A fully resourced lesson which guides students through writing decay equations to represent alpha and beta decay. This lesson includes a lesson presentation (41 slides) and differentiated worksheets. Time is taken at the beginning of the lesson to ensure that students know the sub-atomic particles that are found in an alpha particle and a beta particle so that they can understand why the atomic and mass numbers are affected during the decay. Moving forwards, a step-by-step guide is used to show students how to write both types of equations. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can check their understanding. This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the topic of osmosis and how the movement of water between a cell and the solution can affect the appearance of an animal and a plant cell. This lesson includes a detailed and engaging lesson presentation (42 slides) and differentiated worksheets that include exam questions that can be set as homework. There is a lot of key terminology associated with this topic and time is taken to ensure that students understand the meaning of each of these terms before moving forwards. Students are introduced to the different types of solutions and then a step-by-step guide is used to show them how to compare the water potential of the solution and the cell and then how this will determine which was water moves. The main task is differentiated so that students are challenged and can access the work. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is also suitable for A-level students

A whole lesson on the topic of active transport which includes a concise lesson presentation (20 slides) and a set of questions that are used to check on the students’ understanding. This lesson is designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used with A-level students who are covering the topic of movement across cell membranes. The main focus of the lesson is to get students to understand that this is an active process which moves substances against the concentration gradient and therefore needs energy for this process. The final part of the lesson looks at the different types of questions that can accompany this topic and a step-by-step guide is used to answer a difficult longer answer question as a class.

A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the different sampling methods that can be used to estimate the populations of animals and plants in a habitat and to analyse how their distribution is affected, The lesson includes a detailed and engaging lesson presentation (56 slides) and differentiated worksheets so that students of different abilities are challenged and can access the work. The lesson begins by looking at the use of a quadrat to estimate the population of plants in a habitat. There is a focus on the mathematical calculations associated with the method and students are given hints and worked examples so that any common misconceptions are addressed. Moving forwards, students are introduced to the capture-mark-recapture technique to sample animals. The rest of the lesson looks at alternative pieces of apparatus, such as the sweep net, and discusses situations when these would be used. This lesson has been written for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is appropriate for both younger students who are learning about ecology and also for A-level students who need a recap on this topic.

A fully-resourced lesson which looks at the structure of DNA in the detail which is required at GCSE level (14 - 16 year olds in the UK). The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (35 slides) and associated worksheets. The main aim of the lesson is to ensure that students recognise key terminology that comes with this topic such as nucleotide and (nitrogenous) bases. Engaging tasks have been written into the lesson, in order to maintain the motivation, such as when students are introduced to complimentary base pairing through a version of the gameshow “Take me Out”. Additional knowledge is provided at appropriate times in the lesson to stretch and challenge the more able. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding of the structure. As stated above, this lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used with younger students and also with A-level students as a means of a recap before they learn about this in greater detail.

A resourced lesson which uses a concise lesson presentation (18 slides) and a differentiated diagram to guide students through the method of blood clotting. This lesson has been designed for students studying GCSE (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) and this is reflected in the appropriate detail where only the involvement of fibrin needs to be known. Students are shown how blood clotting is a cascade effect where one event leads on to the next.

A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the meaning of the mole and shows how this measurement is used in calculations. The lesson includes a clear lesson presentation (32 slides) and a set of questions. This lesson has been written to explain in a concise manner so that the key details are understood and embedded. Students are shown how to recognise when a mole calculation requires them to use Avogadro’s constant and when they should the formula including the relative formula mass. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 -16 year olds in the UK)

A fully-resourced lesson which guides students through the method involved in calculating the empirical formula and includes a concise, clear lesson presentation (21 slides) and practice questions. Students are given a template to use as they are introduced to the questions and then encouraged to work without it as the lesson progresses. The students are shown how empirical formula questions can be made more difficult and hints are given so that students are able to tackle them and access all of the marks available. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

This is a fully-resourced lesson which looks at the properties of group 0 of the Periodic Table, the Noble Gases, and includes a lesson presentation (29 slides) and an associated worksheet. The lesson uses a range of engaging quiz competitions to enable the students to understand why these elements do not react. Other properties such as their boiling points are explored and there is continual reference to the other groups of elements so that students can make clear comparisons. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK), but it is also suitable for younger students who might be carrying out a project on the Periodic Table

