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 bundle of 8 revision lessons uses a range of activities that include exam questions (with clearly explained answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to engage students whilst they are revising the following topics that are found on the AQA GCSE Physics specification:
Topic 1: Energy
Topic 2: Electricity
Topic 3: Particle model of matter
Topic 4: Atomic structure
Topic 5: Forces
Topic 6: Waves
Topic 7: Magnetism and electromagnetism
Topic 8: Space Physics
These lessons can be used for revision at the end of the topic or in the lead up to the mocks or actual GCSE exams so that students can assess the areas of the specification which need their further attention
If you want to see the quality of the lessons, download the topic 1 and 5 lessons as these are free
This is a concise REVISION lesson that contains an engaging powerpoint (43 slides) and associated worksheets. The lesson uses a range of activities which include exam questions (with displayed answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to engage students whilst they assess their knowledge of the content that is found within topic P8 (Space Physics) of the AQA 9-1 GCSE Physics specification.
The following sub-topics in the specification are covered in this lesson:
Our Solar System
The life cycle of a star
Natural satellites
Red-shift
This lesson can be used throughout the duration of the GCSE course, as an end of topic revision lesson or as a lesson in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams
This bundle of 4 lesson presentations and associated resources cover a lot of the mathematical skills that can be tested in Science. Since the move to the new GCSE specifications, the mathematical element has increased significantly and these lessons act to guide students through these skills. Students are shown how to convert between units, rearrange to change the subject of the formula and to use significant figures and standard form.
An engaging and informative lesson presentation (49 slides) looks at the differences between contact and non-contact forces and focuses on enabling students to describe and recognise them. This lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used in higher ability KS3 lessons with students who are looking to progress their knowledge.
The lesson begins by introducing the fact that forces can be grouped into these two categories and initial definitions are used to ease the students into the lesson. To follow on from this a competition called “FORCE it together” is used. This engaging game challenges the students to spot the name of a force which is in anagram form and then once it has been identified, they have to determine whether it would be a contact or non-contact force. As each force is met, key details are given and discussed. More time is given to areas which can cause problems for students, such as the use of weight and gravity force and whether they are actually different. Moving forwards, a rugby tackle is used to show the numerous forces that interact in everyday situations, before students are challenged to identify more forces in sports of their choice. Students will recall/learn that force is a vector quantity and therefore is represented in diagrams using arrows. Once again, this lesson focuses on showing them how these arrows can be used differently with the different types of forces. Students are briefly introduced to the idea of a free body diagram and an understanding check is used to see whether they can identify friction, gravity force and normal contact force from the arrows. Progress checks like this are written into the lesson at regular intervals, in a range of formats, so that students are constantly assessing their understanding. The final part of the lesson is one more quick competition where students have to use their knowledge of the forces to form words.
This bundle of 11 lessons covers a lot of the content in Topic P4 (Waves and radioactivity) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Waves and their properties
Wave velocity
Reflection and Refraction
EM waves
Uses of EM waves
Isotopes
Radiation properties
Decay equations
Half-life
Background radiation
Dangers of radioactivity
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.
A fast-paced lesson which includes an informative lesson presentation (20 slides) and a question worksheet. Together these resources guide GCSE students through the calculation questions that they can encounter on the topic of the conservation of momentum.
The lesson begins by introducing the law of the conservation of momentum and reminding students of the equation which links momentum, mass and velocity that they are expected to recall for the GCSE exam. Time is taken to inform them of the two types of question which tend to arise on this topic - those where the masses lock together during the event and those where they remain as separate masses. Students are guided through both of these types of questions with worked examples to enable them to visualise how to begin and set out their workings. Key mathematical skills are involved such as rearranging the formula so this is also shown. Students are given the opportunity to apply these skills to a series of questions on the worksheet and the mark schemes are displayed so they can assess once completed.
