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.
An informative lesson presentation (30 slides) that ensures that students know the meaning of the independent, dependent and control variables in an investigation and are able to identify them. Students are challenged to use their definitions to spot the independent and dependent variable from an investigation title. Moving forwards, they are shown how they can use tables and graphs to identify them. The rest of the lesson focuses on the control variables and how these have to be controlled to produce valid results
This lesson is suitable for students of all ages studying Science as it is such a key skill
A fully resourced lesson which includes an informative lesson presentation (34 slides) and differentiated worksheets that show students how to convert between units so they are confident to carry out these conversions when required in Science questions. The conversions which are regularly seen at GCSE are covered as well as some more obscure ones which students have to be aware of. A number of quiz competitions are used throughout the lesson to maintain motivation and to allow the students to check their progress in an engaging way
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students but is suitable for KS3
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 meaning of thinking, braking and stopping distances and focuses on the factors that would cause each of them to increase. The lesson includes an engaging lesson presentation (45 slides) and an associated worksheet for the calculations. The lesson begins by introducing the term stopping distance and then challenging students to recognise that both the distance travelled during the driver’s reaction time and under the braking force will contribute to this. Students are constantly challenged to think about the factors that would cause either the thinking or braking distance to increase and to be able to explain why scientifically. Moving forwards, the mathematical element that is associated with this topic is explored as students are shown how to calculate the braking distance at different speeds as well as convert between speeds in miles per hour and metres per second. There is also a set homework included as part of the lesson. There are regular progress checks written into the lesson so that students can assess their understanding.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students but could be used with those at KS3.
A detailed lesson presentation which guides students through calculating the current, potential difference and resistance in series and parallel circuits. The lesson begins by challenging the students to recognise whether three displayed facts relate to series or parallel circuits. Students are then given a chance to remind themselves of the differences between the circuits in terms of these three physical factors. The rest of the lesson uses a step-by-step guide format to show the students how to work through a circuit calculation by combining their knowledge of the circuit with application of the V = IR equation. Progress checks have been written throughout the lesson so that students can constantly assess their understanding.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students
A fully-resourced lesson that looks at the 7 electromagnetic waves, their differences, similarities and uses. The lesson includes an engaging presentation (54 slides) and associated worksheets. The lesson begins with a number of engaging activities to get the students to find out the names of the 7 waves in the spectrum. Students will be challenged to use their knowledge of the properties of waves to explain why they have been arranged in this particular order. Moving forwards, some time is taken to ensure that students recognise the similarities of the waves. The rest of the lesson focuses on the uses of the waves and a homework is also set to get students to increase the number of uses that they know for each wave. There are regular progress checks throughout the lesson so that students can assess their understanding at critical points.
This lesson has primarily been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK) but could be used with students at KS3 who are doing a project
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)
An informative and student-led lesson presentation (32 slides), accompanied by a reaction diagram and task worksheet, which together look at the key details of nuclear fission reactions. The lesson begins by introducing the students to the name of this reaction and to that of a neutron before they are challenged to recall the properties of this sub-atomic particle as this knowledge plays an important role in their understanding. Moving forwards, students will learn that two isotopes of uranium are involved and will discover and work out how one isotope is changed into the other. Diagrams accompany the theory throughout so that students can visualise how the reaction progresses. They are shown how to work out the two daughter nuclei that are produced in the reaction and how an equation can be written to represent nuclear fission. Progress checks have been written into the lesson at regular intervals so that students can constantly assess their understanding and any misconceptions can be immediately addressed.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students (14 - 16 year olds in the UK)
An engaging, practical-based lesson presentation (22 slides), accompanied by a practical worksheet and application questions which together explore how the extension of a spring is related to force according to Hooke’s Law. The lesson begins by introducing the name of the law and looking at the equation which connects the force, extension and spring constant. As spring constant is likely to be a new term to students, time is taken to look at the definition of this key term. Students are given hints throughout the lesson about potential issues to look out for, including the unit of spring constant being N/m when the majority of springs are small enough that their extension will be measured in cm or mm. Moving forwards, students will follow the provided experimental method to carry out the investigation and produce a set of results which can be used to plot the line. The two distinct sections of the line are discussed and the actual words of Hooke’s Law are given and again discussed and considered. The final part of the lesson involves the students being challenged to apply their knowledge of the law to a range of application questions and assessing against the displayed mark scheme.
