These resources, from the Science Year Primary CD-ROM, focus on engaging activities for teaching primary science. Please note that this collection of resources was first published in 2001. Ideas about the teaching of science explanations can change over time, and older resources may require repurposing for use in...

In 2001 the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) funded Science Year in England and Wales. As part of this programme NESTA commissioned the Association for Science Education (ASE) to produce a series of inspiring electronic resources to support science teaching and learning. This rich set...

In this activity children are introduced to safe solar observation. Using everyday materials, the activity provides a step by step guide to create a safe sun viewer. A second activity investigates ‘sunspots’ and looks at how to use binoculars as a projector to see 'sunspots'. ‘Sunspots’ are areas of the sun which...

This collection includes resources which can help pupils aged 7 to 11 use the internet safely and respectfully.  In addition, there are resources to encourage pupils to question the reliability of the information they receive from the internet.

In this resource from stats4schools, students are asked to investigate if they are at risk from the sun by looking at a news article and using a dataset. Students process data and produce graphs using ICT, comprehend current information on a subject and synthesise this for others. They also use the internet to...

Professor Saiful Islam is a chemist who never wears a white lab coat. Rather than conduct experiments in laboratories, he uses the world's most powerful computers to produce computer models of the inner, 'atomic' structure of materials used in 'green' energy applications, from the lithium ion rechargeable batteries...

Salt water is denser than freshwater. That is why we float so much more easily in the sea than in a lake or a swimming pool. An object will float if it is less dense than the water surrounding it. Therefore, things float easier in salt water as it is denser than freshwater. This is particularly evident in the Dead...

In this activity aimed at ages 9-10, children solve a problem faced by farmers in Mexico – ‘How to grow strong, healthy plants, that can survive and thrive in difficult conditions’. ...

In this activity learners will solve simple addition problems in order to play a game of salute. The problems will be based around the numbers 1-20. This will improve and reinforce learners’ addition skills in a fun and engaging context. This activity could be used as a starter activity covering learning from the...

Can students place the digits 1 to 4 on a grid so that equal sums are given along vertical and horizontal lines? How many different arrangements are possible? The resource also includes a further challenge for ‘experts’ that uses the numbers from 1 to 7 on an ‘H’ shaped grid.

A grid is made by placing six circles around an equilateral triangle. The numbers 5 to 10 are to be placed on the grid so that the sum along each side of the triangle is the same.

In a diagram with three overlapping circles the numbers 1 to 8 have been placed so that the sum of the numbers in each circle is 12. Can students move the numbers so that the sum in each circle is 13? The resource includes further challenges such as making the largest sums possible and making every sum from 12 up...

This activity allows pupils to learn how to analyse samples on Mars. Pupils are given the opportunity to use targeted information to work out what their rovers have found on Mars surface and to think like a geologist as they investigate stratigraphy (layers or rocks) using cakes and confectionary samples. This...

Aimed at primary level, this resource provides a practical context to explore the requirements of plants for life and growth. Children are introduced to the ways in which local communities in Bangladesh successfully grow enough pumpkins for themselves and to sell to provide an income. This leads into an...

The aim of this resource is to give students the opportunity to investigate the science, technology, engineering and mathematics behind satellite communications. Students will take part in an interactive demonstration of a satellite network and use scientific investigation to learn how the law of reflection is used...