A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
A Science teacher by trade, I've also been known to be found teaching Maths and PE! However, strange as it may seem, my real love is designing resources that can be used by other teachers to maximise the experience of the students. I am constantly thinking of new ways to engage a student with a topic and try to implement that in the design of the lessons.
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that could be used over a series of lessons to help students to revise and assess their knowledge of the content in topics P1 (Matter), P2 (Forces) and P3 (Electricity and magnetism) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specifiction which can be assessed in paper 5. This revision lesson uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to cover the following sub-topics and specification points:
Describe how and why the atomic model has changed over time
Describe the structure of the atom and the charges of the particles
Define the term specific latent heat
Conversions from non S.I. units to S.I. units
Explain the vector-scalar distinction
Recall examples in which objects interact
Represent forces as vectors by drawing free-body diagrams
Know the definition of Newton’s three laws of motion
Define momentum and describe examples of momentum in collisions
Recall and apply Newton’s third law
Describe the relationship between force and the extension of a spring
Calculate the spring constant in linear cases
Define mass and weight
Recall that current depends upon both potential difference and resistance
Recall and apply the relationship between I, R and V
Show that Fleming’s left hand rule represents the relative orientations of current, magnetic field and force
This lesson contains a big emphasis on the mathematical calculations that will be involved in these exams, and as a result students are challenged to recall the equations and to apply them.
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams. A lot of the tasks have been differentiated so that students of all abilities can access the work and be challenged appropriately.
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content found within Topic P3 (Particle model of matter) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Density of materials
Changes of state
Temperature changes in a system and specific heat capacity
Changes of heat and specific latent heat
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content found within Module P1 (Matter) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Describe how the atomic model has changed over time
Define density
Measure length, volume and mass to calculate density
Explain the differences in density between the different states of matter in terms of the arrangements of atoms and molecules
Describe how physical changes differ from chemical changes
Define the term specific heat capacity and distinguis between this term and specific latent heat
Carry out calculations to apply the equations involving specific heat capacity and specific latent heat
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic P10 (Electricity and their circuits) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Draw and use electric circuit diagrams
Describe the difference between series and parallel circuits
Recall that an ammeter is set up in series and a voltmeter is set up in parallel
Explain that the electric current is the rate of flow of charge
Recall and use the equation connecting potential difference, current and resistance
Calculate the current, potential difference and resistance in series and parallel circuits
Describe power as the energy transferred per second and is measured in Watts
Describe the differences between alternating and direct current
Recall that mains electricity uses alternating current and has a frequency of 50Hz
Explain the difference between the function of the neutral and live wires
Explain the function of the earth wire and fuses in ensuring safety
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic P2 (Motion and forces) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Recall and use the equations to calculate average speed
Recall and use the equation to calculate acceleration
Use the equations of motion
Analyse velocity-time graphs to be able to compare and calculate accelerations and calculate the distance travelled from the area under the graph
Recall and use Newton’s second law involving force, mass and acceleration
Describe the relationship between the weight of a body and gravitational field strength
Define momentum, recall and use the equation
Describe examples of momentum in collisions
Recall that stopping distance is made up of the sum of the thinking distance and braking distance
Explain the factors that affect stopping distance
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This bundle of 7 engaging and motivating lesson presentations and associated worksheets have been designed to encourage students to assess their knowledge of the content in all 7 Chemistry topics of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The lessons use a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to cover the content in C1 (Key concepts in chemistry), C2 (States of matter and mixtures), C3 (Chemical change), C4 (Extracting metals and equilibria), C6 (Groups in the Periodic Table), C7 (Rates of Reaction and energy changes and C8 (Fuels and Earth Science)
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C6 (Groups in the Periodic table) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Describe the reactions of lithium, sodium and potassium with water
Describe the pattern of reactivity in the alkali metals and explain this pattern in terms of electronic configurations
Describe the reactions of the halogens to form metal halides
Explain the reactivity of the halogens in terms of electronic configurations
Explain why the noble gases are chemically inert
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C9 (Separate chemistry 2) of the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Describe flame tests to identify cations in solids or solutions
Describe tests and identify anions in solids or solutions
Recall the formulae of the molecules of alkanes and alkenes
Explain why the alkanes and alkenes are described as the saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons respectively
Explain how bromine water is used to distinguish between alkanes and alkenes
Describe how the complete combustion of alkanes and alkenes leads to the production of carbon dioxide and water
Recall that a polymer is made up of repeating units
Recall the formulae of the carboxylic acids and alcohols
Know the functional groups of these homologous series
Compare the sizes of nanoparticles with atoms and molecules
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C5 (Separate chemistry 1) of the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Recall the typical properties of the transition metals
Explain why converting pure metals into alloys often increases the strength of the product
Calculate the concentration of solutions in mol per decimetre cubed
Know the apparatus involved in an acid-alkali titration
Carry out simple titration calculations
Recall and calculate the atom economy
Describe the molar volume, at RTP, and use to calculate the volumes of gases
Recall how a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell is used to produce a voltage and water is the only product
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of fuel cells
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C1 (Key concepts in chemistry) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Describe how the model of the atom has changed over time with the discovery of the subatomic particles
Describe the structure of an atom and know that atoms contain the same number of protons as electrons
