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.
A comprehensive, complete, engaging and challenging set of lessons and activities to teach students the basics of elements, compounds, mixtures and chemical formulas. This scheme/package is designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind!
Lessons included in this bundle:
Elements and Compounds
Chemical Formulas
Counting atoms in a Formula
Pure Substances
Mixtures
Included in each lesson:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes and answers in “notes” section
Student-led lesson worksheet
Teacher answer sheet
Lesson resources contain:
In-built stretch and challenge tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities
Various AFL activities to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources (these include “think, pair, share”, molymod activities, mini-whiteboard quizzes)
Relevant risk assessments for any practical work (updated as of March 2023)
By the end of the topic, students will:
Know what an “element” and a “compound” is
Describe the difference between an element and a compound
Know what an “atom” and a “molecule” are
Describe the difference between an atom and a molecule
Draw/make particle diagrams and models to represent elements, compounds, single atoms and molecules
Understand why scientists use chemical symbols to represent elements
Identify simple elements from their chemical symbols
Identify elements in a chemical formula
Classify chemical formulas as elements or compounds
Count the number of atoms in a basic formula
Identify elements in a chemical formula
Count the number of atoms in formulas containing subscripts
Count the number of atoms in formulas containing multipliers
Describe what a pure substance is
Identify examples of pure substances in everyday life
Identify pure substances from particle diagrams and examples
Carry out a practical investigation to identify pure substances
Describe what a mixture is
Give examples of mixtures in everyday life
Identify mixtures from particle diagrams and examples
Draw/make models representing mixtures
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
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.
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the function of muscles, the names of some major muscles in the human body, antagonistic muscles pairs and a practical to measure muscle fatigue. This lesson also comes with two alternative student led practical investigations.
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint (with teacher delivery notes, interactive plenary, challenge tasks throughout and careers links)
Student worksheet (For practical Option 1) (PDF and editable word)
Lesson Objectives:
Describe what a muscle is and give some examples
Describe how muscles cause movement in the body
Describe how antagonistic muscles control movement at a joint
Investigate the strength of muscles
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…
Identify elements in chemical formula (using a periodic table)
Count the number of atoms in formulas containing subscripts
Count the number of atoms in formulas containing multipliers
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.
A comprehensive, engaging 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
Elements, Compounds and Mixtures printable decision tree
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 a mixture is
Give examples of mixtures in every day life
Identify mixtures from particle diagrams and examples
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.
This lesson contains AFL tasks which require mini-whiteboards and molymods, but can be adapted if these are not available.
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
This lesson is designed for AQA combined and triple chemistry.
This lesson builds on the previous lesson (Introduction to Electrolysis) where students looked at the basic set up for electrolysis and predicted which ion would be attracted to which electrode and why.
This lesson introduces the keywords anode, cathode, anion, cation, as well describing if ions gain or lose electrons at an electrode and are oxidised/reduced.
**Lesson Objectives: **
Identify anions and cations
Explain the movement of metal and non-metal ions to the anode and cathode
Describe and explain what happens to ions at the anode and cathode
Identify if an element is being oxidised or reduced at the electrode
This Lesson Contains:
Complete lesson powerpoint with teaching guidance in notes section, complete answers for all tasks, mini-whiteboard AFL assessment quizzes, animations to describe the movement of ions and the gain or loss of electrons in electrolysis
A printable cheat sheet for students explaining definitions and which ion is attracted to which electrode (editable and PDF)
This is a KS3 physics lesson covering what forces are, common forces and identifying them in simple examples, contact vs non-contact forces, and how to measure forces.
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint (with teacher delivery notes, practical investigation, mini-whiteboard afl quizzes, and challenge tasks throughout)
Matching forces and descriptions worksheet (PDF and editable versions)
**Lesson objectives: **
Explain what forces are
Compare different types of forces
Describe how to measure forces and give the unit of force
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 lesson is designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry and introduces electrolysis as a way of extracting metals from ores/metal compounds.