An informative lesson presentation (26 slides) that shows students how to convert between numbers and standard form (and the other way) so they are able to understand when these are used in Science questions. The lesson begins by guiding them through how to change numbers to standard form and explains when a power of 10 that is positive will be achieved and when it will be negative. Students are given the opportunity to see these used in a Science question and there is a cross-subject link as they are also required to convert between units. A number of competitions are used near the end of the lesson to maintain motivation and to allow the students to check their progress in a fun way
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but is suitable for KS3
An engaging, practical-based lesson presentation (34 slides), accompanied by a practical worksheet and differentiated questions worksheet, which together guide students through the different calculation questions which involve the half-life. The lesson begins by introducing the students to the definition of a half-life and then showing them an example with I-131 so they can visualise how the half-life doesn’t change (and that radioactivity is measured in Bq). Moving forwards, the students will follow the given instructions to create the results to plot a decay curve and will be shown how to use this curve to determine the half-life of an isotope. The remainder of the lesson focuses on the different calculation questions that can be found on exam papers and uses a step by step guide to help them to handle the increasing difficulty. Students will be challenged to apply their new found knowledge to a set of 5 questions and this worksheet has been differentiated two ways so that those who need extra assistance, can still access the learning. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals so that students can constantly assess their understanding.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 years old in the UK)
This bundle of 20 fully-resourced lessons have been designed to allow students who are studying the AQA GCSE Combined Science course to assess their understanding of the topics found within the following units of the specification:
B1: Cell Biology
B2: Organisation
B4: Bioenergetics
B5: Homeostasis and response
B6: Inheritance, variation and evolution
B7: Ecology
C1: Atomic structure and the periodic table
C2: Bonding, structure and properties of matter
C3: Quantitative chemistry
C4: Chemical changes
C5: Energy changes
C6: The rate and extent of chemical change
C7: Organic chemistry
C8: Chemical analysis
C9: Chemistry of the atmosphere
P1: Energy
P2: Electricity
P4: Atomic structure
P5: Forces
P6: Waves
These lessons use a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to engage and motivate the students
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 (Conservation of energy) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Recall and use the equation to calculate the change in gravitational potential energy
Recall and use the equation to calculate the change in kinetic energy of a moving object
Explain what is meant by the conservation of energy
Analyse the way energy is stored when a system changes
Explain how mechanical processes become wasteful
Explain ways of reducing unwanted energy transfer
Recall and use the equation to calculate efficiency
Describe the main energy sources available for use on Earth
Explain patterns and trends in the use of energy resources
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
All of the lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to contain a wide range of activities that will challenge the students on their knowledge and understanding of the content of UNIT 2 of the WJEC GCSE Physics specification.
The engaging PowerPoints and accompanying resources cover the following topics:
Topic 2.1: Distance, speed and acceleration
Topic 2.3: Work and energy
Topic 2.4: Further motion concepts
Topic 2.7: Types of radiation
Topic 2.8: Half-life
Topic 2.9: Nuclear decay and nuclear energy
To fall in line with the heavy mathematical content of this course, the lessons challenge a range of skills including rearranging formulae, converting units, using standard form and significant figures and percentage change
If you would like to see the quality of the lessons, download the topic 2.3 lesson which has been shared for free
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 P6 (Radioactivity) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Describe the structure of an atom, including the charge and mass of the subatomic particles
Describe the structure of nuclei of isotopes
Be able to explain why an atom is neutral
Recall the radiation that can be emitted from an unstable nucleus
Explain what is meant by background radiation and know the origins of this radiation
Recall that an alpha particle is equivalent to a helium nucleus
Compare alpha, beta and gamma radiations in terms of their abilities to penetrate and ionise
Describe the processes of beta plus and beta minus decay
Explain the effects on the atomic and mass number of radioactive decays
Balance nuclear decay equations
Recall that the unit of activity of a radioactive isotope is the Becquerel
Use the concept of half life to carry out simple calculations
Describe the differences between contamination and irradiation
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 which uses a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to enable students to assess their understanding of the content within topic 7 (Magnetism and electromagnetism) of the AQA GCSE Physics (8463) specification.
The specification points that are covered in this revision lesson include:
Poles of a magnet
Electromagnetism
Fleming’s left hand rule
Electric motors
Loudspeakers
Transformers
Of all of the Physics topics, this one tends to be one of the least well understood. Therefore, time has been taken to not only make this an engaging revision lesson but to go into detail on some of the topics which are commonly assessed in the exams.
This lesson can be used as revision resource at the end of the topic or in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams
This is a concise REVISION lesson that contains an engaging powerpoint (34 slides) and associated worksheets. The lesson uses a range of activities which include exam questions (with displayed answers), differentiated tasks and quiz competitions to engage students whilst they assess their knowledge of the content that is found within topic P7 (Magnetism and electromagnetism) of the AQA Trilogy 9-1 GCSE Combined Science specification. Generally, this is a topic which isn’t particularly well understood by students but is regularly assessed through questions in the GCSE exams and so time has been taken to design the lesson so that the key points are covered and common misconceptions addressed.
