A fun way of getting pupils to look at graphs in Science. Could be used as a starter or pleanary. Print the interpreting graphs activity out and laminate to make four different colour, double sided cards. Organise pupils into groups of two or three and provide each group with a set of four cards. Introduce the activity using the first page of the Power Point. Pupils use the clues on the back of the cards to help them describe what is happening in each graph, answers can then be shared as a class using the Power Point.

A simple Power Point and worksheet to help introduce pupils to the idea of a limiting reagent.

A lesson aimed at Year 7 -8 pupils with a split focus on learning the colour of Universal Indicator at different pHs and the role of an environmental chemist. Pupils imagine they are environmental chemists working for Scottish Water, responding to reports of dead fish being discovered in a loch. Scottish water has some nice little animations that help demonstrate the role of environmental chemists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWLYN1MmnQE . In the first part of the lesson you will need to provide pupils with clearly labeled solutions of strong and weak acids and alkalis, plus a neutral solution (I usually use bench or 1M hydrochloric, ethanoic, water, ammonia and sodium hydroxide). Pupils combine these in spotting tiles with universal indicator solution to determine the different colours at different pH. You can then share and self mark their findings. In the second part of the lesson provide pupils with water samples taken from sites A to D. A and B should contain no lead and be only slightly acidic, C should be more acidic and contain lead nitrate solution (lead and acid are common contaminants from copper extraction). I usually make D contain slightly less lead and slightly less acidic (it is nice to discuss with pupils why this might be the case/dilution). Pupils test with potassium iodide (for lead) and Universal Indicator. In a 1hr/50min lesson there should just be time to summarise the lesson’s learning and share conclusions. Extension challenge for early finishers also included.

Worksheets that are useful for pupils to stick into their books when they start the AQA GCSE Chemistry course. They list and give examples of all the different command words, plus contain a break down of what the papers will be like and the types of questions they will contain. Helpful to refer to when carrying out past paper walk and talks etc. In Word for ease of editing and PDF for printing.

Selection of solutions resources. Including two ppts of core notes. Key words worksheet, HW work sheet and a couple of sheets relating to possible pracs and demos. Also a stepping stones frame work for students to use to plan a method for obtaining pure salt from rock salt. Beat the teacher is a simple plenary - you read the script out loud, students put their hands up when they hear a mistake, but most importantly offer a correction.

Aimed at helping to teach the difference between chemical and physical changes.

A selection of resources aimed at making rocks a bit more interesting! Please read the Teacher Instructions sheet about how to use each resource - I promise I've kept it brief!

Resources aimed a teaching pupils about/summarising chemical reactions (reactants and products, conservations of mass etc.), but also helping to develop revision technique - specifically the skill of identifying the most important points in a text and condensing them down into bullet points. I usually set the Chemical Reactions Notes Homework first and then plan the subsequent based upon the responses! One of the nice things about this homework is that it is super quick to mark because pupils are limited to writing four short sentences. In the follow up lesson I have lots of discussion with the pupils about how they were able to determine the most important points - what clues does the text contain? For example - subtitles, key words in bold/a different colour. We then complete the other two worksheets.

To help ease Year 11 pupils into revision, a chart of short activities they can engage in. Best printed on A3.

Print onto thin card. Pupils to cut them out and write the answers on the back. They then use them to test themselves as per the instructions on the top.

Simple worksheet, which I usually print half size. Pupils look at the pictures and have to determine which side of the fire triangle is being removed/about to be removed.

Worksheets for the required practicals including instructions and tips and typical questions.

An activity designed to help pupils reflect on why a particular reaction pathway is chosen taking into account atom economy, yield, rates and usefulness of by-products. Introduce the LO and activity instructions using the first few pages of the Power Point. Arrange pupils into groups of two or three and provide them with the Aspirin synthesis worksheet. They have to use the information on the sheet to work out the atom economy for the two possible reaction pathways and use this, along with the useful information below to determine which of the two routes they will use. They also need to decide what sort of conditions they might use, catalyst and if they will sell any by products. It is a good idea to get them to record their choices, (maybe on a min white board) and share these with the class. They all begin with their shares at £10.00 each. Open the trading floor by moving onto the slide that says SALE SALE SALE! Share this with the class and get them to adjust their share prices accordingly. Try and build the drama as you read through each slide. THe winning groups are those whose shares are worth the most at ‘the end of trading’/when you have exhausted all the slides!