This is a detailed and engaging lesson presentation which focuses on the properties of the elements found in group 1 of the Periodic Table, the alkali metals. Students are challenged throughout the lesson to be able to link their observations of the reactions to the properties. Once they have learnt that the reactivity increases as they move down the group, time is taken to go over this in detail so that students can explain why sodium is more reactive than lithium (and so on) in terms of electron configuration. Progress checks are embedded throughout the lesson so that students have the opportunity to assess their understanding. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is suitable for younger students who may be carrying out a project on the Periodic Table

This is a fully-resourced lesson about group 7 of the Periodic Table, the halogens, which includes a lesson presentation (34 slides) and a differentiated worksheet. The lesson begins by challenging students to recognise and explain why the electronic structure of group 1 and group 7 means that they react together easily. As the lesson progresses, students will learn more and more properties about the halogens and key terms such as diatomic are used throughout so that students become accustomed to these. Moving forwards, students will carry out a series of displacement reactions so that they can recognise that the reactivity of these elements decreases as they go down the group. Students are challeged to explain this with reference to electron configuration and a differentiated worksheet will help those who need assistance to access this work. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is suitable for younger students who might be carrying out a project on the Periodic Table

An engaging and informative lesson which uses a murder mystery style concept to challenge the students to use a range of identification tests to detect the cations and identify the killer. Students will enjoy the range of practical experiments which feed into the plot and allow them to find out who the owner of the belt buckle and earring back that were found at the crime scene. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used as part of a forensic science project or alike

A concise and engaging lesson, which looks at chemical and physical changes with the key objective that students can recognise the differences between the two. Key terminology is used throughout, such as irreversible and practical examples are discussed. A number of short sharp quiz competitions are used to maintain motivation as well as checking on the understanding. This lesson is suitable for KS3 and GCSE students (11 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A detailed lesson which uses a step by step guide to take students through titration calculations. The lesson begins by looking at jey terminology such as the “rough” and “titre”, which are discussed and explained so that there isnt any confusion. Time is taken to go over key steps in the method, such as using the molar ratio from the equation, so that students are prepared for these if they encounter in an assessment. This lesson has been designed primarily for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is suitable for older students covering this at A-level

A fully resourced lesson, which includes differentiated worksheets, and guides the students through the process of extracting aluminium. There are close links throughout the lesson to the reactivity series and electrolysis so that the students are able to understand how the knowledge of all of these is brought together. Students will meet cryolite and recognise why this is used in the process and will finish off by writing half equations to show the products at the electrodes. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A fully-resourced lesson, which includes a lesson presentation (49 slides) and associated worksheets and guides students through the topic of extracting metals. The main focus of the lesson is the extracting of the metals (from their oxides) that fall below carbon in the reactivity series. Students will see how the metal oxides are reduced in order to form the required metal. Some time is taken to briefly look at the extraction of aluminium from aluminium oxide but if a lesson on the extraction of a particular metal is sought, then please look at my additional resources which cover iron and aluminium in greater detail. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)

A short lesson which includes a lesson presentation (27 slides) and a hint worksheet and looks at redox reactions that involve oxygen and electrons. When focussing on oxygen, the lesson uses the example of extracting metals by reacting them with carbon to show how the metal is reduced and the carbon is oxidised. Key terminology such as reducing agents are also discussed. The important topic of electrolysis is used when teaching about the redox reactions that involve electrons and students are reminded about half equations. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but is suitable for other ages

A fully-resourced lesson which includes a lesson presentation (24 slides) and a worksheet which is differentiated so that students can judge their understanding of the topic of writing half equations for electrolysis and access the work accordingly. The lesson uses worked examples and helpful hints to show the students how to write half equations at both the cathode and anode. Time is taken to remind students about the rules at the electrodes when the electrolyte is in solution so that they can work out the products before writing the equations. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 years old in the UK) but could be used with older students.

A detailed lesson which includes a lesson presentation (52 slides) and an associated worksheet that goes through the basis of electrolysis and then focuses on the examples when the electrolyte is a molten salt. The lesson has been designed to move in small steps with regular progress checks so that key details are fully understood. It begins by ensuring that students understand which ions are attracted to which electrode. The lesson then looks at how electrons are either gained or lost at the electrodes and this is related to redox reactions as well. Helpful hints and exam question tips are given throughout to aid students with this commonly assessed topic. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used with both older and younger students

A fully resourced lesson that includes a lesson presentation (27 slides) and an accompanying worksheet that guides students through the topic of the electrolysis of solutions and enables them to state the products at the electrodes from these reactions. The lesson focuses on the rules at the cathode and then the anode and regular understanding checks are used to ensure that learning has occured. This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds)