A handy guide to biological drawing skills at A level.  The guide covers

• Introduction to biological drawing
• Guidance for biological drawing
• Drawing from a microscope slide

In this practical activity students stain root tips and examine them for signs of cells dividing by mitosis. Students can either compare two different sources of root tip or two different stains. The mitotic index is the fraction of cells in a microscope field which contain condensed chromosomes. This index can be...

This is a good introductory lesson to get students used to using a variety of measuring devices they might be unfamiliar with and which one you would select for a certain job.  The measuring devices are:

• vernier callipers
• micrometer screw gauge
• travelling microscope
• a metre...

An ASE SYCD: Science Year Primary resource which gives examples showing how digital cameras and microscopes can be used to support science teaching.

The resource includes help on how to use the equipment, examples of pictures and examples of elapsed time photography using the microscope.

*The...

These two reports were published by SCORE (Science Community Representing Education), in response to two commissioned reports - Under the Microscope: the...

From The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), these activities investigate the crystallisation of sugar in the fondant of creme eggs.

Complaints of 'glass' in creme eggs, and other sugar confectionery products, are sometimes the result of the growth of very large crystals of sugar. In these...

A Catalyst article about how the scanning by an electron microscope of pollen grains shows up their structure, and can help scientists understand why some people suffer from an allergic reaction - hay fever. The article describes how the images were made and how they are used in scientific research.

This...

This manual, from the Microbiology Society, provides a basic introduction to microbiology, aseptic technique and safety.

Part 1 of the book includes information on good microbiological laboratory practice, equipment, preparation of culture media, sterilisation and disinfection, inoculation, aseptic technique...

This Nuffield Primary Science book is for use with the Variety of Life topic. It consists of 11 colourful, and highly illustrated, double-page spreads aimed at students aged 7-9. The book ends with a glossary and index.

In this learning episode, from the Institute of Physics, students investigate the absorption of radiation and how this can be illustrated experimentally. The investigations look at sources of alpha and beta radiation. A model, looking at the absorption of light as it passes through successive microscope slides, is...

This book looks at several aspects of food and microbes: * The microscope * Fungi * Bacteria * Using microbes * Damage to our food * Stopping food damage * Milk * Food preservation * Microbes in the kitchen Food and Microbes was one of the Science at Work series. All the booklets in the series were highly...

These are science resources will encourage and enable students to get involved with practical science. A wide selection of materials is presented within each resource, allowing a teacher to tailor the activities for a specific group of students.

The resources in this section are:

*Coastline Protection...

These reliable practicals from SAPs allow students to practice a range of skills, such as microscopy skills, serial dilutions, plotting and using standard curves and developing mathematical skills.  These investigations were designed for students following a Scottish Highers course but they are equally useful for...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Forensic science is widely featured in TV dramas and newspaper articles, though many people have a distorted view of this area.

The booklet introduces a range of qualitative and...

This experiment provides a quick and eye-catching way to teach about the vascular tissue in plants and the structure of plant stems. It provides students with the opportunity to develop (and demonstrate) their scientific drawing skills as well as their use of a light microscope and eye-piece graticule.

The...