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.
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
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
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
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the human skeleton, including teaching students some of the names/positions of key bones in the body as well as the structure and function of bones. There are several versions of the student led activity that can be tailored to teacher/class needs.
This lesson may require students to have access to the internet.
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint including teacher guidance and answers
Student worksheets (PDF and Editable versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable versions)
Lesson Objectives:
Label some of the main bones in the skeleton
Describe the structure of a bone
Describe the functions of the skeletal system
This lesson is a KS3 biology lesson covering the structure of the lungs, the basic process of gas exchange in the lungs, and the differences in composition between inhaled and exhaled air.
This lesson contains:
Risk assessment for lung dissection demonstration
Risk assessment for student practical
Student worksheet (PDF and Word)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Word)
Lesson powerpoint - including gas exchange animation!
Lesson Objectives:
Name the key parts of the lungs
Define the process of gas exchange
Describe how parts of the gas exchange system are adapted to their function
Compare inhaled and exhaled air
WS: Read data from pie charts and draw conclusions
This lesson is a KS3 biology lesson covering the definition of organ systems, examples of organ systems and their functions.
This lesson contains 3 different versions of the main activity for you to use depending on your class disposition and access to computers.
This lesson contains:
Powerpoint (containing relevant video links and answers)
Student worksheet (PDF and Editable)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable)
Student Card Sort (Large around the room version and pairs version)
Lesson Objectives:
Define the term “organ system”
Identify some of the key organ systems in the human body and what they do
Describe the hierarchy of organisation in a multicellular organism
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 lesson covers the KS3 national curriculum on unicellular organisms, focusing primarily on euglena and amoeba.
This lesson looks at what unicellular organisms are as well as their parts and what each part does, and how they are similiar/different to animal/plant cells.
Lesson Objectives:
Know what a unicellular organism is
Name 2 examples of unicellular organisms
Describe the features of an amoeba
Describe the features of an euglena
This lesson resource includes:
Interactive lesson powerpoint with answers, teacher delivery guidance and plenary task
Student led reading task worksheet with questions (PDF and editable)
Reading task answer sheet (PDF and Editable)
This lesson covers the KS3 biology curriculum looking at diffusion in cells and describing the movement of some of the key particles that move in and out of cells.
Lesson objectives:
Name some substances that move into and out of cells
Describe the process of diffusion
Describe examples of diffusion in cells
This Lesson Contains:
Complete lesson powerpoint with animations, video clip link, student tasks and guidance for teachers
Student gap fill worksheet for higher and lower ability (differentiated) (PDF and Editable versions)
Answer sheet for student gap fill
This lesson covers the KS3 basics of animal cells, including their basic structure, the function of each part of the animal cell, and how to observe animal cells (cheek cells) under a microscope.
This Lesson Includes
Lesson powerpoint with full answers, guidance for teachers in delivery and engaging activities designed for EAL and AEN students, interactive plenary multiple choice quiz, challenge tasks for higher ability students
Practical order form/risk assessment
CLEAPPS Guidance on practical completion
Student key note/worksheet (PDF and Editable word versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable word versions)
Lesson objectives
State what a cell is
Name the different parts of an animal cell
Describe the function of each part of an animal cell
Use a microscope to view animal cells (cheek cells)
This complete lesson teaches students the parts of the microscope, how to use one, what they’re used for, and how to calculate magnification.
This lesson contains:
Complete lesson powerpoint, including mini-whiteboard AFL tasks for calculating magnification and full answers
Student handout sheet (with and without hints for AEN students)
Plenary task
Lesson Objectives
Name the parts of a microscope
Describe how to use a microscope to observe very small objects
Calculate the total magnification used to observe an object
View and focus objects under a microscope
This lesson covers examples of specialised cells, their adaptations and how those adaptations make them suited for their function.
**This lesson resource includes: **
Complete lesson powerpoint
Student led circus investigation task sheet (PDF and editable versions)
Answer sheet (PDF and editable versions)
Information cards for task on different specialised cells (PDF and editable versions)
Automatically checking multiple choice plenary quiz (great for mini-whiteboard AFL)
Lesson Objectives
Know what a specialised cell and an adaptation is
Give some examples of specialised cells
Identify and describe the adaptations of some specialised cells
Explain how an adaptation makes a specialised cell good at its function
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
A lesson covering instrumental analysis and flame emission spectroscopy for the AQA Triple Chemistry GCSE specficiation. Applicable to both higher and foundation candidates.