The following sub-topics in the specification are covered in this lesson:
Poles of a magnet
Magnetic fields
Electromagnetism
Fleming’s left hand rule
Electric motors
This lesson can be used throughout the duration of the GCSE course, as an end of topic revision lesson or as a lesson in the lead up to mocks or the actual GCSE exams
All of the lessons in this bundle are fully-resourced and have been designed to challenge the students on their knowledge of the topics which can be assessed in PAPER 2 of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics specification.
The content in the following topics is covered by these lessons:
Topic 1: Key concepts in Physics
Topic 8: Energy - forces doing work
Topic 9: Forces and their effects
Topic 10: Electricity and circuits
Topic 12: Magnetism and the motor effect
Topic 13: Electromagnetic induction
Topic 14: Particle model
Topic 15: Forces and matter
The PowerPoints and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities which include exam-style questions with clear explanations of the answer, differentiated tasks and quiz competitions. There is also a big emphasis on the mathematical element of the specification and students are guided through the use of a range of skills which include the conversion of units and the rearrange of formulae to change the subject.
This bundle of 6 lessons covers a lot of of the content in Topic P1 (Energy) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Energy stores and systems
Kinetic and potential energy stores
Specific heat capacity
Conservation of energy
Reducing unwanted energy transfers
Efficiency
Energy resources
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 6 lessons covers the majority of the content in Topic P4 (Atomic structure) of the AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science specification. The topics covered within these lessons include:
Developing the atomic model
Isotopes
Nuclear radiation
Decay equations
Half-life
Irradiation and contamination
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 is an engaging and informative lesson that looks at the wires inside a UK plug and considers their role in terms of the supply of mains electricity. The safety features of the plug, such as the fuse, are also discussed so that students can understand how a particular fuse is chosen.
As the cover image shows, the lesson begins by challenging the students to use their knowledge of all three of the Sciences to come up with the three names of the wires. Some students will know that these are the wires in a UK plug but some wont. Key terminology such as three-core cable is used throughout, as well as a running theme with the colours, so that students become accustomed to identifying a particular wire by its plastic insulation. Through a range of tasks which encourage student discovery and educated predictions, the students will learn the functions of each of the wires as well as their potential difference. The fuse is introduced to the students and links are made to the electrical circuits topic by considering the resistance of the wire inside the fuse and challenging them to use the electrical power equation to calculate a current and choose an appropriate fuse for that plug. The aim of the lesson is to get students to absorb information as the lesson progresses in order to eventually label a black and white diagram of the plug. The last part of the lesson looks at two-core cables and then relates this back to the importance of the earth wire in a UK plug.
This lesson has been written for GCSE aged students but is suitable for use with younger students who are learning about this topic.
This fully-resourced REVISION lesson is detailed and engaging and uses a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to allow students to assess their understanding of the content within topic 7 (Radioactivity and particles) of the Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Physics 9-1 specification (4PH1) for first assessment in June 2019.
The specification points that are covered in this revision lesson include:
Describe energy transfers involving energy stores
Use the principle of conservation of energy
Know and use the relationship between efficiency, useful energy output and total energy output
Describe how thermal energy transfer may take place by conduction, convection and radiation
Explain ways of reducing unwanted energy transfer, such as insulation
Know and use the relationship between work done, force and distance moved in the direction of the force
Know and use the relationship between gravitational potential energy, mass, gravitational field strength and height
Know and use the relationship between kinetic energy, mass and speed
Understand how conservation of energy produces a link between gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and work
Use the relationship between power, work done (energy transferred) and time taken
Describe the energy transfers involved in generating electricity using water, wind, geothermal resources, solar, fossil fuels and nuclear power
The students will thoroughly enjoy the range of activities, which include quiz competitions such as “The TRANSFER MARKET” where they have to compete to be the 1st to identify the type of energy transfer shown whilst all the time evaluating and assessing which areas of this topic will need their further attention. This lesson can be used as revision resource at the end of the topic or in the lead up to mocks or the actual International GCSE exams
A short, concise lesson presentation (25 slides) that explores the key evidence that is used to support the Big Bang Theory. This lesson has been written for GCSE students with the focus on the fine details which they need to be able to understand in order to successfully answer exam questions on this topic. The lesson begins with a fun slide which challenges their mathematical skills to work out a number of years and spot that a dingbat represents the Big Bang. This leads students into the key details of the theory and includes when it was believed to have happened. The rest of the lesson focuses on two main pieces of evidence, namely red shift and CMBR. Students are guided through these topics and related topics such as the Doppler effect are revisited. The final part of the lesson uses a quick competition to get students to recognise the names of alternative theories and a set homework challenges them to add details in terms of evidence to support each of steady state and creationism.