This Science upd8 activity draws on the 1957 launch of the satellite Sputnik 1 which heralded a new stage in human exploration and prompted the development of rockets in the Space Race. In this role play, students consider the benefits and costs of space exploration. 

This Practical Action resource presents a fun hands-on and brains-on challenge for Key Stages Two to Five.

The problem:...

This document from the Department of Education looks at how teachers at schools in the White Horse Federation lead by example to encourage good behaviour and academic achievement. The resource explores strategies including teacher induction on behaviour, language skills and celebrating diversity, as part of the...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of STEM skills for the future and knowledge transfer. In this case study, three members of Newcastle College staff travelled to CERN to view the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator. The aim of the visit was to...

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 resource is a compilation of reports by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and Ofqual reviewing standards over time in science subjects at GCSE and A levels.

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This report, jointly published by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) and Ofsted under the chairmanship of Ron Dearing, presents the findings of an investigation into whether standards in GCSE and A level examinations were maintained in the period up to 1995. The improving examination grades...

Using a diagram of an open tube an explanation of possible wave patterns is built up.  Firstly, the fundamental mode of vibration is drawn, followed by the second and third harmonics.  For each illustration the number of waves is calculated, i.e, ^λ/₄, ³/₄ λ and ^5...

This video explains how nodes and anti-nodes are formed in standing (stationary) waves.  It shows how the distance between two nodes = ^λ/₂.  A series of standing waves are drawn to show the fundamental wave and its harmonics.  The number of half wavelengths for the fundamental and second,...

This collection includes some activities for primary and secondary aged pupils which could be linked to Star Wars day.  

There are several activities looking at exoplanets and the search for alien life elsewhere in the Universe, which could be used to challenge the scientific validity of the film series....

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is a beautifully animated video giving a short overview of the life cycle of stars, but crucially how, from Earth, we can observe the different phases of star evolution by plotting all the...

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet introduces the sidereal day and shows how star trials can be used to calculate the length of one sidereal day. Included in the booklet are instructions on how to create a star trial photograph using a DSLR or bridge camera. Supporting documents that help the...

From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the production and industrial use of starch and modified starches. These have a broad range of uses in the food and non-food sectors. Starch can be either used in its native (unmodified) form or, if specific properties are required, it can be...