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:
Lesson powerpoint - including starter, example spectra, spectra analysis example and advantages/disadvantages task
Exam questions covering instrumental analysis, flame spectra analysis, and ion identification questions with full mark schemes.
A full lesson outlining the basic GCSE structure of the atom, the position and charges of the subatomic particles inside it. A part of the course which is sometimes difficult to teach in a fun and interactive/discovery based way, this lesson will help students to discover information and make connections themselves. Students will hopefully not only learn the charges and masses and positions of subatomic particles, but gain an appreciation of scale and relative mass, as well as understand some of the reasons behind the structure of the atom and the reason we draw it the way we do.
This lesson includes:
Powerpoint - including key notes, delivery tips, modelling ideas, interactive class activities and key hinge/get-them-thinking questions, tips on dealing with common misconceptions
Multiple choice interactive plenary activity
Full answers
Lesson Objectives
Describe what a subatomic particle is
Describe the structure of an atom in terms of subatomic particles
Give the positions, relative mass and charge of the three subatomic particles
A full lesson resource teaching students how to use the periodic table (mass number and atomic number) to count the numbers of subatomic particles in an atom. This lesson also covers the definition of “isotopes”. This lesson also dual codes this information with atomic diagrams and periodic table squares to cement student understanding of where these numbers come from, while also being a great support for EAL and SEN students. Great for “I do, we do, you do” activities and can be easily added to and extended if more examples and practice are needed by a given class.
Lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including whole class whiteboard AFL activities, core hinge/thinking questions, full answers and notes to aid in lesson delievery and structure
Student worksheet
Exam style questions with mark scheme
Lesson Objectives:
Know what the numbers on the periodic table mean
Use the periodic table to count the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom
Predict atomic number and mass number from the numbers of subatomic particles
Define the term “isotope” and identify examples of them
A lesson resource for teaching the possible applications, advantages and disadvantages of nanoparticles and nanotechnology.
Lesson/Resource Outcomes:
State possible uses of nanoparticles
Describe advantages of using nanoparticles
Describe some of the possible risks of using nanoparticles
Resource contains
Student worksheet (pdf and word doc)
Complete answer sheet (pdf and word doc)
5 A4/A3 printable information/newspaper article sheets (Reading level 3-4) on the uses of nanoparticles in medicine, electronics, cosmetics, clothing and catalysts
Exam question set on nanotechnology & mark schemes
A quick and simple student led activity designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry (Triple and Double award) explaining how crude oil is formed from plankton.
Students should put the cartoon panels in the right order, then match the correct description to each panel.
This can be a cut and stick activity or a numbering/line drawing activity.
Good for SEN and students in need of visual cues and support.
Resource download includes PDF and Editable Powerpoint versions.
This lesson is the fourth lesson in the “Space” topic and covers why we get different length days and different temperatures at different times of year. The lesson contains a mini-student practical, animated gifs to illustrate concepts clearly, AFL miniwhiteboard tasks to assess understanding, and a link to an online modelling software that really helps students understand the changing angles and position of the sun at different times of year.
This lesson is designed to be easy to teach, student led and is ideal for non-specialist teachers.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including activity delivery instructions and tips for teachers, full answers, gif illustrations, simulation link, plenary task, AFL whiteboard tasks and discussion activities
Lesson Objectives:
Explain the apparent motion of objects in the sky
Explain why hours of daylight and temperature change during the year
Describe seasonal changes in different places on Earth
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging, and interactive lesson package designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind.
This lesson covers content from GCSE AQA Chemistry and Combined Science Trilogy.
It covers the properties, structure and bonding in graphite and diamond, as well as explaining the key properties of diamond and graphite (electrical conductivity, melting point, hardness) to its structure and bonding.
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes, delivery instructions and answers in “notes” section
Bank of exam style questions on graphite and diamond taken from past AQA papers with mark schemes (PDF and editable versions)
Printable images of graphite and diamond for students to annotate (PDF and editable versions)
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
AFL mini-whiteboard tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities and alternative task for lower ability classes
Colour coding throughout to aid EAL, SEN and other learners
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Full answers to all questions (mostly automated into slides to make it easier for you to deliver)
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
State some properties of diamond and graphite
Compare the properties of diamond and graphite
Compare the structure and bonding in diamond and graphite
Explain the similarities and differences in the properties of diamond and graphite in terms of structure and bonding