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Active Science

Average Rating3.94
(based on 10 reviews)

A specialist science shop featuring hands-on and minds-on activities all designed to promote both thinking and learning. I'm a very experienced teacher with advanced skills teacher (AST) and specialist leader of education (SLE) accreditation under my belt.

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A specialist science shop featuring hands-on and minds-on activities all designed to promote both thinking and learning. I'm a very experienced teacher with advanced skills teacher (AST) and specialist leader of education (SLE) accreditation under my belt.
Electron arrangement, atomic structure,  and the Periodic Table
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Electron arrangement, atomic structure, and the Periodic Table

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A suite of three highly engaging activities to help students relate sub-atomic structure and electron configuration to the periodic table 1 Periodic Table Bingo uses real bingo cards and can get very competitive 2 An outline, blank periodic table (featuring the first 20 elements) which students complete by drawing in the electrons in each of the atoms 3 A worksheet designed to help students see the link between number of shells and period and number of outer electrons and group.
Introduction to Errors
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Introduction to Errors

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A teacher led demonstration activity to help students understand how errors in measurement are inevitable. The accompanying worksheet allows students to record the errors as they occur in the demonstration and then provides an opportunity to think through what they learnt.
Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
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Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

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Here are teacher instructions for demonstrating three exciting exothermic reactions along with one that is endothermic. To follow up there is a student worksheet which introduces energy level diagrams.
Balancing Chemical Equations
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Balancing Chemical Equations

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This activity is the best method I've even found for helping students understand how to balance equations. In my experience, every child in the class, has been able to achieve success, even if it takes them longer than other. The activity requires at least a modest supply of molymod (or similar) atomic models. Two accompanying worksheets provide a structured opportunity to consolidate and stretch.
Ions, Ionic Formulae and Ionic Bonds
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Ions, Ionic Formulae and Ionic Bonds

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This suite of materials is designed to lead students through the details of ionic compounds The atoms and ions worksheet helps students understand how ions are formed from atoms. Follow it up with formulae activity where students where pairs of students have to work out the formula and the name of a compound formed from two ions randomly drawn from a pack. Finally, there's a worksheet with a structured, step wise approach to develop students ideas about ionic bonding.
Chemicals on Earth
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Chemicals on Earth

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Here are three activities to introduce students to the range of naturally occurring chemicals found on planet Earth. They are designed to develop student's skills of interpretation and analysis. Students first label a diagram of the planet to show its different components. They then extract information from a table and interpret it to discover more about the some of the chemicals found on Earth. Finally a set of chemical cards are sorted into a Venn diagram
Covalent  molecules
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Covalent molecules

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In this bundle you'll find:- - a starter activity modelling air and the covalent molecules it contains - details of a teacher led demonstration showing that covalent molecules do not conduct electricity - an activity to help students draw representations of covalent molecules along with some extension activities - 3 worksheets to consolidate student learning
Getting Lead from Lead Oxide Practical Work
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Getting Lead from Lead Oxide Practical Work

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This is a great practical because students really will see the small beads of lead they create in the reaction. As well as details for the teacher and technician there is a worksheet for students that gives instructions as well as follow up work designed to help them think through the reaction. A foundation version of the student worksheet is also provided that may also be used with keystage three students.
Construction Materials: making and testing bricks and cement
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Construction Materials: making and testing bricks and cement

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A great practical activity for students who may be less academic; this experimental work will help students to see the relevance of chemistry to the construction industry. NOTE that access to a kiln (usually present in most secondary art departments) is required to make the bricks. There are instructions for making bricks and reinforced cement beams. Students then perform tests on the items they have made. There is follow up work provided on student worksheets
Electrolysis: extraction of aluminium
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Electrolysis: extraction of aluminium

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This is a role play activity to help students understand how electrolysis is uses to extract aluminium from aluminium oxide. It is designed to aid appreciation of the ionic nature of bauxite and assist the wring of ionic half equations. There is a follow-up worksheet to consolidate the key ideas.
pH, Indicators, Neutralisation and Salts
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pH, Indicators, Neutralisation and Salts

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This group of resources is "hands-on and brains-on" Start the lesson with the practical work making a rainbow. This can be done as a teacher demonstration but is lovely for students to carry out. Follow up with the "colouring in" worksheet that takes a look at different indicators. There is a kinesthetic activity designed to get students moving and help them think about which acids and alkalis are needed to make a series of salts. To finish off students can work through the neutralisation worksheet which involves more thinking and colouring in.
The Greenhouse Effect
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The Greenhouse Effect

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This lesson is run as a competition between small groups of students. The lesson encourages students to use a series of challenges and clues to work out for themselves the key ideas about the greenhouse effect. The lesson is structured with a starter, a session gathering the main ideas and then time for students to put together their own explanation. It is aimed at less academic GCSE students but would also work well for keystage 3 students and more able GCSE students who could complete it more quickly.
Neutralisation Rummy
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Neutralisation Rummy

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This card game is based on rummy and is designed to help students understand how salts are made when an acid and alkali react. Points are scored when a complete set of chemicals is collected. The game can be followed with a student worksheet developing ideas about neutralisation.
Atoms Elements and Compounds
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Atoms Elements and Compounds

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So many students find this topic confusing! This resource is intended to make clear the differences between atoms and molecules and between elements and compounds. The practical work is backed up by a student worksheet. It's primarily aimed at KS3 students but weaker KS4 students will find it helpful too.
Introduction to Elements
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Introduction to Elements

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Here are two activities designed to help students understand the significance of elements and investigate some of their properties. The activities are backed up by a student worksheet. It is primarily aimed at KS3 students though teachers might like to use it with less able KS4 students too.