In this topic, from the Association for Science Education, students learn about the many products obtained from local plants. The topic is designed to allow classes in schools across the world to exchange information about the ways in which their lives depend on plants. The topic also provides opportunities for...

Aimed at upper primary, this resource contains a series of lessons which explore forces and flight through a practical challenge where children work in teams to investigate materials and then design, make and test their own gliders. The first lesson sets the scene and introduces the problem as well as some basic...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources based on the Can we; Should we? theme. The major resources are: *Zoos - many pupils have strong views about the role of zoos in our society.This activity improves pupils' ability to select relevant information for a presentation,...

This collection of resources introduces 14-16 students to the world of plant disease in a lively and engaging way. They include practicals and classroom activities to get your students thinking about plants as living organisms, with their own defences against the threat of invading pathogens. 

Ideas about...

This resource supports learning in literacy and drama and science, all based around the life of Edward Jenner. After watching a short film, children discuss some of the main differences between plays and films, beginning to think in terms of cinematic storytelling. They use their scientific and historical...

Purpose: Younger students often have considerable difficulty in making scientific observations when using a microscope. The nature of microscopy makes it challenging for teachers to be sure that students are observing the intended image. Using a mobile device to photograph an image through a microscope can be used...

This manual introduces teachers to the approaches adopted in the Problem Solving with Industry series, devised by the Centre for Science Education. The authors describe problem solving as a composite skill, enabling the development of a wide range of personal...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Energy is a universal concept across the sciences, yet it is often difficult for students to understand. Part of the problem is that current...

This Catalyst article examines malaria which is one of the world’s top ten diseases but an effective vaccine to combat it is yet to be discovered. Scientists in the Malaria Vaccine Group at Oxford are trying to overcome some very difficult problems using a new approach to vaccines.

This article is from...

This Catalyst article looks at how people lived in the past, archaeologists look at the items (artefacts) these cultures left behind. Using chemical analysis of residues in the artefacts an enormous amount of additional information can be gleaned. This article investigates early dairy farming. Analysis of tiny...

This Catalyst article looks at how the spread of raspberry plants has an impact on environments it is not native to, the Galápagos Islands in particular. Many non-native plants are present on the Galápagos Islands, this article shows how a...

The report from the Children’s Learning in Science Project (CLIS) gives an account of a number of aspects of students’ ideas about particles including:
*What do students understand about the particulate nature of matter?
*Do they understand the scientific...

Through energy use, each UK home creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Much of this is the result of electricity generation. In this activity, from the Centre for Science Education and the Comino Foundation, students look into the advantages and disadvantages of the Smart Meter – an innovative device...

This article explores the relationship between black holes and gravitational waves.

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

This Science upd8 activity draws on a recent Government warning about poisonous mercury from low energy light bulbs being a risk to users.

But is this risk worth the benefits of using low energy light bulbs? In this activity students rank risks and benefits to help them decide.