Lesson Objectives:
Name the parts of the electrolysis practical
Carry out a basic practical for the electrolysis of copper chloride
Predict the products of the electrolysis of a molten salt
Explain why we use electrolysis to extract metals
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson Powerpoint, including all answers and powerpoint notes to aid delivery and challenge tasks and mini-whiteboard AFL quiz
Blank electrolysis diagram handout for printing (editable and PDF)
Student worksheet/table (editable and PDF)
Complete answers
Practical risk assessment and instructions
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the structure and types of joints in the body and includes the chicken leg dissection along with pre-made risk assessment and alternative written task for students who opt-out (all with answer sheets!).
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint
Student worksheet and answer sheet (PDF and editable word)
Alternative work (for students who do not want to do the dissection) and answer sheet (PDF and editable word)
Lesson Objectives:
Name and give examples of the types of joint found in the human body
Describe the role of joints in movement
Label the structure of a joint
Carry out the dissection of a joint
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 (including practical worksheet)
Teacher answer sheet
Practical risk assessment/order form
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 a pure substance is
Identify examples of pure substances in every day life
Identify pure substances from particle diagrams and examples
Carry out a practical investigation to identify pure substances
This lesson contains a student led lesson and practical which focuses on students learning through discussion and investigation.
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 lesson covers what longitudinal and transverse waves are, the features of both kinds of waves, examples of these waves and what happens when waves meet barriers or each other. This is a perfect introduction lesson to KS3 topic on sound and waves.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including instructions for key demonstrations of both types of waves, full answers, plenary tasks, AFL whiteboard and discussion activities
Student worksheet (PDF and editable version)
Student worksheet answers sheet (PDF and editable version)
Lesson Objectives
Name the two different types of waves and label their features
Give an example of each kind of wave
Describe what happens when waves hit a barrier
Describe what happens when waves superimpose
A full lesson designed for GCSE chemistry AQA specification.
This lesson covers the case study of the extraction of aluminium oxide, the role of cryolite, what happens to the aluminium and oxide ions at the electrodes, and the need for the replacement of the positive electrode.
This lesson contains
A lesson powerpoint including all useful youtube video links, interactive plenary multiple choice quiz, electroplating challenge task and complete answers.
A guided reading activity with quesitons and complete answer sheet (PDF and editable versions)
An alternative information hunt sheet to be used with videos and/or the AQA GCSE Chemistry textbook, with complete answers (PDF and editable versions)
Video clip to aid in completion of both sheets
Lesson Objectives
State two reasons why extracting aluminium oxide from its ore is expensive
Describe why cryolite is added to aluminium oxide during electrolysis
Describe and explain what happens to ions at the positive and negative electrode (and give relevant half equations (Higher only))
Explain why the positive electrode must continually be replaced
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the defintions of tissues and organs, examples of both in humans and plants, and the functions of some of the key organs.
This lesson may require students to have access to the internet.
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint including teacher guidance and answers
Student worksheet (PDF and Editable versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable versions)
Lesson Objectives:
Define the terms “tissue” and “organ”
Identify some of the key organs in the human body
Identify some of the key organs in plants
Describe what some key organs do
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the physical changes that happen in our bodies when we breathe (limited to diaphragm, rib cage and lung volume) as well as using the bell jar demonstration of the effect of pressure on lung volume. This lesson also contains a practical to measure lung volume and manipulate the data of that practical.
This lesson contains:
Teacher powerpoint - including teacher guidance and answers
Student printable table (PDF and Word)
Lesson Objectives:
Describe the physical changes that occur when a person inhales and exhales
Describe a method used to estimate lung volume
WS: Measure lung volume
Correlate and analyse data from a practical experiment to draw conclusions
A resource for AS and A-Level students to help practice naming and drawing alkanes, alkenes, alcohols and haloalkanes using the IUPAC naming system. Students can practice structural, displayed and skeletal formula drawing as well as naming in this booklet.
All answers included.
Designed for the UK curriculum (OCR, AQA, Edexcel)
This resource contains a worksheet where students can practice drawing ionic bonding for a range of examples.
Examples get harder as the sheet progresses. First questions are structured with electron shells and brackets drawn for them.
Resource contains PDF copy and an editable PPT version.
Fully drawn answer sheet attached at the end of each document.
