This Catalyst article looks at orchids, their breeding, and why they have great commercial value. The family of Orchidaceae is one of the largest plant families, with about 900 genera and 25,000 species. Orchids are amongst the oldest flowering plants. After a long evolution, they have developed a very intimate...

This Catalyst article explains how chemists build molecular 'traps' to mimic the surface of a cell. To scientists, sugar is much more than a food; sugar molecules can also form polymers which act as ‘molecular bar codes’ to help cells recognise each other. The article describes how chemists made a synthetic...

This Nuffield Pathways Through Science module was presented in three episodes covering the study of human biology as well as adult concerns about fitness and health: Bd 1: Are you fit and healthy? Bd 2: Are you what you eat? Bd 3: Drugs - uses and abuses

Publications

 *Study Guide –...

This activity looks at climate change and its effects on succession in a location in Norfolk over 12000 years ago.

Students carry out a simulation of a bog core analysis, based on work by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research together with data from the Department of Geography, University of...

This is a competitive game which tests children’s knowledge of bones, joints and their function. The teacher reads out a statement related to a bone or joint, and children cross off the answer if they have it. This resource was produced by Genetic Disorders UK, which provides schools with a host of free resources...

From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the crop Borago officinalis. This crop has been grown in the UK for a number of years as a high value, speciality oil crop. Similar to evening primrose, borage is recognised as a key source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), contained in the seed oil....

A podcast from the Planet Earth Online collection and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Richard Hollingham finds out that bowerbirds are not just brilliant at making elaborate bowers, they are also good at mimicking other birds and most other sounds they hear, including human voices.

He also...

This Science upd8 activity draws on research which shows that young female chimps learn survival skills faster and more effectively than males.

Their sex-based learning differences are similar to those of humans! In this activity students look at research evidence and decide whether learning differences are...

The brain is one of our most fascinating organs. Developments in technology and medicine mean that doctors and scientists can examine our brains in more ways and more detail than ever before, all without having to open up the body. In these articles, we find out more about how imaging research has changed the way...

This unplugged activity from Peter McOwan and Paul Curzon mingles computer science with biology. A group activity is used that mimics the firing of neurons within the brain. These trigger other neurons to fire – these can be compared to AND gates in logic circuits.

The ‘brain in a bag’ kits used in the...

Produced by The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), these resources help students understand asthma, its diagnosis and treatment.

Through role play, practical work and demonstrations, students investigate lung structure and function, peak flow and breathing, and look at the medicines used in...

Work done in this Nuffield 13 - 16 module followed from the unit called ‘Energy’. This B unit provided enough material for six double periods in the third year of secondary school (year nine). The teachers’ guide included eight worksheets to supplement the students’...

Aimed at Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, this resource contains lessons on naming different body parts, recognising similarities and differences between human bodies, and the importance of exercise for humans. Linked to the topic of animals, including humans, the lessons are introduced by the character Fizzy,...

In this module students will study barnacle morphology, life histories and life styles as Darwin did. He based his classification and search for a common ancestor upon his studies. Recent work using genetic and molecular evidence and scanning electron microscopy shows how some of the key difficulties in drawing the...

With this resource, students develop observation skills by investigating the phenomenon of ‘mate-guarding’ in brine shrimp. Following a teacher-led discussion, students generate hypotheses. For example, one of the hypotheses may be that larger females pair with larger males.

These may be tested...