Three Thinking Activities 1 - Linking Thinking: This can be adapted for any subject, it can use images or text, be a starter, a plenary or as an activity in the middle of a lesson, or at the end of a sequence of learning. The second slide offers prompts to help stimulate discussions. It can be left on the board or could used as handout. It offers students the opportunity to reflect and hyper-analyse their learning, whilst increasing their learning capital. By making these links, students are able to see the relevance and how useful this learning is, and from this, they become more engaged. It gives students an opportunity to organise their thoughts, to stimulate interesting discussions, make links between the knowledge and skills that they have developed in and around different subjects, thus building their capital and valuing the importance of their learning in each subject, and how it links to other areas of the curriculum and life. 2 - Odd One Out: This can be adapted for any subject, it can use images or text, be a starter, a plenary or as an activity in the middle of a lesson. It can be left on the board or could used as handout. It offers students the opportunity to think outside of the box, to disseminate and synthesise their ideas, think critically, justify their choices using evidence... It gives students an opportunity to organise their thoughts and communicate them verbally or build their literacy skills. It is a really flexible, open-ended, open-minded task. It could be delivered with one or two correct answers, or have no definitive answer. 3 - Thinking Outside The Box: This can be adapted for any subject, it can use images or text, be a starter, a plenary or as an activity in the middle of a lesson. It can be left on the board or could used as handout. It offers students the opportunity to think outside of the box, to disseminate and synthesise their ideas, think critically, justify their choices using evidence... It gives students an opportunity to organise their thoughts, to stimulate interesting discussions, make links between the knowledge and skills that they have developed in and around different subjects, thus building their capital and valuing the importance of their learning in each subject, and how it links to other areas of the curriculum and life.

A variety of resources for teaching KS3 and GCSE topics on PLANTS! BONUS: a concise look at how glucose and starch levels can fluctuate according to whether it is night or day in “The Purposeful Processes of Percy and Patricia” - it is differentiated and students are motivated to complete this fun and engaging question sheet.

Updated with new chemistry resources: elements and compounds worksheets, formulae activities, etc, etc. Numeracy task (“all matters”) to help students to figure out the composition of gases in the air - independent and student-led (with extension task). Easy to differentiate further. Summary task of “atoms, elements and compounds” with answers. Word cloud for students to annotate, draw diagrams for, summarise their learning… use for spelling tests, make questions using the words, play Taboo, word splat, mind map, etc…

A variety of student-led/ student-paced resources to help them learn more about the digestive system and its organs. Gap fills, match ups and other types of activities to maintain student engagement and slowly build their confidence and mastery.

Student-led and independent carousel activity looking at the effects of exercise and smoking on the body. Includes: - effects of smoking on lungs and blood - effects of anaerobic respiration on the body - tests for carbon dioxide - linking smoking with anaerobic respiration

Student-led independent carousel on the lungs, the functions of the lungs and how they are adapted to carry out ventilation and gas exchange. Works well for a range of KS3 abilities and lower ability KS4 students. Labelling diagrams. Odd one out. Describing air movement. Gas exchange diagrams. Mistaken diagrams. Structures and functions. Ventilation.

The history of microscopes. Scientific drawings. How to use a microscope. Modelling cells. Labelling cells. Describing functions of organelles. Questions. Can be differentiated and simplified easily for KS3 and extensions easily added for KS4. This is a really useful lesson. Pick and choose what you'd like from a variety of different tasks.

This is designed for GCSE students (iGCSE Edexcel) but can easily be adapted for other specifications and age groups. I simplified it very easily for high ability KS3 students. A very detailed lesson which follows a flow diagram of exam questions to guide students independently to progress through the activities. VERY STUDENT LED. How it works: - Students attempt Q1 then self-assess - If the student achieves full marks, they may move onto the Q2. - If the student does not achieve full marks, then they must work through the related task. Then self-assess. Then re-attempt the exam question. - Student moves through the questions in the same manner... Teacher can play a facilitator role; encourage, as well as answer any questions the students may have.

Several different activities that can be used to teach KS3 and KS4 students about nutrients, digestion & enzymes and the digestive system. Enjoy :-)

A comprehensive overview of the classification of organisms into the five kingdoms. Range of activities, useful depending on time constraints. The grid (with kingdoms in the middle and characteristics/ examples around the outside) works great as a handout. Students can attempt to complete this at the start of the lesson and complete it throughout/ at the end of the lesson.

Some resources to help with the teaching of the different nutrient cycles. These can be adapted for KS3 and GCSE students.

A variety of student-led activities that engage and stimulate student interest in an ‘Acids and Bases’ topic. These resources can be used for Key Stage 3 (from Year 7) to GCSE. They require some adaptation to meet the needs of your students. These activities range from what acids and bases are, word equations, practicals, safety and indicators.

A selection of resources on the different ways plants can reproduce. These can be adapted for KS3 and GCSE. Worksheets and activities. BONUS - the asexual reproduction tasks are differentiated and scaffolded for students to independently access and complete (and with whimsical characters!).

A variety of resources exploring the rocks topics, from sedimentary rocks and limestone, metamorphic to igneous and volcanoes, and some metal ores (just for fun!) - theyse resources are varied, engaging and challenging. They can be adapted for different ages and abilities. Some of these resources are already differentiated for your ease and pleasure, with a sprinkling of literacy focus thrown in. PRIDE AND JOY (because who doesn't love limestone?!) - Limestone: Student-led independent tasks with supporting information and differentiated questions. Colour-coordinated questions to help guide students to challenge themselves.

A selection of pre-made “Word of the Day” or “Word of the Week” worksheets, accompanying poster (which should be laminated) along with a general proforma that can be adapted for almost any word of your own choosing. It is scaffolded in such a way that the majority of students can access the learning, with a dictionary or access to a search engine. This is a Powerpoint file so you are able to change and adapt this for your class.

Newton’s Second Law worksheet, using f = ma calculations. Some introductory calculations then contextual calculations and questions about cars and the animal kingdom. Answers included.

Resources that offer scaffolded, differentiated questions linking the concepts of Work Done, Gravitational Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy and the Conservation of Energy. Interesting contexts, one is a little humorous.

Worksheet 1: Calculating the hypothetical momentum of a rugby player if they were travelling at their top speed. Worksheet 2: Conservation of momentum worksheet, differentiated so all students can access the concept.

Activities for looking into the scientists behind evolution (Lamarck, Wallace and Darwin); comparisons between natural selection and artificial selection, and evolution and speciation; evidence for evolution (including biogeography, fossils and dating and comparative anatomy. A bit of everything, but will cover most of your teaching of this topic. I hope you enjoy teaching with it as much as I did :-)

A variety of activities which allow students to learn about the properties of different substances, including metals and non-metals.