Spark Science provides high quality science educational resources for secondary school teachers.
From dual-coding, literacy and reading tasks, dyslexic friendly backgrounds, and continual Assessment for Learning (AfL) tasks embedded into all our lessons, Spark lessons will increase engagement, participation and understanding for your students.
Spark Science provides high quality science educational resources for secondary school teachers.
From dual-coding, literacy and reading tasks, dyslexic friendly backgrounds, and continual Assessment for Learning (AfL) tasks embedded into all our lessons, Spark lessons will increase engagement, participation and understanding for your students.
This lesson is the second lesson in the Year 8 “Working as a Scientist” topic.
This lesson covers what a hazard, risk and control measure are, what some common hazards are in a lab and how to control them, as well as a practical investigation for students to write their own risk assessment.
Lesson Objectives:
State common risks from hazards
Describe how these risks are managed
Write a risk assessment for a scientific investigation
I will work scientifically to:
Carry out a practical investigation safely
Lesson resources contain:
Powerpoint - containing information slides, student mini-whiteboard AFL quiz, complete and interactive answer slides, plenary activity
Student practical worksheet (PDF and editable word versions)
A fully resourced lesson for GCSE AQA chemistry on calculating percentage by mass.
Suitable and applicable for GCSE Chemistry Trilogy, and Combined Science Higher and Foundation.
Lesson Objectives
Recall how to calculate relative formula mass using a periodic table
Calculate the percentage by mass of an element in a substance using masses
Calculate the percentage by mass of an element in a substance using relative formula mass and atomic mass
Lesson includes:
Lesson powerpoint (including instructions on lesson activities, equipment to order, slide answers)
Student practical
Student worksheet (PDF and editable word versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and editable word versions)
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with AEN students and non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Risk assessment for class practicals
Printable practical instruction cards
Risk assessments for teacher demonstrations
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Describe what an exothermic and endothermic reactions is in terms of heat energy transfer
Give and identify examples of endothermic and exothermic reactions in everyday life
Identify reactions as exothermic or endothermic from measuring temperature changes in practical investigations
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
This lesson is designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry/Combined Science Trilogy and covers how to calculate relative atomic mass.
This lesson contains:
A lesson powerpoint complete with all answers, worked examples
Student worksheet (PDF and editable versions)
Worksheet answers (PDF and editable versions)
Lesson Objectives:
Define what an “isotope” is and identify examples
Calculate the relative atomic mass of elements from their relative isotopic masses and abundances
A quick and simple student led activity designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry (Triple and Double award) explaining how crude oil is formed from plankton.
Students should put the cartoon panels in the right order, then match the correct description to each panel.
This can be a cut and stick activity or a numbering/line drawing activity.
Good for SEN and students in need of visual cues and support.
Resource download includes PDF and Editable Powerpoint versions.
A lesson covering instrumental analysis and flame emission spectroscopy for the AQA Triple Chemistry GCSE specficiation. Applicable to both higher and foundation candidates.
Lesson Objectives
Know what instrumental techniques are
Describe advantages and disadvantages of instrumental techniques over other analysis techniques (e.g. flame tests)
Interpret flame emission spectra to identify unknown elements in a mixture
Lesson Resources include:
Lesson powerpoint - including starter, example spectra, spectra analysis example and advantages/disadvantages task
Exam questions covering instrumental analysis, flame spectra analysis, and ion identification questions with full mark schemes.
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Know what an “element” and a “compound” is
Describe the difference between an element and a compound
Know what an “atom” and a “molecule”
Describe the difference between an atom and a molecule
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
This lesson contains AFL tasks which require mini-whiteboards and molymods, but can be adapted if these are not available.
