Starting points for secondary science planning

Prepare for the autumn term with these hand-picked schemes of work and introductory lesson ideas

While the idea of working during the holidays is a little depressing, the thought of being unprepared at the start of the new academic year is enough to give you the shivers... Even if you are lucky enough to be sunning yourself on the beach!

So why not ease the usual start-of-year mania with this collection of top display packs and planning resources for biology, chemistry and physics? 

Whether you’re looking for complete schemes of work or ways to update your own tried-and-tested plans, these picks are guaranteed to help you to kick-start your preparations and provide some back-to-school inspiration.

General display packs

• Superhero science
  Get pupils thinking about the science behind their favourite superheroes with this unique display pack, complete with hand-drawn illustrations.
• Scientific disciplines
  Explore the range of disciplines that make up the world of science beyond biology, chemistry and physics with these well-designed posters.
• Extension activity display (£5)
  Ideal for any science classroom, these colourful cards include a variety of activities to encourage learners to apply their learning in different contexts.

Biology resources

• Cells unit of work (£5)
  This comprehensive unit comes complete with detailed plans, presentations and practical activities to support the teaching of cells at KS3.
• Lungs and respiration lessons
  Introduce the topic of respiration with these visual lesson resources, covering the gross structure of the lungs and relevant equations.
• Photosynthesis at A-level
  Build on existing learning about photosynthesis with these engaging presentations, including background information and an overview of key biochemical reactions.

Chemistry resources

• Chemical reactions booklet
  Help younger students to understand the basics of simple chemical reactions, as well as how to format an investigation, using this well-structured workbook.
• Atomic structure lesson pack
  Enable GCSE learners to get to grips with atomic structure with this thorough lesson plan, including a word bank and homework activity.
• Energy unit (£9)
  Using a mastery learning approach, this extensive presentation, which comes with teaching notes, takes an in-depth look at energy changes and calculations.

Physics resources

• KS3 forces unit
  Teach the concepts of forces and their effects using this collection of illustrated presentations, which takes a step-by-step approach to the topic.
• GCSE electricity bundle (£8)
  This complete collection of theory and practical lessons covers the key learning points in the study of electricity at KS4.
• Measurements and errors unit
  Including practice worksheets, this six-lesson unit outlines the basics of scientific measurement and their errors across all A-level exam boards.

For even more inspiration, check out these KS3, KS4 and post-16 teacher guides, packed full of experiments and activity ideas from The Wellcome Trust.
 

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