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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.
Craters Investigation
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Craters Investigation

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A great context for some investigative work and a fun experiment to carry out. There are background notes for teachers along with a link to a great website. For students there is a worksheet to help them think through all aspects of the investigation. Ideal for keystage 3 students to develop their skills.
Cause and Correlation
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Cause and Correlation

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A lesson on the important difference between cause and correlation. The teacher notes give details of examples where there is a strong correlation but no causal link, examples which can be hard to think of on the spot! The presentation is based around air pollution and helps students to understand the key ideas. It can be followed up with the worksheet which includes many examples. For each example students sort the three options given into correlation, cause or no link
Modelling a synapse
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Modelling a synapse

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Here are instructions and resources for four different hands-on activities that model how a synapse works. All are designed to help students think through the process and develop their understanding of how a synapse works. Choose the activity most appropriate for your students or give them a free choice. Also included in this package is a cut and stick worksheet to reinforce the effects of drugs on synapses.
Oxidation and Reduction
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Oxidation and Reduction

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There are instructions here for a teacher demonstration comparing the oxidation of iron in air and oxygen. There is then a Venn diagram activity where students classify a series of chemical reactions - an activity designed to promote thinking and learning. Finally, there is a follow up worksheet that recaps the key ideas. Finally there is a presentation that gives a useful comparison of oxidation and reduction along with helpful definitions
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.
Variation: Genes or Environment?
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Variation: Genes or Environment?

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Here students consider the genetic and environmental causes of variation by building a model human. Students enjoy making the models which make clear the different types of variation. There is a worksheet to use as a follow up to the activity which extends the key ideas and promotes thinking.
space crossword and wordsearch  for AQA GCSE physics
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space crossword and wordsearch for AQA GCSE physics

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These resources were written specifically to meet the demands of the P16 (space) section of the AQA GCSE in physics. Three versions of the same crossword are provided to ensure that students find it hard to copy from each other! A word list (list of answers) is also provided to aid weaker students. The word list can also be used alongside the wordsearch. In addition, there is a colouring in sheet to help students remember the life cycle of stars.
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.
Modelling Atoms and Molecules
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Modelling Atoms and Molecules

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This hands-one, minds-on activity is designed to get students thinking about the differences between atoms and molecules. It is backed up with a student worksheets which gets students thinking even further. Molymod (or equivalent) models are required. Although this activity is aimed primarily at KS3 students, GCSE students are likely to find it helpful too.
AQA GCSE physics equations "credit cards"
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AQA GCSE physics equations "credit cards"

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“Cut out and keep” credit card size revision cards to help students learn the equations that will be needed for the exams. The equations have been stripped down to a minimum to make them simpler to learn and remember. There’s one for paper one and another for paper two. Provided as pdfs and in word so that they can be edited if desired.
practical chemistry on Mars
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practical chemistry on Mars

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In this series of activities students analyse a sample of soil from Mars. The activities are straightforward and are designed to be a good introduction to practical work for year 7 students. The activities include testing for the presence of water, determining the acidity of the sample and examining the soil structure using a microscope. The sheet gives full details for teachers and technicians including a recipe for the Martian soil and there is a worksheet for students to complete as they go. Also included is a cut and stick Martian globe that students can make to fit around a tennis ball
Understanding Electrical relationships
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Understanding Electrical relationships

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This will really help students understand the relationships between the different electrical quantities. Most students will need some teacher support to complete the double sided sheet and it's a great stretch and challenge activity for more able students. It would serve as a good introduction to circuit electricity at A level, allowing students to identify and correct their own misconceptions. Those teaching outside their area of specialism are likely to find it very helpful to clarify their own understanding of electricity.
Introduction to GCSE genetics
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Introduction to GCSE genetics

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This suite of resources includes an interactive activity and a worksheet on the topic of genes and the environment. There is also an activity that makes visible each students individual genetic profile along with a colouring in worksheet to help students think through what they already know about this topic with some built in stretch for more able students.
Energy needed to Make a Mug of Tea
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Energy needed to Make a Mug of Tea

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This piece of practical work turns making a mug of tea into a quantitative activity. There are teacher notes along with an equipment list. The student worksheet provides a structure for students to record their measurements and support as they work through their calculations along with some more stretching questions for more able students.
Thinking Through Floating and Sinking
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Thinking Through Floating and Sinking

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Based around the sinking of the Titanic, here are three linked activities designed to support students as they think through the key concepts required to understand floating and sinking. Students will examine various hypotheses about the sinking of Titanic and asses their plausibility before putting together a scientific explanation of floating. The teacher notes provide guidance on how to differentiate the activities for less able students.
Graphing Sunspots
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Graphing Sunspots

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This activity is designed to allow the whole class to work together to produce one enormous graph. It provides an interesting space context for students to hone their graphical skills. Also included is a set of domino cards about the universe which complement to activity and can be completed by early finishers.
UV reactive beads rates of reaction  investigation for ages 7-18
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UV reactive beads rates of reaction investigation for ages 7-18

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UV reactive beads change from white to coloured when exposed to ultra violet light and are wonderful for teaching reaction rates (so much easier than trying to work out when the cross has disappeared!) They are genuinely suitable for use with any age group and the notes here give ideas about how to carry out investigations at different levels. Post 16 students can use these beads to find activation enthalpy with a convincing degree of accuracy.
Sugar and Sweetners practical work
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Sugar and Sweetners practical work

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A teacher demo is used to introduce some student practical work comparing, by measuring mass, the amount of sugar in different soft drinks. Students will need to draw up a calibration curve and the practical work will help to develop their ability to use a burette accurately.
modern genetic methods
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modern genetic methods

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Here's a teacher led demonstration to help clarify cloning to students. It's accompanied by a fun, non-threatening starter and a students worksheet about gene therapy.
Genes and Ethics - could it be done, should it be done?
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Genes and Ethics - could it be done, should it be done?

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This thought provoking and interactive whole class activity will help students to think through their understanding and views on a number of different scenarios. Two interesting ways of recording views are given and are short to lead to discussion and debate.