Whether you're at home or at school, you can use BBC Teach for free. Our website is home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
Whether you're at home or at school, you can use BBC Teach for free. Our website is home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
This film is from the series Bringing Books to Life 2 available on BBC Teach.
Paralympic basketball player and sports presenter Ade Adepitan reads extracts from ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ by Philippa Pearce, explaining why he loves the book, how it captured his imagination, and why he loves to read.
The real and animated worlds collide to reveal the wonder that is contained within the book.
Ade encourages us to read the book and discover the secrets of Tom’s magical and mysterious midnight garden for ourselves.
Teacher Notes
Students could write stories which have their name in the title as Ade suggests, for example Ade’s Midnight Garden.
Students could explore other literature set in imaginary worlds, for example The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Often fantasy books have an important social issue or theme disguised in them, for example the evacuation of children from London during World War Two in The Chronicles of Narnia.
Students could research the occurrence of measles in the book and how important this is to the story.
Curriculum Notes
These clips are suitable for teaching English and Literacy at Key Stage 1, 1st Level, Key Stage 2 and 2nd Level.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Biology Bites available on BBC Teach.
Science presenter, Jon Chase, investigates the effects of temperature, water and oxygen on seed germination.
He finds out that seeds germinate best in warm, moist and well-oxygenated conditions. He also looks at the effect fertiliser has on the rate of germination and plant growth.
Teacher Notes
Students could repeat the experiment seen in this short film using cress seeds. Do the students’ results reflect Jon Chase’s findings? Are temperature, water and oxygen the key factors?
The scientist interviewed says that water is the most important factor of the three. The scientist also says that fertilisers (nitrates) speed up germination (as well as plant growth). Does this match your students’ findings?
Students could then look at the fertilisation of plants, by placing pollen onto a stigma and observing it grow into a pollen tube.
Curriculum Notes
These short films will be relevant for teaching biology and science in general at KS3 and KS4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/5 in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series i.am Will Shakespeare available on BBC Teach.
Ricky Boleto and Leah Gooding visit Shakespeare’s Globe, the reconstruction of the London theatre which Shakespeare himself helped to finance when it was built in 1599.
They learn that, just like today, Elizabethan audiences wanted to be amazed by special effects: for example, magical appearances and disappearances of ghosts and devils using trapdoors hidden in the stage; or Titania, Queen of the Fairies, descending magically from the stage ceiling.
They also find out about Shakespeare’s audience – from the groundlings or penny stinkards who stood in the area called the pit, to the rich who sat in special decorated boxes.
We also find out that women didn’t act in Shakespeare’s time and that all the female parts were played by men – to find out how, Ricky is transformed into a Tudor woman!
With contributions from Michael Rosen, Farah Karim-Copper, Callum Coates and Patrick Spottiswoode.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could investigate the popular pastimes for adults and children during the Tudor period. How doe these compare to the pastimes of today?
They could choose one to have a go at.
As suggested in the clip, students could design a theatre from Shakespeare’s time and devise special effects that would excite audiences.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching English at KS2 in England and Wales, KS1/KS2 in Northern Ireland and 2nd Level in Scotland.
Using original music alongside quotations from the play, this short clip from BBC Teach provides a summary of the main themes in Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, and is part of a wider collection of Shakespeare Songs available on the BBC Teach website.
This clip can be used as a revision aid or watched after reading the text, to cement key points.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is taken from The Story of World War One with Jeremy Paxman available on BBC Teach.
Jeremy Paxman visits the Royal Gunpowder Mills in Essex to tell us about the million women who were employed in making munitions during World War One, and the dangers they faced from explosions and exposure to chemicals.
We hear about the huge increase in the quantity and speed of production as a result.
We see archive footage of the millions of British women who entered the workforce during World War One, taking part in a social revolution by making munitions and replacing absent men in their jobs. We hear about the huge demand for workers to make the munitions being rapidly used up in this new industrial war.
When David Lloyd George became Minister for Munitions in May 1915, he decided to recruit huge numbers of women to make up the shortfall. We see photos and archive footage of women working in factories, fields, as bus conductors and firefighters.
