Maths in GCSE Science REVISION (OCR Gateway A)

This revision lesson has been designed to challenge the students on their use of a range of mathematical skills that could be assessed on the six OCR Gateway A GCSE Combined Science papers. The mathematical element of the GCSE Combined Science course has increased significantly since the specification change and therefore success in those questions which involve the use of maths can prove to be the difference between one grade and another or possibly even more.

The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resources contain a wide range of activities that include exam-style questions with displayed mark schemes and explanations so that students can assess their progress. Other activities include differentiated tasks, class discussion points and quick quiz competitions such as “It doesn’t HURT to CONVERT”, “YOU DO THE MATH” and “FILL THE VOID”.

The following mathematical skills (in a scientific context) are covered in this lesson:

• The use of Avogadro’s constant
• Rearranging the formula of an equation
• Calculating the amount in moles using mass and relative formula mass
• Calculating the relative formula mass for formulae with brackets
• Using the Periodic Table to calculate the number of sub-atomic particles in atoms
• Changes to electrons in ions
• Balancing chemical symbol equations
• Empirical formula
• Converting between units
• Calculating concentration in grams per dm cubed and volumes of solutions
• Calculating size using the magnification equation
• Using the mean to estimate the population of a sessile species
• Calculating percentages to prove the importance of biodiversity
• Calculating percentage change
• The BMI equation
• Calculating the acceleration from a velocity-time graph
• Recalling and applying the Physics equations
• Understanding prefixes that determine size
• Leaving answers to significant figures and using standard form

Helpful hints and step-by-step guides are used throughout the lesson to support the students and some of the worksheets are differentiated two ways to provide extra assistance.

Due to the detail of this lesson, it is estimated that it will take in excess of 3 hours of GCSE teaching time to cover the tasks and for this reason it can be used over a number of lessons as well as during different times of the year for revision