A bonafide Science Teacher (of 13 years), and Head of Year, from Gloucestershire offering tried and tested resources to save you the time and energy when planning. There's no point reinventing the wheel!
Watch out for new resources to help you meet the demands of teaching the Science GCSE and Chemistry A-Level.
A bonafide Science Teacher (of 13 years), and Head of Year, from Gloucestershire offering tried and tested resources to save you the time and energy when planning. There's no point reinventing the wheel!
Watch out for new resources to help you meet the demands of teaching the Science GCSE and Chemistry A-Level.
A lesson for early on in the Organic Chemistry topic of A-Level Chemistry, introducing the idea of functional groups and homologous series. Students will carry out an independent task to find out the functional groups from a given list plus the general formula and homologous series they belong to.
I have also included an exam question to assess understanding at the end of the lesson or to set as a homework for lesson follow up (answer included).
Who? For those teaching the new Chemistry/ Combined Science GCSE (2016). Also for those of you requiring a straightforward and simple lesson on calculating relative formula mass and discovering how to deduce empirical formula using the molecular formula of a compound.
What? This is a whole lesson on one powerpoint. A starter mass quiz, Learning objectives, worked examples with answers, class tasks with answers (differentiated up to challenge your more able), exam questions with markschemes to share with your group. This lesson is ready to go but still offers you flexibility to offer group work or peer teaching style tasks if you wish.
My revision methods are quite simple in my lessons - SPEC IT, REVISE IT, TEST IT. If students know EXACTLY WHAT they need to revise (using the specification checklist) it makes for smarter revision. If they can TEST THEMSELVES to measure their understanding - even better!
This resource is a comprehensive but concise knowledge organiser covering Atomic Structure (including isotopes and calculating relative atomic mass). This knowledge organiser has been made against the Edexcel specification. Each revision point has been marked with the specification section (in green) and is applicable to students sitting standard or higher tier papers. Students also get to see some model exam questions so they are able to see how the specification points may be presented in exam form.
This super resource uses modelling of how to calculate Kc and deduce units for Kc. The whole lesson is based around typical exam questions which will be worth approximately 5 marks. This video has links directly to my YouTube channel to allow you to play students a model Kc calculation with a clear step-by-step method. Using the video models will free you up as teacher to talk through each step and allow time for questioning without having to worry about working through the examples - they are already done for you!
The final model is a an exam question from a previous past paper. The markscheme has been included in the presentation to allow you to share this with your students.
Kc calculations are tricky to teach but this really takes out the hard work! The whole lesson is within the powerpoint and teaching suggestions are written into the notes section of each slide.
This circus of activities would easily be your main task within a lesson. The focus is on dissolving/soluble vs insoluble/ separating mixtures and solutions. I have produced a tech list (attached) so this should be as straightforward as possible! Very simple practical kit which should not cause any issues.
Students could be put into groups/pairs and complete this circus with little input from you. The main worksheet/booklet has simple but clear instructions of what to do at each station. The only thing you will have to organise is how to lay out your room!
Aimed at KS3 but could easily be used with low ability KS4.
This differentiated worksheet builds in demand as you work through it and so there really is something for everyone. It begins simply with the primary and secondary colours, what they are and how they are formed (secondary). The activity then moves on to how we see coloured light and how/why objects appear certain colours under white light and then finally under different coloured light.
This activity is essentially a good assessment tool of a really tricky topic. I’ve included answers to the questions to save you having to do the thinking! They are essentially a set of model answers which you could even give students.
Who? For you lucky people teaching the new Chemistry/ Combined Science GCSE (2016). Also for those of you requiring a straightforward lesson on ISOTOPES plus how to use them to calculate RELATIVE MASS of an element. This lesson has been made with reference to the new Edexcel Spec but would easily be relevant in AQA and OCR.
What? This is a whole lesson on one powerpoint. A starter/ diagnostic to see what your group know about the atom already and how to calculate numbers and types of sub-atomic particle. Learning objectives have been written with direct reference to the specification (because that’s what they need to know!), worked examples with answers written either in the ‘notes section’ of the powerpoint or on the slides themselves, class tasks with answers (all written in the ‘notes’ section of the powerpoint or on slides themselves). This lesson is ready to go but still offers you flexibility to offer group work or peer teaching style tasks if you wish. Everything you need is here as powerpoint slides which can easily be printed as ‘worksheets’ if needed. Print the powerpoint including the notes and you’ll be ready to go!
Two GIANT GCSE Chemistry (9-1) quizzes covering TOPIC 1 and 2 of the Edexcel Specification (although topics will definitely be in other specifications AQA, OCR etc). PLUS a great, visual knowledge organiser for TOPIC 1 to accompany quiz.
First powerpoint…
A 141 (!!!) slide powerpoint delivered as a Big Quiz covering TOPIC 1 content of the Edexcel Specification (though this can easily be used against other specifications). Topic 1 is split into sub-topics and so there are 6 rounds in total.
Round 1 - Atomic Structure
Round 2 - Periodic Table
Round 3 - Ionic Bonding
Round 4 - Covalent Bonding
Round 5 - Types of Substance
Round 6 - Calculations involving mass
Second powerpoint…
A 53 (!) slide powerpoint delivered as a Big Quiz covering TOPIC 2 content of the Edexcel Specification (though this can easily be used against other specifications). Topic 2 is split into sub-topics and so there are 2 rounds in total.
Round 1 - States of Matter
Round 2 - Separation of mixtures techniques
Each question has been written using the specification and answers generated against mark schemes from exam style questions.