This lesson has been written for GCSE students but can be used with KS3 students who are studying the extension of a spring
A concise lesson presentation (22 slides) and question worksheet, which together focus on the challenge of applying the equations of motion to calculation questions. Students are given this equation on the data sheet in the exam - therefore, this lesson shows them how they will be expected to rearrange in it four ways. For this reason, the start of the lesson revisits the skills involved in rearranging the formula, beginning with simple tasks and building up to those that involve indices as are found in this equation. Once students have practised these skills, they are challenged to answer 4 questions, although 1 is done together with the class to visualise how to set out the working.
This lesson has been designed for GCSE students
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 that is found in topics P5 (Forces), P6 (Waves) and P7 (Magnetism and electromagnetism) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification and will be assessed in Paper 6
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:
Scalar and vector quantities
Contact and non-contact forces
Gravity
Work done and energy transfer
Forces and elasticity
Speed
Velocity
Acceleration
Newton’s laws of motion
Momentum
Conservation of momentum
Transverse and longitudinal waves
Properties of waves
The EM waves
Fleming’s left-hand rule
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.
An engaging lesson presentation (48 slides) and associated worksheets that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within unit P4 (Atomic structure) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification (specification point P6.4).
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
The structure of an atom
Isotopes
Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation
Nuclear equations
Half-lives
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “It’s as easy as ABG” and “ALPHA or BETA” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
An engaging lesson presentation (45 slides) that uses a combination of exam questions, quick tasks and quiz competitions to help the students to assess their understanding of the topics found within unit P6 (Waves) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification (specification point P6.6).
The topics that are tested within the lesson include:
Longitudinal and transverse waves
Properties of waves
Types of EM waves
Properties and applications of EM waves
Students will be engaged through the numerous activities including quiz rounds like “Tell EM the word” and “Take the HOTSEAT” whilst crucially being able to recognise those areas which need further attention
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 could be used over a series of lessons to help students to revise and assess their knowledge of the content that is found in topics P1 (Energy), P2 (Electricity), P3 (Particle model of matter) and P4 (Atomic structure) of the AQA GCSE Combined Science specification and will be assessed on 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:
Energy stores and systems
Changes in energy
Energy changes in systems
Standard circuit diagram symbols
Electrical charge and current
Current, resistance and potential difference
Series and parallel circuits
Power
Specific heat capacity
The structure of an atom
Mass number, atomic number and isotopes
The development of the model of the atom
Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation
Nuclear equations
Half-lives
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 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 Module P6 (Radioactivity) of the OCR Gateway A GCSE Physics specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
The atomic nuclei
Recognising and representing isotopes
Unstable nuclei and the emission of radiation
Writing balanced equations to represent radioactive decay
Explain the concept of half-life and carry out calculations to determine the half-life or time taken for decay
Recall the different penetrating powers of alpha, beta and gamma
Be able to describe the processes of nuclear fission and fusion
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 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 bundle of 10 engaging and motivating lesson presentations and associated worksheets have been designed to encourage students to assess their knowledge of the content within the majority of the Physics topics in the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification in order to recognise those areas which need further attention.
The lessons use a range of exam questions, understanding checks, quick tasks and quiz competitions to cover the content in the following topics:
Topic P1 (Key concepts in Physics)
Topic P2 (Motion and forces),
Topic P3 (Conservation of energy),
Topic P4 (Waves)
Topic P5 (Light and the EM spectrum)
Topic P6 (Radioactivity)
Topic P8 (Energy - forces doing work)
Topic P10 (Electricity and their circuits)
Topic P12 (Magnetism and the motor effect)
Topic P13 (Electromagnetic induction)
Topic P14 (Particle model)
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 P14 (Particle model) of the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification.
The sub-topics and specification points that are tested within the lesson include:
Explain the different states of matter in terms of movement and arrangement of particles
Recall and use the equation to calculate density
Explain the differences in density between the different states of matter
Describe how mass is conserved during changes of state and understand how these physical changes differ from chemical changes
Define the terms specific heat capacity and specific latent hear and explain the differences between them
Use the equations to calculate change in thermal energy and thermal energy for a change in state
Knows way to reduce unwanted energy transfer
Describe the term absolute zero, in terms of the lack of movement of particles
Convert between the kelvin and Celsius scales
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