Why did mammoths become extinct? Scientists have presented two claims: climate change or human hunters. In this lesson students apply their knowledge of evolution and study evidence to decide which claim is best supported.  Students are also asked to explain how a change in the environment can leave a...

This lesson introduces ideas about combustion, incomplete combustion and the production of carbon monoxide, particulates and their relationship to health.

Learning outcomes:

• Students could produce and write symbol equations for the combustion of carbon and methane using models.
• They...

In this activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), students read about a Wi-Fi system (often called WLAN — wireless local area network) and produce a diagram to show how the ‘wireless’ part is, by necessity, short-range. Mostly, the signal is...

In this lesson, students investigate the claim that using a Nintendo Wii computer game is a good way to keep fit and that people, therefore, should be encouraged to use them. They compare how their resting pulse rate changes when they have been playing a normal games...

This resource looks at the impact of climate change, in particular flooding and drought, and how science can be used to mitigate against it. Students first explore perceptions about climate change, then look at ways to communicate the significance of climate change to different groups of people. They then explore...

This Study Plus unit from the National Strategies aims to develop students’ understanding of angle properties in shapes. It begins with the idea of tiling a floor and which shapes will tessellate.

After an initial emphasis on discovering angle facts from regular polygons, the unit moves on to using angle...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). One of the most important questions facing us all is how we will use the planet’s energy resources over the coming decades. Many people believe that wind power can make a vital...

In this activity, students explore the requirements of aerodynamic design through testing simple shapes in a wind tunnel and explain the link between the test results from a wind tunnel and air resistance. The activity focuses on students acquiring an understanding of...

There is much debate about reducing greenhouse gases and how renewable energy sources might form part of the answer. Most people agree that renewable energy is a good thing, but how do people react when a wind farm is proposed to be built near them? The following...

This resource helps students think about who the winners and losers are when making product choices.

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), introduces students to Wi-Fi, its properties and capabilities, using a real-life scenario as the context.

Body centric communications have...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), is one of a series of activities which explores body centric communications. Students study data and annotate a diagram to show what electromagnetic radiation can penetrate the atmosphere. The...

Purpose: The use of sensors to measure variables in practical science activities has long been linked to the use of data loggers. This is no longer the case. Free software apps on mobile devices can link directly to one or more wireless enabled sensors. This significantly reduces cost and complexity, whilst...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), allows students to investigate the uses of communication technology in the modern world, making decisions about being dependent on such technology.

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), allows students to investigate the uses of communications technology in the modern world. There is an opportunity to audit the students’ skills such as visualisation or map-reading to form a scale...