Over the last five years I have found the best way to stimulate learning is through engaging lessons. Lessons which apply scientific content to unusual, topical or popular scenarios.
I currently have a range of premium and free resources to look through. I will continue to upload these resources as and when I can.
Feel free to review, tweet or contact me regarding these resources or for ideas on current topics you are struggling to make engaging.
Over the last five years I have found the best way to stimulate learning is through engaging lessons. Lessons which apply scientific content to unusual, topical or popular scenarios.
I currently have a range of premium and free resources to look through. I will continue to upload these resources as and when I can.
Feel free to review, tweet or contact me regarding these resources or for ideas on current topics you are struggling to make engaging.
All resources were used for a 2hr GCSE taster session.
Taster 1:
Students are introduced to psychology through the discussion of gifs to form a definition.
Students are introduced to the course and complete a diamond 9 activity designed to get students discussing their justification for their thought processes.
Taster 2: students focus on how psychologists investigate topics using different theories. students investigate the research question “What causes evil behaviour?” After discussing how ‘evil’ could be operationalised (e.g. aggression, selfish acts that lead to harm, lack of empathy), students complete a rotation task in which they are introduced to a number of theories (including milgram, conditioning, social learning, and brain scanning). The off specification topics can be used to enthuse students regarding the new subject.
Students are introduced to the "horrific", yet incredibly improbable event of three lorries each containing sand, iron fillings and salt colliding. Their loads have been perfectly mixed and need separating...
Students will work in groups to decide on how they might use their allocated equipment to separate these substances. Using content from the "ocean-clean up lesson", and "sieving for gold" lesson students will extract the iron fillings with magnets, use filtration to remove the sand filtrate and evaporation to remove the salt from the water.
Two PowerPoint slideshows that can be used to run through the theory and evaluative points of two difficult concepts from the psychopathology unit.
Explanations of OCD
Therapies and treatment of OCD
Students are introduced to the gruesome actions of John Haigh the 'Acid Bath Murder of Crawley' through video clips and photographs. Students use their previous knowledge to discuss the dangers of certain types of acid.
Students challenge their misconceptions of strength and concentration by completing a series of simple experiments dissolving magnesium in different concentrations of the same acid.
Students consolidate their understanding through a series of levelled questions.
Although designed as a final lesson to a higher level KS3 class, this could also be used as a stand alone Gifted and Talented lesson at any point in the year.
Students plan and conduct their own conformity experiment in their school. Students use the lessons to revise content they have previously learned and apply it. students found this series of lessons very engaging as they thoroughly enjoyed the idea of making their own experiment.
It worked well for Year 12 revision after we finished the content. The main ideas involved in this SOW prepare students for the research method questions in the AS Paper 2 spec. paper.
Each lesson includes a ‘blast from the past quiz’, a range of activities and an AFL task that relates to their progress. This lesson is part of the Environmental Chemistry unit targeted at Year 8s.
students are introduced to a scenario where they are ship wrecked. Students need to prioritise what are the immediate, intermediate and long term actions to ensure safety of their crew. The lesson moves three days later to when the group are running out of potable water.
Students move into groups, become experts in a purification technique and decide on where on a map would be best to use their technique. Students share their findings with the class and complete an AFl task showing their new knowledge.
A dry topic made very… undry… wet.
Students are introduced to the odd thought of experiment of whether a baby would walk off a cliff or would be able to perceive a large fall. Students then asked how they would investigate… quickly you will introduce Gibson & Gibson’s Cliff edge experiment!
This resource includes two lessons
The first lesson introduces students to the main concepts of the theory. In the second lesson students are given a summary of the theoy and asked to write questions that would allow other students to find the answers from the sheet (Found at the end of the PowerPoint).
Students are then introduced to three evaluation PEC points and asked to complete a table. An extension is included involving a series of exam quesitons.
Students have the opportunity to explore six unusual materials that will stretch and question their prior understanding in relation to solids, liquids and gases.
1) Borax slime
2) Water in a vacuum
3) Is toothpaste a solid?
4) Syphoning water
5) Is Ooblek a liquid?
