This protocol allows students to investigate the effects of the hormone auxin (Indole Acetic Acid or IAA) as a plant growth regulator. The investigations give opportunities to look at auxiliary bud development, root development, and leaf abscission in Coleus. The method is suitable for independent investigations by...

Students research the theoretical principles of thermography and create a thermogram.  They will need to:

• find out about hot body radiation and the medical uses of thermography
• Create a thermogram. Temperatures are...

These investigation booklets from Eigen publications mainly support number skills and the development of number properties as well as encouraging students to be systematic and to look for patterns.

* One to four investigations involving building numbers from specified starting numbers and...

These investigation booklets from Eigen publications include shape joining investigations but mainly support number skills and the development of number properties as well as encouraging students to be systematic and to look for patterns.

* Prime numbers 1 investigations include prime number...

These investigations from Subtangent help to develop a systematic approach but require students to use their own recording methods. They can be used as a whole class introduction to an investigation or as individual tasks. As these investigations are open ended and students can make their own decisions as to the...

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 brief resource provides five ideas for investigating the effects of eutrophication on aquatic plant life. Each activity is based on setting up a range of solutions with increasing amounts of minerals and following the growth of aquatic plants. The resource offers suggestions of how the mineral content could be...

This resource, from the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB), allows students to investigate the behaviour of ants, and includes:

• Background information about British ants.
• A step-by-step approach to the collection and maintenance of some British ants with particular reference to...

The SAPS ELISA kit for Botrytis has been developed as a low cost kit to bring practical immunology into the classroom. The monoclonal antibody in the kit detects Botrytis, a fungal pathogen. Botrytis infects plant material (such as strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes and flowers) and is of considerable importance...

In this activity from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), students investigate what causes a Venus’ Fly Trap to shut. These experiments are related to a series of investigations that Darwin carried out as part of his work on evolution and adaptation and background...

This activity from the Computer Science for Fun (CS4FN) team at QMUL is an introduction to algorithms suitable for those in upper primary school. A ‘self-working’ magic trick is shown – this is a trick that works every time, as long as the process is followed exactly. No understanding of the trick is needed by the...

A Catalyst article about the astronomer William Herschel who discovered Uranus in 1781. He became the first person since ancient times to identify a new planet. However, he is also known as the ‘accidental’ discoverer of infrared radiation. The article asks is this a fair description and can such discoveries really...

This booklet focuses on gendered representations of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and how young people's views of careers in these subjects are developed. Classroom activities were developed for students drawing on media literacy skills to examine how their ideas have been influenced by...