In this practical protocol students investigate one way in which bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance through conjugation - horizontal gene transfer from one bacterial strain or species to another.

Plasmid-mediated evolution is fast because whole functional ‘modules’ are lost and gained, rather than the...

In this Bowland assessment task, students determine how long it would take for the judges to see every act that auditioned for a talent show. Students are told the total number of acts to be seen and have to determine what other information is required to find a solution. They have to make sensible estimates where...

This Core Maths activity is based on the television programme ‘The Apprentice’ and was written by Core Maths students and their tutor. Examples of student work is also included.

The Apprentice: Guidance

The guide explains how the task was created and introduces the activity, including...

The poster ‘The Never-Ending Battle for Fortress Plant’ illustrates ideas about plant defences against pathogens. It depicts the plant as a fortress which is defended against invading pathogens. The poster is accompanied by a presentation, which can be used as a step-by-step walk-through of the ideas in the poster...

Impulsive, socially anxious, uncompromising - these are some of the characteristics you may recognise in the teenagers you know. Scientists at the University of Oxford are researching into changes that take place in the teenage brain that may...

In this set of activities, pupils will learn about ozone and the impacts – good and bad – it has on life on Earth.

Activities are:

• finding out about ozone and how it is measured and introducing the story of the Antarctic ozone hole
• investigating the effectiveness of sunscreen
• ...

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation looks at end-product inhibition of the enzyme phosphatase. 

The investigation is designed for students following a Scottish Highers course but it is equally useful for other post-16 courses in biology. 

This investigation involves...

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to investigate the effects of the plant hormone indole acetic acid (IAA) on root growth in mustard seedlings.

Different concentrations of IAA appear to have differing effects on root growth. These effects may vary from one...

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to investigate the effects of different concentrations of nitrates, phosphates and potassium on the growth of radish seedlings.

After sowing, the radish seedlings are kept well watered, in a warm temperature under constant...

This resource consists of a lesson plan from Cybersecurity Challenge UK on the topic of the TCP/IP model of networking. It would be useful as a topic introduction.

This activity supports learning in science and history, using the context of Dr Edward Jenner’s work on developing a vaccine for Smallpox.
Using a wide range of secondary sources of information children find out about different people’s views on vaccination in the early 1880’s. Using this information they can...

This activity supports learning in history and English, using the context of the context of Dr Edward Jenner’s work on developing a vaccine for Smallpox. It introduces the concept of historical evidence and helps children start to use primary and secondary sources to respond to simple history questions. The...

This play explores how other countries provide food for us in the UK and the impact that this has on the environment and local people. A family are transported to various locations in the World in...

This mathematics lesson is suitable for KS4 or more able KS3 students.

They explore numbers in nature and discover that Fibonacci numbers and spirals frequently appear. They will then use the sequence to discover and...

Meet Frankie the flamingo and her assorted sidekicks as they unravel the mystery of the sinking flamingo. This resource provides a narrated picture book video, which explains what happens to rainwater and wastewater once it enters the sewers and how water is supplied to buildings. Included are activity sheets which...