Calculate the number of protons, electrons and neutrons when given the atomic and mass number
Identify elements as metals or non-metals
Predict the electron configuration of the first 20 elements
Explain how ionic bonds are formed by the transfer of electrons
Explain the structure of an ionic compound as an ionic lattice
Explain how a covalent bond is formed
Be able to draw dot and cross diagrams for simple covalent structures
Describe the structure and properties of graphite and diamond
Calculate the relative formula mass
Explain the law of the conservation of mass
Calculate the concentration of a solution
Recall Avogadro’s constant and use in mole calculations
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C7 (Rates of reaction and energy changes) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Explain the effects on rates of reaction of changes in temperature, concentration and pressure
Be able to define a catalyst and explain how this reduces the activation energy
Describe an endothermic and exothermic reactions
Calculate the energy change in a reaction
Draw reaction profiles for endothermic and exothermic reactions, identifying activation energy
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C8 (Fuels and Earth Science) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
The separation of crude oil into simpler, more useful mixtures by fractional distillation
The differing properties of the fractions
The complete and incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
The chemical process of cracking
The Earth’s early atmosphere
Human activity and climate change
The composition of today’s atmosphere
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual GCSE terminal exams
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C3 (Chemical change) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Acids, pH and the concentration of hydrogen ions
The general reactions of the acids to produce salts
Electrolysis of molten salts
Electrolysis of aqueous solutions
Writing half equations for the reactions at the electrodes
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the sub-topics found within Topic C4 (Extracting metals and equilibria) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Redox reactions
The extraction of metals
Extracting metals by heating with carbon and by electrolysis
Life cycle assessment
Reversible reactions
The formation of ammonia as a reversible reaction
The conditions for the Haber process
Predicting how the position of a dynamic equilibrium is affected by changes in pressure and temperature
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within Topic C2 (Inorganic chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification which has its’ first assessment in 2019.
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Group 1 (alkali metals)
Group 7 (halogens)
Gases in the atmosphere
Reactivity series
Extraction and uses of metals
Acids, alkalis and titrations
Chemical tests
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment. The detail of this lesson means that it could be used over a number of lessons at school so that each topic is covered in sufficient depth.
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within Topic C3 (Physical chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification which has its’ first assessment in 2019.
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Energetics
Rates of reaction
Reversible reactions and equilibria
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment.
This is a fully-resourced revision lesson that uses a combination of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within Topic C4 (Organic chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification which has its’ first assessment in 2019.
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Crude oil
Alkanes
Alkenes
Alcohols
Carboxylic acids
Polymers
Students will be engaged through the numerous quiz rounds whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which require their further attention during general revision or during the lead up to the actual assessment.
This bundle of 9 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic C4 (Organic chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification. The sub-topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
[a] Introduction
Know that a hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon atoms only
Know what is meant by the term homologous series and functional group
Understand how to name compounds containing up to six carbon atoms
Be able to write the structural and displayed formula of an organic molecule
[b] Crude oil
Know that crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons
Describe how the process of fractional distillation separates crude oil into fractions
Know the names and properties of the main fractions
Know the possible products of complete and incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons with oxygen in the air
Understand why carbon monoxide is poisonous
Describe how long chain alkanes are converted to alkenes and shorter chain alkanes by cracking
[c] Alkanes
Know the general formula for the alkanes and explain why they are classified as the saturated hydrocarbons
Understand how to draw the structural and displayed formula for the alkanes
[d] Alkenes
Know that alkenes contain the functional group C=C and know their general formula
Explain why the alkenes are described as the unsaturated hydrocarbons
Understand how to draw the structural and displayed formula for the alkenes
Describe how bromine water can be used to distinguish between an alkane and an alkene
[e] Alcohols
Know that the alcohols contain the functional group -OH
Understand how to draw structural and displayed formula for the first 4 alcohols
Know that ethanol can be manufactured by reacting ethene with steam and by the fermentation of glucose
[f] Carboxylic acids
Know the functional group of the carboxylic acids
Understand how to draw structural and displayed formula for the acids
Describe the reactions of the acids with metals and metal carbonates
Know that vinegar is an aqueous solution containing ethanoic acid
[h] Synthetic polymers
Know that an addition plymer is formed by joining many small molecules called monomers
Understand how to draw the repeat unit of an addition polymer
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.
This bundle of 12 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic C3 (Physical chemistry) of the Edexcel iGCSE Chemistry specification. The sub-topics and specification points covered within these lessons include:
[a] Energetics
Know that chemical reactions can be endothermic or exothermic reactions
Calculate the heat energy change using the expression involving specific heat capacity
Draw energy level diagrams to represent endothermic and exothermic reactions
Use bond energies to calculate the enthalpy change
[b] Rates of reaction
Describe experiments to investigate the effect of changing surface area, concentration, temperature and the addition of a catalyst on the rate of reaction
Describe and explain the effects of changing surface area, concentration and temperature on a rate of reaction with reference to the collision theory
Know the definition of a catalyst and understand how it reduces the activation energy of a chemical reaction
Draw and explain reaction profile diagrams
[c] Reversible reactions and equilibria
Know that some reactions are reversible
Know the characteristics of a reaction at dynamic equilibrium
Know the effect of changing either the temperature of pressure on the position of the equilibrium
All of these lesson presentations and accompanying resources are detailed and engaging and contain regular progress checks to allow the students to constantly assess their understanding.