This is one of our "Skills for Science" which supports 11-16 year olds with the development of softer skills of How Science Works. They are all focused around practical tasks and then focus on a area, such as planning experiments, experimental safety, data collection and mathematical analysis and evaluation. They are ideal for the new GCSE Science specifications in the UK and more general aspects of wider science education in the USA. All are high quality and well supported with images and relevant contexts.

A series of 2 or 3 lessons that address separation techniques: filtration and paper chromatography. The filtration uses a mixture of sand, iron filings and water and for chromatography you need filter paper chromatography strip and a suitable colors of felt tip or highlighters. There are frames provided for students to record their learning on and a second copy for teachers to complete for peer-assessment. The lesson is ideal for learners between 8-14 years of age in science or classroom settings. Please also complete your own risk assessment, specifically around the solvent for chromatography: in my practical I used ethanol as it dissolves pigments in pens. Alternatively, you could try water for water-soluble pens and inks, if necessary. All images are obtained using creative commons licence or my own images.

This resource captures all the key knowledge for learners between 11 - 16 years of age. There are charts for students to complete and charts for teachers to complete for peer-assessment. There are plenty of links to further research and a range of contextual exercises for students. All images used were from creative commons

A great lesson for L4 - L7 or GCSE students in mathematics of science. The practical component can be done outside of a lab as well, as long as water is available. The focus is to explore types of independent variables and link them to appropriate graphing techniques. There are lots of opportunities to take the lesson in your own bespoke direction and I will shortly add a few more resources. If you are a mathematician then seek a scientist to get you started on this great cross-curricular opportunity! Of course any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. You can follow me @boostprogress

Sharing a couple of lesson resources on these topics, using earth and moon comparisons and then moving onto pressure calculations, with a good maths exercise thrown in for good measure. Finally a nice literacy task describing how people survive high and low pressure environments. As always the basic resource for lesson content and practical approaches. Please leave comments and feedback and follow @boostprogress and @CE4ET.

A practical lesson based around different plasticine shapes sinking through a cylinder of water. A warm up activity with the winter olympics, practical components and even the opportunity to develop graphing skills or extend the investigation at the end. Students are also supported to identify and change types of independent variable. As always leave feedback and follow @boostprogress or @CE4ET.

A warm up activity with the winter olympics, practical components and even the opportunity to develop graphing skills or extend the investigation at the end. Students are also supported to identify and change types of independent variable. As always leave feedback and follow @boostprogress or @CE4ET.

A fantastic activity for maths or science focused around making simple paper helicopters and collecting data on how quickly they fall. This lesson was observed by OFSTED on the last lesson of a two day inspection with a lower-ability math group and achieved a 2 judgement. You can extend the activity to add stretch and challenge. Still suitable for L4 - L6 applications or a fun method of GCSE teaching or revision. As always follow on @Boostprogress and leave feedback.

I came up with this lesson to teach solids, liquids and gases in a contextual way by using a chicken's egg as a practical focus. Give the pupils an egg and find the solids, liquids and gases, where and why are they present and link to some high brow science with the explanations and links to particle theory. This lesson covers L4 to L6, and can be changed to go beyond. Basic lesson attached as usual and please suggest improvements or additions. Follow me on twitter @boostprogress

A fun approach to collecting data using simple paper helicopters and cutting propellors to different lengths. Students are introduced to accurate measurement and there are options for pooling class results and investigating reliability. Then progress to graphing data using scatter graphs and possibly constructing a coversion graph relating the two variables. Ideal for the L5+ student and the disengaged mathematician or scientist! As always the activities are an outline for you to enrich. Please leave comments and feedback to further improve this resource.

L5+ and Includes a nice practical that can be done outside of a laboratory. Students make a simple lava lamp from dyed water and oli. Supported by great video resource from BBC Christmas lectures and for progression links to SOLO taxonomy and Literacy Steps (STEM Centre). There is a great picture starter! Seeing it is believing!!! Please feedback and reviews of how this lesson went as I am trying it out for my own QA!! Comments or emails would be greatly appreciate don this one.