The author has over 20 years’ experience of teaching and has worked in wide range of schools with very diverse student groups. He holds an MSc in “Education and Technology in Science”. This lessons and scheme of work have been successfully trialed and refined in the classroom environment.
The author has over 20 years’ experience of teaching and has worked in wide range of schools with very diverse student groups. He holds an MSc in “Education and Technology in Science”. This lessons and scheme of work have been successfully trialed and refined in the classroom environment.
This practical is best supported with the Year 8 Chemistry C2 3.7 Polymers theory lesson available from my shop (or as part of a bundle). This practical is been based upon a Royal Society of Chemistry activity but made more pupil-friendly.
This bundle contains all six lessons from this topic, two KAHOOT quizzes, a bespoke word search and 3 practicals (complete with labelled diagrams, blank results table and safety information).
At the end there is also a DIRT feedback lesson using real (anonymous) students scripts, showing the common errors and misconceptions found in this topic and how to avoid them.
A complete digital Scheme of work.
This resource contains two lessons, a 6 slide theory lesson and a 9 slide practical lesson.
Lesson 1 - The theory lesson contains an introductory two slides which are designed to form the basis of a discussion about the pro's and cons of polymers (plastics) as a material.
Slides number 3, 4 and 5 contain links to You tube videos, each one is chosen to 'spark' a debate over our use of polymers.
Slide 6 is a book-work reference if you lack the time to carry out the practical this lesson.
Lesson 2 is a brilliant multi-stage practical from the RSC but translated as a presentation for the students to follow on the whiteboard. There is also a word document with instructions, resource list, health and safety and some of the more complex chemistry included.
The practical is messy, brilliant fun and fairly complex and probably works best with higher ability groups but shows that it is possible to make coloured, biodegradable plastics from natural polymers.
If you liked this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are lots more.
This 7 slide presentation contains both a short theory and a practical lesson.
The introductory three slides demonstrate/explain how a more reactive metal will displace (steal from) a less reactive one. This concept gives the theoretical underpinning to the practical.
Slide 4 shows how to set-up the practical along with safety information.
Slide 5 is a 'blank' results table to project onto a whiteboard - for students to complete as the results come in from the practical.
Slide 6 is a Cloze conclusion asking students to interpret their results to produce their own 'Reactivity Series'.
Slide 7 is a book-work reference if you lack the time to carry out the practical this lesson.
If you liked this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are many more.
This resource contains two lessons, a 5 slide theory lesson and a 5 slide practical lesson.
Lesson 1 - The theory lesson contains an introductory two slides which are designed to form the basis of a discussion about human civilisation and how we have progressed from stone tools to Bronze tools to Iron age tools and how this progress follows the Reactivity series due to the fact that the more reactive a metal is, the harder it is to extract from its Ore.
Slide number 4 uses the Flintstones to demonstrate the Chemistry of the reduction of Iron Oxide by Carbon and gives the theoretical underpinning to the practical.
Slide 5 is a book-work reference if you lack the time to carry out the practical this lesson.
Lesson 2 revisits both the understanding of what an 'Ore' is and the theory of how Iron oxide can be reduced by a more reactive element such as Carbon.
Slides 3 and 4 show how to set up the practical apparatus along with safety instructions (NB this can get messy and Iron oxide will stain clothes!).
The lesson ends with Slide 5 - a Cloze conclusion whereby students can prove that they have made Iron by collecting the fragments using a magnet. (NB. wait for the reaction mixture to cool down to avoid burns and the plastic covering the bar magnet melting).
If you liked this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are many more.
These two lessons compare and contrast the reactions of different metals with water.
Lesson 1 - the Metals and water practical is a 5 slide presentation which introduces the idea of metals reacting with water. The lesson looks at the position of metals in the reactivity series to help predict if a metal will react with water.
The last three slides are to show the students how to react magnesium with steam with images of how to set up the apparatus, safety information and a You Tube link to instructions (1min 19 seconds long) on slide number 3.
The lesson ends with book-work references to reinforce learning after the students have cleared away.
Lesson 2 is the classic Alkali metals in water. This 5 slide presentation is to support a teacher demonstration to show how vigorously the alkali metals react with water, again showing how their position in the Reactivity Series tells you how they are likely to react.
Slide number four contains a You Tube link to the famous Brainiac demonstration of Caesium and Rubidium in water.
If you like this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are many more.
This 9 slide presentation introduces the idea of metals burning using stunning images and a You Tube video of burning Iron wool with a long exposure (complete with safety information). It continues by discussing the three factors that determine the combustibility of a metal in air.
The second part of the lesson is the classic burning magnesium in a crucible complete with diagram, results table, safety instructions and a step-by-step visual guide provided by a You Tube video.