A comprehensive, engaging and interactive lesson package designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher delivery notes in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Practical Risk Assessment
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Describe what physical changes and chemical reactions are
Know the different signs of a chemical reaction taking place
Class different examples as either physical changes or chemical reactions
Describe the difference between a physical change and chemical reaction
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing, practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with AEN students and non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
AFL activities to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Define the law of conservation of mass
Explain why the mass of a chemical reaction does not change in a closed system
Predict/calculate the mass of reactants and products in a chemical reaction when given the masses of the other reactants/products
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with AEN students and non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Identify reactants and products in a word equation
Write word equations for different reactions
Turn word equations into sentences
Describe and explain why we use word equations in chemistry
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
This lesson contains AFL tasks which require mini-whiteboards, but can be adapted if these are not available.
This bundle is the complete lesson resources needed to teach core “Working Scientifically” skills to KS3 students, following the UK national curriculum.
These lessons are interactive, engaging, student-led and focused. This topic contains careers links, reading opportunities and AFL strategies throughout (including mini-whiteboards and finger voting) to help you know how your students are doing.
All questions, worksheets and tasks come with complete answers.
Lessons included:
Accuracy, Precision and Hypotheses
Writing risk assessments
Choosing graphs and Drawing Pie Charts
Calculating Means, Medians and Modes
Reading and Analysing Graphs
Communicating Scientific Information
Bias, Evidence and Peer-reviewing
Resource designed for distance learning - GCSE Chemistry AQA - Chemical Changes - Acids and Alkalis
Contains links to useful youtube videos and extension acitivites
Students should be able to:
Identify common acids and alkalis
Know what ions are found in acids and alkalis
Know what an indicator is and give pros and cons for each
A 1-2 Lesson Resources on Hydrogen fuel cells, their uses, how they work and their advantages and disadvantages compared to petrol cars and electric cars.
Lesson Objectives
Describe, in basic terms, how a hydrogen fuel works
(Higher only) write balanced half equations for the reactions taking place inside a hydrogen fuel cell
Describe advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen fuel cells
Evaluate the use of hydrogen fuel vehicles compared to electric and petrol vehicles
Lesson resources include:
Lesson powerpoint with printable diagrams for students
Explanations of half equations from fuel cell (both acid cell (not AQA) and alkaline cell (AQA) version) and balancing them
Relevant video links
6 marker question and mark scheme
Exam question pack on fuel cells and energy
Plenary AFL multiple choice quiz and debate activity
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with SEN and non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Name simple compounds ending in –ide, -hydroxide and –ate
Name simple compounds using the mono-, di-, tri- naming system
Be able to identify the elements present in a compound from its name
Be able to name a compound from its formula
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up and address common issues, mistakes and misconceptions.
This lesson contains AFL tasks which require mini-whiteboards but can be adapted if these are not available.
Preview video of resources: https://youtu.be/WWaqwYbo6IY
A pair of GCSE Chemistry Lessons for Triple Science covering electrochemical cells and associated half equations.
Lesson 1: What are Electrochemical Cells?
Lesson Objectives:
Describe what an electrochemical cell is and what we use it for
Describe how to make an electrochemical cell
Identify factors which affect the size of the voltage produced by an electrochemical cell
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint
Student practical investigation
Teacher notes on how to deliver lesson slides/content and answers
Lesson 2: How do Electrochemical Cells Work?
Lesson Objectives:
Recall the definitions for oxidation and reduction
Identify which elements are oxidised and reduced in an electrochemical cell
(H) – write half equations for oxidation and reduction taking place in electrochemical cells
Explain why alkaline/non-rechargeable batteries eventually stop working
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint, containing animation about how electrochemical cells produce electrical current and the reactions that take place within it
Student exam questions (23 marks worth) from AQA syllabus with mark scheme
Teacher notes on how to deliver lesson slides/content and answers
A 1-2 lesson pack covering flame tests and positive metal ion tests.
This resource is designed for the AQA Triple Chemistry required practical from “Chemical Analysis”, and is relevant to higher and foundation students.