Following each round of questions come a round of answers so students can peer mark or you can. Though one massive quiz, this resource could easily be used as a whole lesson, starters, to formatively assess after revision sessions - whatever you like!
I’m using them in my revision sessions and Chemistry booster sessions!
Exams or Mocks just about to happen? Or maybe you are just tired of going over the same old Chemistry facts, time after time after time… Or perhaps you are being uber organised and sorting a place for your Chemistry students to record the ‘recall’ knowledge as they learn about it. Whatever the reason, this is a very handy resource to have…
This worksheet provides an excellent revision resource (made last week at the request of my Year 11s!) or would happily provide an ongoing resource which could be added to or built upon as the course progresses (this is how I’ll be using it next year…). The worksheet contains a template summary of all those Chemistry facts (recall) that need to be learnt before the exam.
ion charges
gas tests
electrolysis product rules
solubility rules
… and loads more.
I’ve also saved you the time of working out answers and created an answer sheet to boot!
Who? For anyone trying to plan something creative to allow various science skills to be developed. This project/lesson has so much scope. This could be delivered as a stand alone lesson or coupled with my other forensic project lessons to create an extended investigation.
The project would sit nicely anywhere within the year or would make a great end of term activity as it is a completely ‘stand alone’ topic. Perhaps you could use this in a STEM week or during Science week?
This bundle of resources contains a powerpoint to guide through the project as well as teacher/technician notes, a detailed lesson plan, plus some suspect profiles to work out ‘whodunnit’. I have included a student sheet to allow them to gather and record observations and draw conclusions. Students will need to set up a microscope to observe some pre-prepared slides showing hair and fibre samples and draw their observations.
This resource is fully editable but can be used straight away (you’ll just need to talk to your technicians about making some hair and fibre slides using the suspect profiles for guidance…).
Enjoy!
Who? For those teaching the new Chemistry/ Combined Science GCSE (2016). Also for those of you requiring a clear and simple worksheet to allow students to practice how to calculate masses and number of moles.
What? This worksheet requires students to calculate the mass of 1 mole of a substance plus to calculate the number of moles in a substance of given mass. This sheet is scaffolded to support the development of the ‘moles’ idea and includes the brilliant moles equation triangle to support later/more challenging questions.
Students will need a periodic table. You just need to print the sheet! I’ve even included answers for all questions so you really do not have to do anything!
A great knowledge organiser all boiled down to one sheet.
If students know EXACTLY WHAT they need to revise (using the specification checklist) it makes for smarter revision. If they can TEST THEMSELVES to measure their understanding - even better!
This resource is a comprehensive but concise knowledge organiser covering…
Electrolysis key definitions
Predicting the products of an electrolysis experiment (a great flow diagram to make this easier for students!)
Half equations
Purifying Copper
oxidation and reduction
An excellent activity to allow your A-Level Chemists to apply their knowledge of Mass Spectrometry and Infrared Spectroscopy to identify some Organic unknowns. This activity will need to be taught after students have had an introduction to the main homologous series’ in their first year of A-Level Chemistry.
The task involves students studying mass and infrared spectra to identify the unknown chemicals. Some qualitative clues have also been given to encourage students to realise that analysis often involves multiple sets of data.
All answers are included. I gave this as a paired task but would work well in groups, individually, as a homework or an assessment.
This 20 slide (plus one slide of teacher notes at the beginning) editable assembly covers the topic perseverance and failure. It offers opportunity to think about the importance of failure, perseverance, hard work and patience which contribute to reaching success. This powerpoint includes text, photos and videos with advice on delivery of the assembly in the notes section of each slide. The notes can easily be printed and so this assembly really is ready to go!
This assembly has been made with secondary school audiences in mind. For example, potentially perfect to give this assembly just before a round of mock exams for Key Stage 4 or 5.
A simple 'match ‘em up’ activity to sort/match the name of the reproductive organ with it’s function. These are not in order so could be printed off and handed out straight away. If time is limited this would make a good colour code activity rather than ‘cut and stick’.
This lovely resource allows students to present details on the menstrual cycle in a creative and visual way. It is a blank calendar for the month of February (28 days = perfect!) with a diagram of the cycle and the key events which take place plus an incomplete, colour coded key. Students task is to research, find out information to complete the empty boxes under the calendar and describe the main stages of the cycle. This can then be colour coded on to the calendar with colouring pencils. The task can be extended to challenge students to research what is occurring in terms of hormone activity too!
A cut and stick or match 'em up type activity to assess recall of simple chemical reactions content.
common gas tests
reactant and products
the fire triangle
word equations
A great visual activity which would sit nicely anywhere in the lesson or as a homework. Students need to match terms to definitions but also to a diagram which represents the word or process. Really useful to support students in their understanding.
This activity could be done as a cut and stick or, if you don’t like the faff of glue and scissors (like me!) then there are plenty of other ways for students to match. A good activity to build up their glossary of words in a topic where there are many new terms to learn!
Aimed at KS3 but could support lower ability KS4.
A 53 (!) slide powerpoint delivered as a Big Quiz covering TOPIC 2 content of the Edexcel Specification (though this can easily be used against other specifications). Topic 2 is split into sub-topics and so there are 2 rounds in total.
Round 1 - States of Matter
Round 2 - Separation of mixtures techniques
Each question has been written using the specification and answers generated against mark schemes from exam style questions.
Following each round of questions come a round of answers so students can peer mark or you can. Though one massive quiz, this resource could easily be used as a whole lesson, starters, to formatively assess after revision sessions - whatever you like!
I’m using them in my revision sessions and Chemistry booster sessions!
Keep your eyes peeled for TOPIC 3 next…
