This set of eight enquiry-based activities aimed at 8-10 year olds allows pupils to study light and colour using spectroscopes and colour wheels. P...

In this Catalyst article, Mike Follows describes the surprising range of thermometers available to scientists today.

Many physical properties of materials depend on temperature. Thermometers are vital for measuring body temperature. The body's biochemical reactions work best at 37°C and the body is in...

Understanding Science Ideas is a concise and colourful book that was written by members of the Nuffield Primary Science project team to help teachers to discuss and understand key science ideas and explanations at an appropriate level, consistent with the philosophy of...

Aimed at primary level, this book provides a comprehensive range of practical activities relating to Earth and Space, light and astronomy. ‘Hands on’ activities include: creating a lunar landscape, Moon storytelling, modelling a solar eclipse, building a sundial,...

Rockets are used to launch satellites, probes and even astronauts into space. A rocket launch is extremely impressive. Thousands of kilograms are burned in just a few minutes in order to provide the force that the rocket needs in order to overcome the gravity of the Earth. Rockets provide an exciting context to...

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, introduces students to how our understanding of gravity has changed over time, and what this means for the gravitational field strength of different bodies in our galaxy.

...

Following the successful rendezvous of the Rosetta spacecraft, with comet 67P, this Catalyst article explains how a smaller spacecraft will land on the surface of the comet. Philae is due to land on the comet on 12 November 2014, the first ever attempt to land an object on the surface of a comet.

The article...

...

A Catalyst article about the CLEVER car, which has been designed to be a compact, energy-efficient car. As more and more people want to get about within cities and towns, the problems of congestion and pollution are increasing. Motorcycles and bicycles take up less space and produce fewer emissions than...

This unit from the National Strategies is a precursor to the Year Eight multiplicative relationships unit and the Year Nine sequel on proportional reasoning. Together they provide a sequence of core units across the key stage, addressing crucial concepts linking multiplication, division, fractions, ratio and...

These resources offer a series of activities to use alongside the six books which have been shortlisted for the Young People’s Book Prize 2023. The activities include investigations and experiments related to various topics, such as our bodies, viruses and bacteria, invertebrates and space, as well as various...

This series of interactive excel sheets aimed at students in Year Two looks at counting, reading and ordering whole numbers up to 100. Answers can be checked each time and new questions generated at the click of a button. To return to the menu page click on the musical...

This issue of Catalyst contains the following articles:

How the Leopard Gets Its Spots

This article looks at Turing mechanisms as a way of explaining how patterns such as spots and stripes develop as an animal grows.

The LAMP Project was sponsored by the Association for Science Education. The aim was to consider the teaching of science to Less Academically Motivated Pupils in secondary schools, with particular regard to the 14 to 16 age range. The need for the project was brought sharply into focus by the raising of the school...