Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Fact Cards - eleven brightly coloured fact cards each detailing the advantages and disadvantages of different renewable and non-renewable energy resources. Each card also gives a brief summary of how that particular energy resource is harvested and utilised.

This activity includes fact cards explaining how six different methods of contraception work. It gives some of the advantages and disadvantages of each method. I usually display these around the classroom and get the students to rotate between them, memorising them as they go. They then transfer their new knowledge into the outline table provided. Some questions are also posed to gauge their level of understanding of when each type of contraceptive might be appropriate.

Six fact cards (two about each of the Earth, Moon and Sun) with images and accompanying questions. I have the cards laminated and displayed around the classroom. The students then rotate around them, against the clock, before completing the questions. Could also be used as the basis of a comprehension task. Suitable for upper KS2.

Making Sense of Chemical Formulae - a quick starter or plenary activity. Students are shown some ball and stick molecular models and they need to identify the atoms present. Can be done against the clock to add a bit of competition.

Writing molecular formulae. A presentation that guides students through the process of writing the molecular formula for a compound from its molecular (ball and stick) diagram. For an activity I usually print out the 10 different ball and stick diagrams included in the presentation and stick them around the classroom. I then get students to rotate around them identifying and counting their atoms against the stopwatch.

Preparing salt. Presentation to guide students through the practical preparation of salt from hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide.

Elements, compounds and mixtures literacy task. Students are presented with several pieces of text, which they need to analyse and rearrange into the most appropriate order. They could then interrogate the text to pick out key scientific vocabulary, nouns, verbs etc.

Contact and non-contact forces literacy task. Students are presented with several pieces of text, which they need to analyse and rearrange into the most appropriate order. They could then interrogate the text to pick out key scientific vocabulary, nouns, verbs etc.

Elements and compounds crossword, ideal for end of topic revision, as a knowledge retrieval exercise or as a homework activity.

Students rearrange the cards to make the word equations of four different chemical reactions. They then add the correct description card with each element or compound.

Cells literacy task. Students are presented with several pieces of text, which they need to analyse and rearrange into the most appropriate order. They could then interrogate the text to pick out key scientific vocabulary, nouns, verbs etc.

Worksheet that guides students through the process of calculating the pressure underneath their feet. Having calculated their own pressure values, students then apply the concept of pressure to several practical examples.

Salt solubility data and graphs. The zipped file contains a spreadsheet and presentation containing solubility data and graphs for several different ionic salts (sodium acetate, sodium bromate, sodium formate, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate) and sucrose. Can be used alongside some questions as a quick starter or plenary activity to practice students’ data interpretation skills.

Separating sea salt. A pairing and gap fill activity, ideal as a quick starter, plenary or knowledge retrieval exercise.

A worksheet to support students investigating turning moments using a seesaw. The sheet gives full instructions for the practical and an outline results table for students to complete.

Human reproduction crossword, ideal for end of topic revision, as a knowledge retrieval exercise or as a homework activity.

Molecular models and formulae. A simple little starter or settler activity, which can be shown to the whole class on the board or printed for individual students.

Properties and uses of metals combined crossword and word search activity, ideal for reinforcing key scientific vocabulary in a starter, plenary or homework.

Microbes around school. As part of a CREST Award some of my students swabbed different surfaces around the school, grew the microbes on agar and recorded their results. This presentation can be used as a starter or plenary activity. I usually print off pictures of the eight different surfaces and get students to work in pairs or small groups to try and order them in terms of number of microbes. We then discuss the results and relate them to the standard of cleaning around the school.

The human eye. Two pairing activities that can be displayed on the board or printed out as a starter or plenary activity.