Lesson Objectives
Carry out simple flame tests to identify positive metal ions
Carry out simple precipitate tests to identify positive metal ions
Describe how to carry out a flame test and a precipitate test, including the names of any important reactants
Describe the problems and limitations of using flame tests and precipitate tests to identify positive metal ions
This resource contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including starter activity, practical instructions, tables, challenge task, multiple choice quiz plenary, and full answers
Student worksheet - including practical instructions, tables, and practical quesitons (PDF and editable word versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and editable word versions)
Risk assessment/order form - containing up to date CLEAPPS guidance as of Oct 2023.
This bundle contains all the content relevant to AQA Triple Chemistry students in the new 9-1 syllabus.
Includes 4 LESSONS worth of teaching materials:
This includes the standard tests and characteristic results/colour changes for:
positive metal ion flame tests (Li, Cu, K, Na, Ca),
positive metal ion precipitate tests with NaOH (Fe(III), Fe(II), Cu(II), Mg, Ca, Al)
sulfate test with barium nitrate/chloride
halide tests (Cl, Br and I) with silver nitrate
carbonate tests with dilute acid and lime water
These lessons contain full powerpoints, student worksheets, complete answers, risk assessments/technician order forms, stretch and challenge tasks, relevant exam questions, and AfL plenary activities
Lesson 1-2: Identifying positive metal ions (flame tests and precipitate tests)
Lesson objectives:
Carry out simple flame tests to identify positive metal ions
Carry out simple precipitate tests to identify positive metal ions
Describe how to carry out a flame test and a precipitate test, including the names of any important reactants
Describe the problems and limitations of using flame tests and precipitate tests to identify positive metal ions
Lesson 3 - Identifying negative non-metal ions
Lesson objectives:
Carry out simple precipitate tests to identify halide, sulfate and carbonate ions
Describe how to carry out precipitate tests to test for halide, sulfate and carbonate ions, including the names of any important reactants
Write balanced symbol and ionic equations for the reactions taking place in precipitation reactions
Lesson 4 - Instrumental Analysis and Flame Emission Spectra
Lesson objectives:
Know what instrumental techniques are
Describe advantages and disadvantages of instrumental techniques over other analysis techniques (e.g. flame tests)
Interpret flame emission spectra to identify unknown elements in a mixture
Lesson resources include:
Complete and full powerpoints - including starter activities, challenge activities, tables of results, practical instructions, questions with complete answers
Student worksheets and practical sheets with instructions and tables for results (PDF and editable word versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and editable word versions)
Practical risk assessments/order forms (up to date with CLEAPPS data as of Oct 2023)
Relevant practice exam questions with mark schemes and examiners reports.
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging and interactive lesson package designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
**This lesson contains: **
Lesson powerpoint - including teaching notes and answers in “notes” section
Student led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to…
Describe what a chemical symbol is and explain why we use them
Identify elements from their chemical symbols using a periodic table
Classify chemical formulas as representing either elements or compounds
Understand how to count the number of atoms in a chemical formula containing subscripts
This lesson contains a student led lesson sheet, with the focus being on students learning through doing and practicing skills and identifying patterns and reasons themselves. Resources and slides ask students the key questions and develops ideas and concepts from the ground up.
This lesson contains AFL which makes use of molymods and mini-whiteboards, but can be adapted if these resources are not available.
An interactive powerpoint resource designed for distance learning from home.
Students can work their way through questions on the powerpoints and all answers are revealed within the slides.
By the end of this resource, students should be able to:
Know how an acid reacts with metals, metal oxides (bases), metal hydroxides (alkalis), and metal carbonates
Write general equations, word equations and balanced symbol equations for reactions of acids
HIGHER – Be able to write ionic equations for the reactions of acids
NOTE: Students should already have some idea how to balance an equation and work out the formula of an ionic compound before attempting this lesson.
Resource contains a PDF of a blank mechanism map for AS chemistry students studying the new Edexcel syllabus (2016 onwards).
There is a blank and completed version of the map containing all reactions, mechanisms, conditions etc… that students should know for AS Organic Chemistry (Topic 6)