Teacher Notes
KS3 Use as a starter and example for a research project into local history featuring women in WW1. Draft two speeches by David Lloyd-George, first in 1914 trying to encourage women to work then another in 1918 celebrating their contribution.
KS4 GCSE/ National 5/Higher Use as part of a discussion about the greatest consequence of women in the work-place. Was it the social impact or the help towards victory that was the most significant?
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching History. This topic appears in at KS3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and OCR, Edexcel, AQA and WJEC/Eduqas GCSE/KS4 in England and Wales and CCEA GCSE in Northern Ireland. It also appears in National 5 and Higher in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Science of the Harvest available on BBC Teach.
Stefan Gates reveals the importance of the cold of winter for the development of summer fruit, through the mysterious process of vernalisation.
Using the example of an apple tree, he unpicks how vernalisation actually works.
Teacher Notes
This film could act as a stimulus for a project about the circadian and annual rhythms of plants.
Students could be taught about the way that plants have adapted to their environments.
Can students explain why deciduous plants drop their leaves, or pines have needles in place of leaves?
Can students identify how plants that live in tropical rainforests are different from those in alpine conditions?
The learning in this film could easily be extended to cover the annual cycles of these plants.
Students could look at the impact that poor weather has on farming in a more general sense.
What implications does global warming have for UK farmers? This may mean more rain as well as higher temperatures.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching Biology/Science at KS3 and KS4/GCSE in England and Wales.
Also at Third , Fourth Level, National 4, National 5 and Higher in Scotland.
This topic appears in OCR, Edexcel, AQA, WJEC, CCEA and SQA.
An engaging animated summary of medical progress through the medieval period from the series Medicine Through Time from BBC Teach.
Using authentic archival illustrations and diagrams this film brings to life the gruesome and bizarre practices that punctuated medical progress throughout the medieval period.
Narrated by actor and impressionist Duncan Wisbey, the pace is quick and tone irreverent.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This clip is from the BBC Teach series L8R Youngers 2, exploring the issues faced by a group of young school friends.
It follows the story of Julie, who gets picked on because she is not as physically developed as her peers. Her PE teacher gets her friends to help her overcome the bullying, but will it work long-term?
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
In this short film from the BBC Teach series, The Maths Show, mathematician and comedian Matt Parker breaks down key GCSE angle problems into easy steps, including internal angles of polygons and bearings, to help students struggling to get a passing mark.
The questions move through topics that are typical stumbling blocks for students, emphasizing, with graphics, methods to help remember key methods.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
Arek Hersh recounts his experience as a prisoner, at the age of only 14, in the notorious death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. This is from the series, Children of the Holocaust, from BBC Teach.
PLEASE NOTE: This short film contains disturbing scenes. Teacher review is recommended prior to use in class.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series The Maths Show, available on BBC Teach.
Mathematician and comedian Matt Parker simplifies the use of lines of best fit for students struggling to achieve a passing mark on the maths GCSE.
Looking at using lines of best fit, Matt explains how to draw these lines using data that your students are given and how to use those lines to interpret their data.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such,
students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may
utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set
out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with
the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education
content, you must comply with the [BBC’s Terms of
Use](https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/can-i-share-things-fromthe-
bbc/) and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring
that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the
content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or
any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When
you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of
use.
This film is from the series The Story of China available on BBC Teach.
The Taiping Rebellion was mostly a revolt by poor, rural peasants against their rich landlords, inspired by the religious pamphlets of an American missionary.
Historian Michael Wood calls it the ‘worst war of the 19th Century’. He explores the background to the revolt - the defeat in the Opium War, and rural poverty.
Hong, the leader, spent years in the rural South of China preparing the peasants for rebellion. Initially very successful, Hong, with the support of an army of one hundred thousand, was installed as Emperor in Nanjing.
China then had two governments - one traditional, the Qing in Beijing, the other revolutionary, in Nanjing, where the Taiping rebels created a classless society where private property was abolished.
