This article discovers how geneticists are beginning to discover the significance of junk DNA. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 25, Issue 4.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Annual...

This lesson sets the scene for the study of the Lunar Discs, and gets students to think about the contexts and history leading to the collection of the Lunar samples in the loan boxes. By considering the events of the space race, role playing taking a moonwalk, and considering the actions of the astronauts,...

This sourcebook of information and ideas from the Nuffield Junior Science Project is a collection of photographs and descriptions of apparatus designed and made by children and teachers. It was intended for reference and also to give support to teachers who were making...

The EU has recently imposed limits on the power ratings of vacuum cleaners, and proposes further limits on appliances such as hairdryers. In this activity students consider a further (fictional) future restriction, on home electricity use. Students calculate the energy transferred in kilowatt-hours by the...

These two books from the Shell Centre focus on applications. The tasks are intended to stimulate students' interest in, and understanding of, the world in which they live. As they pursue these tasks students will be involved in selecting materials and mathematics to use...

The project involved members of staff from the STEM subjects at the Kingswinford School working collaboratively to plan and deliver sessions to a group of Year Nine students. These sessions were held after school for an hour each week during the summer and autumn terms...

Modern society depends on programmable systems, from industrial robots to smartphones. The systems of today are only possible because of past inventions. The resources in this collection require students to research details about programmable system from the past, to present their findings to their peers and to...

This set of ten video case studies, from around 2010, illustrate a range of technician roles that use science and mathematics. The examples feature young college students and apprentices who talk about their area of study or work and who have a clear career route in mind. 

The case studies cover:

...

This lesson develops the concept of using geometric properties to solve problems. Particular attention is paid to interior and exterior angles of polygons.

The lesson starts by considering four regular pentagons arranged so that the ‘gap’ between them is a rhombus. Students must calculate the angles in the...

This lesson develops the concept of using the properties of exponents. In particular students will:

• Recall and use the properties of exponents to generate equivalent numeric expressions.
• Identify the appropriate property to use and apply it correctly.
• Check the numerical value of an...

A Catalyst article about the role of environmental scientists working for a local authority. Climate change science needs to be applied to everyday life and this article explains how local authorities and their staff are often in the front line applying the science and making it work for public benefit.

This...