A Catalyst article looking at the chemicals that are in plants and trees and the role they play in the life of the plant. Starting with photosynthesis the article moves onto naturally occurring chemicals and explains why plants need fertilisers. Growing salad crops hydroponically is also examined.

This...

A Catalyst article looking at how plants develop large surface areas both in the air (leaves) and in the soil (root hairs) to get all they need from the environment. The article explores the relationship between plants and soil and looks at new research on fungi in soil and their involvement with the mineral...

These teachers' notes from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) describe how students can investigate the trichomes on the surface of vascular plants, including hairs and glandular hairs, using a microscope.

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The resources in this collection provide a wide variety of detailed activity ideas for investigating plants. Linking to the areas of life cycles, habitats, food chains and recycling and the structure and function of a plant, they offer many opportunities for the development of working scientifically. Resources,...

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...

This resource, aimed at primary level, contains many activities related to plants, habitats, food chains and recycling. It looks at the features of different habitats and compares the plants that grow in each. Children learn about the features of plants and how certain...

This resource from the European Space Agency is presented as eight activities which guides students to create an automatic plant watering system, suitable for use on a possible future colony on the planet Mars. Students have opportunities to use and develop their skills to plan, design and analyse various soil-...

Explore the world of seeds in these lesson plans and activities aimed at Year Two. Learn why plants disperse their seeds and the various clever ways in which they do this. Plant cress seeds and grow a bean using hydroponics – watch and record what happens to them. Using various art and design techniques, make and...

This resource provides a selection of lesson plans, worksheets and teachers notes relating to plants at Year Three. They include activities in which children find out about the parts of flowering plants and their functions, and investigate the conditions affecting plant growth and how water is transported in plants...

A Catalyst article about the use of remote telescopes and detecting cosmic rays. Giant telescopes that can be operated remotely are located in Hawaii and Australia and are known as the Faulkes telescopes.

These are available to students in the UK to do original research with, and enable the following...

This resource contains a series of lessons which are designed to extend students’ knowledge and understanding of plastics and plastic waste on a global scale. Linking to materials and their properties, the environment, recycling and design and technology, they contain investigations and activities aimed at both...

Produced by Solar Spark, this activity allows students to make their own plastic from vinegar and milk. Milk contains casein in a form that is soluble in water. Making the milk acidic by adding vinegar makes the casein insoluble so the milk separates into a solid and a liquid known as curds and whey. Removing the...