Finally, in 1864, aided by Britain and the other western powers, the Qing were able to re-conquer Nanjing, defeating the Taiping Rebellion and reuniting China.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
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We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Divine Women available on BBC Teach.
Bettany Hughes explores Khadija’s life and her role in the founding of Islam.
Khadija’s early life and social position are outlined.
Bettany discusses the depth of the relationship between Khadija and the Prophet Muhammad with Professor Leila Ahmed of Harvard University.
They look at the transformation of Muhammad as he became the prophet of Islam and Khadija’s central role in this. They assess the importance of Khadija to the establishment of Islam in its crucial early days.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
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We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series A-Z of Religion and Beliefs available on BBC Teach.
Is God male, female, or both? This playful, fully animated summary takes students on a journey across religions and through history, exploring the fundamental role of the feminine in religion.
Hindu goddesses take centre stage as manifestations of the universe’s essence, and the role of enlightened female beings is also shown as central to Tibetan Buddhism.
After delving into the importance of female energy in Christianity, the short film introduces students to a very ancient lady, which many believe to be the mother of all religions and beliefs.
Teacher Notes
You could ask your students to research Hindu goddesses and discuss their relationship to Brahman.
Students could discuss whether the Christian, Jewish and Muslim God can have a gender, and research the role of goddesses in ancient animistic religions.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching KS3 Religious Studies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 3rd and 4th Level Religious and Moral Education in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
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c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Growth Mindset available on BBC Teach.
Meesha and Lucas are in a maths lesson.
Meesha is happy to take on the challenges set by the teacher, but Lucas is more reluctant.
Meesha has a growth mindset. She believes intelligence, talent and ability are open to change.
So she believes she can get better at maths. This means she tries, puts in effort and works hard to master the learning.
Lucas has a fixed mindset. He doesn’t believe he can get better at maths.
He thinks you’re either good at maths or your not. And he is definitely not good at maths.
Lucas and Meesha make different decisions about their learning because of their different mindsets.
As time goes on, Meesha and Lucas talk. Meesha explains that you can change your mindset - and she encourages Lucas to do this. Gradually, Lucas starts to think in a different way.
He starts to think that he can do maths, that he can get better. As he changes his mindset, so Lucas changes his behaviour. He starts to have a go, to keep trying and to persist.
We see him improve his maths skills as a result. Meesha and Lucas demonstrate the differences between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.
They show how each one influences your thoughts, actions and behaviours.
And they also show that anyone can develop a growth mindset, no matter who they are.
Teacher Notes
This could be used as an introduction to growth mindsets and a fantastic tool for helping learners reflect on how they think about learning and their own potential to develop.
Curriculum Notes
This clip is suitable for teaching PSHE/Modern Studies at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 1st and 2nd Level in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This films is from the series 100 Years of the Women’s Movement available on BBC Teach.
Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney traces the history of the women’s movement in Britain and discovers how women fought for equality in the workplace.
Gemma meets a one hundred-year-old woman who describes how work opportunities have changed for women over her lifetime.
In World War One and World War Two women did men’s jobs.
Women were not paid the same as men. In 1968 women working in the Ford Dagenham car factory went on strike for equal pay and to be classed as skilled workers. Gemma meets two women who took part in the Dagenham strike.
The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970 and Gemma asks if women today are equal at work with men.
Teacher Notes
Give students a series photographs of women over the last 70 years (including suffragettes, CND protestors, Women’s Lib activists and suited businesswomen) and ask what we can deduce about these women.
Students should then be divided into groups to research one of the women in their photograph.
Place the information gathered on a timeline of change. Students should consider how far attitudes have changed towards these women in their research.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching History. This topic appears in OCR, Edexcel, AQA, WJEC KS4/GCSE in England and Wales, CCEA GCSE in Northern Ireland and SQA National 4/5 in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Life on Planet Ant available on BBC Teach.
A leafcutter ant colony from Trinidad has been rescued and re-housed in a giant man-made nest in the UK, allowing an in-depth study into their normally hidden world. It’s the first time a man-made colony has been built on this scale and Professor Adam Hart gives four primary school scientists a tour.