The quantitative practical shows not only how reactive metals can burn in air but also re-visits the Year 7 Conservation of Mass concept by weighing the magnesium before and the magnesium after.
The presentation concludes with a page reference to reinforce the learning and there is also a word-search included as a starter.
If you like this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are many more.
This lesson contains three parts and probably will take a double lesson.
The first, introductory presentation looks at where three different, common metals come from and introduces the ores of Zinc, Magnesium and Iron with a visual comparison with the pure, elemental metal. There is a slide showing a vast open-cast Haematite mine to show the scale of ore extraction to supply our demand for metals.
The second presentation is for the basic metal and dilute Hydrochloric acid practical.
It shows the basic method, safety and comes complete with a blank results table to project onto the whiteboard.
It also contains a Teacher Demonstration of how to collect the resultant Hydrogen gas - in order to demonstrate the characteristic 'squeaky pop' of ignited hydrogen.
Finally, there is a worksheet for more academic groups to learn how to name the salts produced from the reactions of the different metals with hydrochloric acid reactions.
If you like this lesson, please don't forget to review it and feel free to browse my shop where there are many more.
Many thanks
This bundle contains all six lessons from this topic, two KAHOOT quizzes, two bespoke word searches and two practicals (complete with labelled diagrams, blank results table and safety information).
At the end there is also a revision lesson and a DIRT feedback lesson (based on real students scripts) showing the common errors and how to avoid them.
A complete digital Scheme of work.
This download contains 2 presentations to end the topic.
A revision lesson based around designing a mind-map of the complete topic, including key concepts, words and diagrams.
A Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT) lesson which uses real scanned examples of (anonymous) students work to show best practice and common mistakes.
This is one of the most powerful tools that I have ever used to improve student grades.
This resource includes a theory lesson and the classic endothermic 'Dissolving Ammonium Nitrate' practical lesson - complete with labelled equipment diagram, safety information, results tables and a Cloze format conclusion.
An excellent resource for Science teachers who want an engaging lesson written by an experienced science teacher. The slides are colour coded by topic, contain All/Most/Some differentiated learning objectives, the current date and with 28-32 point Ariel font to enhance legibility.
The Author has over 20 years’ experience of working in a range of Schools and was awarded a Master’s Degree in 2008 in “Education and technology in Science” by Bristol University. This lesson (and scheme of work) has been successfully trialed in a state Academy and has been used (and improved each time) over three different classes.
If there are any typos, inaccuracies or comments you would like to report – please contact me as all feedback is most welcome.
Many thanks!
This resource includes a theory lesson and the classic 'burning Magnesium in a crucible' practical lesson complete with labelled equipment diagram, safety information, results tables and a Cloze format conclusion.
An excellent resource for Science teachers who want a fully resourced, engaging lesson written by an experienced science teacher.
The Author has over 20 years’ experience of working in a range of Schools and was awarded a Master’s Degree in 2008 in “Education and technology in Science” by Bristol University. This lesson (and scheme of work) has been successfully trialed in a state Academy and has been used (and improved each time) over three different classes.
If there are any typos, inaccuracies or comments you would like to report – please contact me as all feedback is most welcome.
Many thanks!
This lesson includes two Thermal Decomposition practicals - Calcium Carbonate and Copper Carbonate and includes labelled equipment diagrams, results tables and Cloze format Conclusions as well as relevant safety precautions.
There is also a word-search for those students that have completed the practical.
An excellent resource for Science teachers who want a colourful engaging lesson written by an experienced science teacher.
The Author has over 20 years’ experience of working in a range of Schools and was awarded a Master’s Degree in 2008 in “Education and technology in Science” by Bristol University. This lesson (and scheme of work) has been successfully trialed in a state Academy and has been used (and improved each time) over three different classes.
If there are any typos, inaccuracies or comments you would like to report – please contact me as all feedback is most welcome.
Many thanks!
This lesson is differentiated to cater to a less academic audience than the original texts were intended. The Activate 1 book has a reading age of 11-12 years, however, many year 7 students have a reading age below their chronological age and this Presentation was written with those students in mind.
This single lesson includes a simple yet wonderful practical that uses simple practical observations to explain how a candle works and contains a KAHOOT quiz as a plenary.
An excellent resource for Science teachers who want a colourful engaging lesson written by an experienced science teacher. The slides are colour coded by topic, contain All/Most/Some differentiated learning objectives, the current date and with 28-32 point Ariel font to enhance legibility.
The Author has over 20 years’ experience of working in a range of Schools and was awarded a Master’s Degree in 2008 in “Education and technology in Science” by Bristol University. This lesson (and scheme of work) has been successfully trialed in a state Academy and has been used (and improved each time) over three different classes.
If there are any typos, inaccuracies or comments you would like to report – please contact me as all feedback is most welcome.
Many thanks!