6) Changing states of cream
Students use the lesson to answer an extended question
Students are introduced to the gruesome effects of long term indigestion.
Students use their previously learnt knowledge of pH indicators to design and carry out an experiment to test which indigestion tablet is most effective in reducing the acidity of stomach acid.
Higher level students can begin to evaluate the method used to carry out the experiment as well as their conclusion in terms of validity.
If you were wondering they are: Solute, solvent, solution, saturation and Solubility...
Students start the lesson by thinking of as many scientific questions they ask about the picture that is on the board (a cup of tea). Students should be prompted to think of as many aspects of science they can apply to this quite simple picture... teacher could write answers on the board and praise legitimate ideas.
Use the starter to discuss the idea of the five S's. Student complete a table during a treasure hunt that includes definitions and examples.
Students discuss answers and watch video clip to reinforce their understanding. The teacher demonstrates saturation and conservation of mass by adding a spatula of sugar into a beaker of warm water on a weighing scales.
Students complete the worksheet in any order they like to demonstrate their ability.
One of my favourite units from the GCSE course!
In this lesson students are introduced to the difference between sensation and perception through the use of optical illusions and video clips. Students complete the lesson with a range of exam style questions.
A topic students love- optical illusions will create a lot of discussion!
Students are introduced to a range of visual illusions covered in the AQA specification. Students are shown descriptions, examples and videos highlihgting Muller lyer illusion, Kaniza triangle, and the Necker cube.
Students fill in a summary table they can stick in their books. Although this lesson can work without any other resources, lower ability students may wish to supplement this resource with the AQA Psychology textbook (Red spikey haired chap).
A full KS3 scheme of work that contains six fully resourced lessons to allow your department to complete a Science Fair project. As a school we conducted this period for a two week cycle after half term to allow students to; produce an idea, write a hypothesis, plan a method, conduct an experiment of their choice and make their project.
Class winners were chosen and then allowed to present their work in the hall for the rest of the school to see. This is the third year we have completed our science fair at my school. This year we had four entries that won prizes at the big bang fair regional competition. One of which was chosen as the Young scientist of the year regional winner and will be presenting their project nationally later next year.
This pack contains:
Assembly PowerPoint: To present to the whole school introducing the fair.
Lesson 1: Producing an idea
Lesson 2: Forming a Method
Lesson 3: Pilot experiment
Lesson 4: Experimental time
Lesson 5: Conclusion and evaluation (making project)
Lesson 6: Choosing a winner
Lesson plans, resources and example project winners also included.
I hope, if you are willing for a bit of chaos, that you see the same enthusiasm and creativity in your students as I have.
good luck!
Students are introduced to a fictional scenario applied to their school where a criminal has broken into the school allotment and stolen vegetables (outrageous!).
After a quick crash course into the types of evidence a forensic scientist could collect from the scene, students carry out an analysis on soil samples from a range of suspects to determine the identity of the vegetable thief.
Students write a letter/report to their headmaster explaining their findings.
Edexcel Core Chemistry
Chemistry in our Modern World
Topic 1 Lesson 3 and 4
Students use their scientific skills to plan, implement and evaluate a simple experiment that proves the composition of oxygen in the modern day atmosphere.
The first hour is spent planning a procedure, discussing methods to control certain variables and to design a table to collect data that is in concordance to the edexcel controlled assessment.
The second hour is used to collect the data and to form a conclusion. This conclusion is then compared to a pie chart to see how accurate the experiment was.
Each lesson includes a ‘blast from the past quiz’, a range of activities and an AFL task that relates to their progress. This lesson is part of the Environmental Chemistry unit targeted at Year 8s.
Students are introduced to Elon Musk and his new prototype. Students choose a new fuel with an ‘expert task’. Student groups learn content and share their knowledge with the class before explaining to Mr Musk what would be the best fuel.
Student's use simple pieces of equipment to choose a suitable material to pad the inside of Iron man&'s armor. Students then evaluate their choice. This can be completed over two lessons to allow adequate planning time.
Using a classic conduction experiment to investigate which material will prevent Gordon Ramsey burning himself in the future. Students produce a conclusion and an evaluation of their findings.