The young scientists are not able to see the queen as she is hidden deep within the nest. But, in the lab, Adam is able to show them a similar queen from another leafcutter colony.
They learn that the queen is much larger than all the other ants, with the smaller ants that surround her tending to her every need.
The life cycle of ants is described; the queen lays the eggs which hatch into larvae and then change to become the ants in the colony.
When the eggs are laid they are all the same, but what and how much they are fed results in different kinds of ants, such as soldier ants and minima.
The ant colony is very clever; if it comes under attack it produces more soldier ants, and if they need more leaves they will grow more ants to become foragers.
Teacher Notes
Students could role-play how an ant colony adapts to outside forces. One student could be selected as the ‘queen’ and two others as worker ants. Everyone else could stand in a ‘holding zone’.
The ‘queen’ could tap students in the holding zone on the shoulder and they would then become ‘eggs’. Once the eggs are created, the worker ants should hand out different coloured bands, depending on whether the ant in the egg will become a soldier or a worker ant.
Once a few ants have been ‘born’, a caller could describe an outside force which is affecting the colony. For example, ‘another colony is attacking’. The workers should then hand out more ‘soldier’ bands. Outside forces should lead to killing a number of ants at once so that students can return to the holding zone, begin their life again as ‘eggs’ and continue the flow of the game. Examples include humans stepping on the colony, or doing battle with other ants.
Students could draw the different stages of the ant life cycle in the correct order.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching Science/Biology at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 2nd Level in Scotland.
This film is from the series Exploring the Past - Post-War Britain available on BBC Teach.
Fifteen-year-old Amba talks to her grandmother about her working life in the 1950s.
She left school at 14 and worked in food factories until she married at 17.
She returned to work part-time when her child went to school, in order to save up for expensive items such as a fridge, a washing machine and a car.
Dr Claire Langhamer from the University of Sussex puts this experience into context, saying that it reflects the experience of many women at the time who worked to earn extra money but saw their main job as a wife and mother.
Amba speaks to Patricia Barrett who worked in a bank for 35 years and never wanted to marry.
She explains how women were treated differently to men at her bank – they earned less, were put on temporary contracts when they got married and weren’t offered overseas postings.
Teacher Notes
This could be used to show how women faced restrictions in terms of job opportunities in the post-war period.
This could also be used to set up a discussion about laws preventing discrimination against women.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is relevant for teaching history at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 / GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 3, 4 and 5 in Scotland.
Some of the social issues highlighted could also be relevant for teacher Citizenship, PSHE or Modern Studies.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Shakespeare Unlocked - Julius Caesar available on BBC Teach.
Brutus explains to the crowd why the conspirators killed Caesar and then insists they stay to hear Mark Antony.
Antony gives an emotional eulogy over the dead body of his friend.
Teacher Notes
Before watching the scene, ask your students to write down what they know of the characters of Brutus and Mark Antony from the play so far.
How far do they see these characters as similar, and how far are they differentiated by Shakespeare?
How do they think each character will react to the death of Caesar?
Alternatively, you could write snippets from each speech onto cards (e.g. ‘as Caesar lov’d me, I weep for him’, ‘it were a grievous fault, and grievously hath Caesar answered it’), and ask students to try and decide which man is most likely to say each thing about Caesar.
Ask students to brainstorm ways to calm down an angry crowd.
Ask students to evaluate how effective Brutus’s speech is in excusing his actions.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is suitable for teaching GCSE English literature and drama in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/ 5 in Scotland.
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This film is from the series Wave World available on BBC Teach.
Jon Chase joins engineering students at Cambridge University hoping to win a race across Australia in their solar-powered car.
Today they are testing the 110 km/h car on an airfield.
They need as much power as possible, so the team uses solar cells normally used in space to power satellites.
Jon discovers how the cells use light to make electricity.But solar power isn’t all about electricity.
Plants are solar powered. And because we eat plants, this means most of us are solar-powered too.
The substance in plants that captures light energy is called chlorophyll.
Jon experiments with chlorophyll and finds out why green plants are green.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.