Kate Widdowson’s Year 2 class test it out using ice cubes and socks. Year 5 teacher Lucy Blackmore rounds up with a DIY Lava Lamp idea using raisins and lemonade which encourages children to think like scientists when faced with an unexpected outcome.

Non-reversible changes result in the formation of new materials. These can be the result of the burning of materials or of chemical reactions. Fire! Fire! observes the Hindu festival of Dessehra, which uses fire to burn the wooden ten-headed King Ravan, producing explosions of fireworks, resulting in irreversible chemical changes. Changed For Ever goes into the lab to observe chemical changes, including time lapse of burning candles and the burning of magnesium. Magic Sand follows the amazing changes in properties which occur between the taking of the raw material sand and the production of finished glass at a glassworks. No Going Back observes two non-reversible chemical reactions in the lab. What's Cooking? goes to Chinatown to see chemical changes in the kitchen: heating, roasting and frying.

In KS1/2 Science, teacher, Adrienne Bullen, tackles the topic of the Earth in space, using activities as well as a night-time trip to an observatory. At Ponsbourne St Mary's Primary School, Hertfordshire, Adrienne’s Year 5/6s are recording changing playground shadows, investigating the apparent movement of the sun. Props as a physical representation of the orbits of the Earth, moon and sun, are also used. At the observatory, pupils meet astronomer, Bob Forrest, who shows them how telescopes can provide answers to some of their questions about space.

Teachers present four great lesson ideas which include glass bottle instruments, coat hangers and string, curtains for the Three Little Pigs and constructing periscopes.

Enthusiastic Science Co-ordinator, Katrine Shears, runs a half-day science investigation for a Year 6 group revising sound, in ‘KS1/2 Science’. Pupils devise their own investigations to find the most effective ways of muffling an alarm clock. Tips and hints for running and organising a successful investigation are offered, and looks at what to do when pupils don't get answers they might expect. With expert input from Hellen Ward of Canterbury Christ Church University, this film shows how much teachers and pupils learn from working with science investigations.

Physics lesson starters to be used on an interactive whiteboard. A collection of interactive whiteboard lesson starters aimed KS3/4 physics students showing the different effects of sound.

In ‘Primary Science’, four primary teachers plan an innovative way of engaging the children's interest in science, using a crime scene investigation, requiring Year 6 to behave like real forensic scientists. Jane Turner from The Science Learning Centre has run projects like this before and assists the teachers with planning. The group discuss how to choose a suitable crime, how best to set up an appropriate crime scene at the school and how to involve staff and the local police. The video concludes with a dramatisation of the 'crime' and the pupils’ initial reactions.

There are over 100 elements in the universe, of which 81 are metals. In this Pupil Programme, Science teacher Subathra Subramaniam explores some of these, explains the usefulness of the Periodic Table and discovers why some elements are more reactive than others. At Portobello Market in London she learns why gold, silver and copper are ideal for making jewellery and what properties they have in common. Subathra then examines the alkali metals, which are the most reactive and are found in group 1 of the Periodic Table. She looks at their characteristics, reactions and uses. She also explores the halogens, a group of non-metals, found in group 7 of the Periodic Table, which display their own qualities and trends. Professor Holloway of Leicester University, an expert on fluorine, the most reactive of these non-metals, demonstrates just how nasty it can be. He shows how each of the halogens reacts with hydrogen, and we learn there’s a surprising number of good uses for halogens.

Offering seven interactive whiteboard ‘Lesson Starters’ for primary science. Each clip introduces a different scientific topic through documentary or drama ranging from water and evaporation to the science of sounds. A year group is suggested for each clip ranging from Year 3 through to Year 6. The clips are listed below, along with their starting times within the programme: Year 6 00:27 - Water, water everywhere changing states Year 5 02:26 - The Bear: changing sounds Year 5 04:41 - Breaking the chain: habitats Year 4 06:54 - Cross-country: characteristics of materials Year 3 09:02 - The skid pan: friction Year 4 10:06 - Helpful or harmful? - micro-organisms Year 6 12:27 - The Archers: muscles and bones

Micro-organisms or, as we have called them, bugs, are also known as germs and bacteria and can be harmful or beneficial. In this programme we delve into the world of bugs. Bug Ballet shows microbes under a powerful microscope dancing across the screen. It's a Bug's Life shows, through animation and live action, the consequences of a child not washing his hands after using the toilet. Yoghurt Live! proves that not all bacteria are harmful. In fact, in yoghurt production, they are essential. Using animation, we investigate the microscopic science of making yoghurt. A Trip to the Dentist shows, through a microscope, just how many bacteria we have in our mouths and how brushing our teeth prevents decay. Where Does all the Poo Go? is a question answered by visiting a sewage works, showing what happens after we have flushed the toilet and how bacteria help clean the sewage.

