Year 7 - What Equipment Do We Use in Science?

Introduce Year 7 to lab equipment with this complete lesson pack: PowerPoint, equipment matching worksheet, results table, and station task sheets.

This resource is designed for the second lesson of the WJEC/KS3 Year 7 topic “I’m a Scientist” but can be adapted for any KS3 science class. It introduces students to a range of essential laboratory equipment and helps them learn how to measure safely and accurately through a hands-on “measuring carousel.”

Lesson Content Covers:

Identifying common lab equipment and their uses.

Measuring liquid volume, length, mass, and temperature.

Using displacement to measure irregular object volume.

Safe handling of a Bunsen burner.

Recording results clearly and using correct scientific units.

What’s Included:

PowerPoint presentation (.pptx) – structured lesson with starter, instructions for each station, safety reminders, plenary, and homework.

Equipment Matching Worksheet (.pdf) – starter activity to match lab equipment to its correct use.

Results Table Worksheet (.pdf) – structured table for students to record their measurements at each station.

Station Instruction Sheets (.pdf) – step-by-step instructions for each of the 6 measuring circus tasks, ideal for printing and placing at each station.

How it can be used:

As a full 60-minute practical lesson introducing Year 7 to science equipment.

As a stand-alone measuring circus activity in KS3 or even KS4 recap lessons.

To reinforce safe use of laboratory equipment before more advanced experiments.

Can be adapted for cover lessons or simplified for lower ability groups.

Teacher Notes:

Suggested timings: Starter (5–10 min), Carousel Activity (35–40 min), Plenary (5–10 min).

Differentiation: Provide word banks/simplified instructions for lower ability, challenge higher ability with units conversions or accuracy questions.

Homework: Write a short paragraph about one piece of science equipment, describing what it looks like, what it is used for, and one safety tip.

Keywords: Year 7 Science, KS3 Science, WJEC, science equipment, measuring circus, lab safety, Bunsen burner, hazard symbols, measuring length, measuring mass, measuring volume, measuring temperature, introduction to science, PowerPoint, worksheets, PDF resources.

File Types: .pptx (PowerPoint), .pdf (worksheets and station sheets).