A Catalyst article about increased levels of carbon dioxide causing global warming. The atmosphere is being polluted when fossil fuels such as petrol are burnt releasing carbon dioxide. Despite concern about global warming, it seems nobody wants to use their cars less. The article looks at what can be done to...

In this challenge students are asked to produce a 10 minute presentation proposing sustainable travel plans for the journey from their school or home to two different event venues. One venue should be within the Greater London area and the other in any UK location.

Teams must show clearly how they arrived at...

This resource, from the Microbiology Society, gives an overview of the microbes that cause traveller’s diarrhoea (TD), how the infection is transmitted, how it is treated and how it can be prevented. TD is the most common illness that affects international travellers and each year 20–60% of globetrotters, an...

Students investigate factors which affect safety when riding a bicycle, particularly when riding on roads along with other traffic. Ideas about safe speed limits and road surfaces are investigated to highlight the importance of safety on London’s roads for all its users.

Learning objectives:

• ...

This is a simple activity to introduce genetic conditions and how gene therapy is being developed to try to treat them. Students model the chromosomes in a nucleus and investigate the idea of gene transfer, before answering questions on a worksheet. This worksheet is part of a collection of materials based on...

A Catalyst article about wood as a renewable source of energy. Wood and biomass products could be used to generate electricity in the UK, and the article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of doing this and the technologies such energy generation would require.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE...

This teaching package, aimed at Key Stages Two and Three, investigates the science of tree rings (dendrochronology). Linked to the topics of plants and living things and their habitats, it looks at cut tree trunks to determine the age of the tree, how fast it grew and...

In this STEM activity pupils will have the opportunity to measure the circumference of a tree trunk and use this information and number skills to work out the age of the tree in years. They will then repeat this for other trees and present and discuss their results as a class. This activity supports the teaching of...

The Young Scientist Investigates topic book on Trees was first published in 1981 and gives information, illustrated by full colour photographs and drawings, about trees. It describes their parts and how their seeds are formed and dispersed. It considers the different...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Distinguish a physical from a chemical property
• Use the location of metals and non-metals in the Periodic Table to predict the properties of an element.
• Describe the trend...

The Triple Crossed project was developed by the Centre for Science Education and supported by the Astra Zeneca Teaching Trust as a collaboration between science, history and citizenship teachers.

The overall aim of Triple Crossed was to make science learning more accessible, effective and enjoyable by using...

From triple science support, this case study illustrates how a school has challenged students who reported finding science uninspiring, irrelevant and “easy but boring”. They used personal learning and thinking skills and a different approach to homework.

The case study includes some background information...

From triple science support, this case study illustrates how adapting the curriculum to suit the needs of particular groups of students, recognising the importance of motivation and study skills when selecting students and planning well for future changes can lead to success in delivering triple science.

The...

From triple science support, this case study illustrates a three school partnership with higher education, involving a wide variety of activities including CPD, lesson-planning, enrichment activities and mutual observations.

The case study includes some background information about the involvement of three...

From triple science support, this case study describes a network of three high schools which worked to develop the use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) to support delivery of the triple science GCSEs.

The case study includes some background information about the schools in Ilkeston (Derbyshire), and...