An AST takes a cross curricular approach to topics Bath Bombs and Rockets Science AST Alison Tiltman is keen to work closely with other departments and encourage cross curricular learning. Combining science, design and technology, and maths, her Year 9 students take part in a challenge to imagine they’re running their own cosmetics companies and they must design, build, market and sell their own ‘Bath Bombs’. In D&T they vacuum-form the moulds and work on their packaging design, in science they get their hands on the chemicals necessary to make the bombs, while in maths they explore the financial side of their businesses. We also take a look at Alison’s rockets project which also has obvious potential in science, design and technology and maths.

Pupils at Garth Hill College are amazed to find out how quickly viruses can spread when they play a harmless but fun game of Aviflu with their classmates. Year 9 teacher Diane Wilson begins her lesson by getting her pupils to think about different types of viruses and then to come up with five questions to investigate avian flu. Each group looks at a different question, produces a poster and reports back to the class. Once finished Diane tells them that while they've been working she and Nigel Heslop, the creator of Aviflu, have aleady been playing the game on them without them knowing. Nigel explains that the game centres on simulating the transmission of the virus within the class using a harmless, invisible, fluorescent dye. A dusting of the dye is sprayed on the resources the pupils use which transfers to their hands, mimicking the way a virus can spread. Nigel outlines what's needed to play the game, how role-play makes it exciting and gives some tips on what works well.

This programme takes a look at some extreme chemical reactions and explores a number of exciting experiments that can be performed in the classroom. Starting with Group1 elements, Dr Kay Stephenson from the Royal Society of Chemistry shows the trends in reactivity on descending group 1. Bob Worley from CLEAPSS demonstrates the extreme reaction of rubidium and caesium in water and highlights the risk assessments required before attempting these experiments. They go on to demonstrate burning sodium in chlorine, burning calcium in air, reduction of copper oxide using magnesium powder, iron reacting with sulphur and sulphur with zinc. Professor Holloway from Leicester University, an expert on fluorine, demonstrates some rarely seen reactions, and continues to explore the decreasing reactivity of the halogens as we descend group 7. All the experiments demonstrated carry on-screen guidance and safety tips. With the exception of fluorine most of the experiments shown can be performed in school with appropriate safety precautions.

In Primary ICT, discover how Year 4 teacher, Helen Hardie, uses a range of ICT to enliven her weekly primary science investigation. Helen has incorporated a range of uses of ICT into her lessons. By using data loggers, digital video cameras and interactive slideware, she involves and engages her pupils from the outset. Her cup of tea is always getting cold before she has a chance to drink it. How can science help? Aiming to discover the best way to insulate a cup of tea, graphing software lets pupils make sense of the temperature readings they collect.

Aimed at Year 7 to 11 students, this brief experiment explains how sound reaches the human ear in stereo. This short clip features a simple demonstration of how we humans hear sounds in stereo. It is ideal for use as a lesson starter in KS3/4 science. A physicist has invented a device called a 'Confusaphone'. When worn, the Confusaphone mixes up the sound going into your left and right ears. He gets a volunteer to put on the Confusaphone, then plays a sound, and asks the volunteer to point to where the sound is coming from. The volunteer can't differentiate between sounds that come from left and right. However, he can differentiate between sounds made in front of him and behind. The questions posed for students to answer are: How is sound getting to the ears? Why are two ears better than one? See the accompanying teachers' notes for a full explanation of the science underpinning the demonstration, plus suggested extension activities.

In ‘Science Tube’, take a look at the properties of light. ’Day and Night’ shows, through time lapse and animation from space, the difference between day and night. ‘Cinema Trip’ looks at how light travels through some materials but not others. ’Inside an Eye’ observes an animal's eye being dissected, to find out how it works and ‘Trick of the Light’ looks at how the Victorians used mirrors and lenses to set up a camera obscura. ‘Seeing the Light’ goes into the lab to explain reflection and how light travels in a straight line, using mirrors, torches and lasers.

Award-winning teacher Ceri Evans inspires a group of talented Year 10 students from several London schools with an active lesson about DNA. Ceri, national winner of the 2006 Guardian award for teacher of the year in a secondary school, uses a variety of games and challenges to excite and entertain his audience of pupils.The lesson provides science teachers with some concrete and accessible ways to teach the topic of DNA - one of the most complicated and abstract ideas in science.