These interactive notes build on the ideas covered in edition 30 of Catalyst. 

Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Find out more about Catalyst magazine: www.stem.org.uk/catalyst

This resource provides background information for students about the structure of DNA, DNA replication, genetic engineering, cloning, genetic testing and DNA fingerprinting.

The activities for students include a practical activity where students extract their own DNA from cheek epithelial cells or plant...

This resource is designed to meet the specifications for the A-level practical endorsement in England (CPAC). However, it will make a valuable guide to dissection and scientific drawing of a flower for those following a variety of different specifications.

The ability to accurately observe, dissect and...

Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, this activity takes students through a step-by-step approach to understanding the basic principles of distance-time and velocity-time graphs. Working through the activity will help students to:
* Understand the terms distance, time, velocity and...

Produced by the Science Museum, this resource sees students working in groups to explore the issues surrounding genetic testing. Students receive a sealed secret box, that contains a chance card. Opening the box represents taking a genetic test. Students have to decide whether they would want to open the box. In...

Produced by the Citizen Science project, this resource engages students in debating the social, political and health issues surrounding the use of drugs.

In this activity, debate commences by introducing characters, scenarios and issues connected with drugs. Students are given opportunities to hot seat as...

From NASA, this resource looks at how bodies in the solar system are classified. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined the terms "planet" and "dwarf planet". The IAU's decision created an opportunity for students to understand the solar system better by considering the definitions of planet,...

In the teaching unit ‘...

Ecology is one of the titles in the series of ASE Lab Books that were published in the early 1970s for the Association for Science Education by John Murray. Each title covered one or two topics and brought together the best of the teaching notes and experimental ideas...

These activities allow students to model how environmental scientists compare diversity in different ecosystems by using ordinary playing cards as ‘species’ to generate data to calculate Simpson’s Diversity Index. This can be completed in a single lesson. Some students find the concept of species diversity quite...

The materials in this resource are from the Secondary National Strategy ‘Progressing to Level 6 and beyond in science’ project. They were intended for science teachers who are focusing on helping their students in developing skills in effective group talk.

A multiple choice quiz on electricity, sensing, waves and quantum physics.

Although it is written for OCR AS/A level physics (H156, H556, H157, H557) it can be edited to suit your scheme of work.

This booklet contains a range of suggested teaching activities and contexts for teaching about electricity at A level. Curriculum links include charge, electron drift, energy, power and resistance, circuit symbols, electromotive force (e.m.f.) and potential difference (p.d.), Ohm's law, resistivity, series and...

This resource from the Institute of Physics, describes how electrocardiagrams (ECGs) record the activity of the heart through electrodes placed on a patient's skin. The teacher's notes contain an introduction to ECGs and lesson notes for the associated PowerPoint file. A mark scheme for the worksheet is also...

A multiple choice quiz on electrons, bonding and structure for A/AS level OCR chemistry.

Although it is written for OCR...