This Nuffield Working with Science unit encouraged students to gather information about different types of fabric and the fibres from which they are made. The unit introduces aspects of fabric manufacturing processes and the different uses of fibres and fabrics....

This Nuffield Working with Science unit was designed to encourage students to study fire in the context of safety at home, fire prevention and the role of the Fire Service.

Guidance for teachers and technicians...

This Nuffield Working with Science unit involves scientific investigations both in the laboratory and in the kitchen. The activities encourage students to apply the knowledge gained in new situations, to analyse data from tables and interpret experimental results....

Like other Nuffield Working with Science units, this topic is intended to give students an opportunity to acquire relevant scientific information, skills, and attitudes, so that they may be able to put all these to practical use.

Students learn and practice how to behave scientifically and to increase their...

Fruit juice companies use a variety of different treatments and enzymes to maximise their yield. In this experiment students will investigate the effectiveness of these different enzymes.

The enzymes used are designed...

In this experiment students grow yeast on agar plates and look at the effect on growth of some common anti-fungal treatments, which are available to treat conditions such athlete's foot and thrush. Antifungal products may be bought from a local pharmacist, for example, Canistan, Daktarin, Diflucan. Several...

This Nuffield Working with Science unit set out to foster an interest in growing things and to encourage more careful observation of detail with things as familiar as cabbages and tomatoes. Students are required to show a certain amount of practical dexterity, some...

Gelli Baff, a crystalline powder, has been dumped into a bathtub filled with water. How can you force the hydrogel to go down the plughole in order to drain the bathtub? 

In this investigation, students learn about swelling reactions, balanced reactions, and polymerisation. Students should be able to...

This Nuffield Working with Science unit aimed to provide opportunities for experimental work, to involve students with people in the world of work, to offer a choice of activities and to be open-ended.

Guidance for...

Plant gums are often used in the food industry as thickening and stabilising agents. Gums are water soluble polysaccharides, such as starch and cellulose. In this activity, students investigate what happens to the texture when different polysaccharides are mixed.

When solutions of some polysaccharides are...

This Nuffield Working with Science unit encourages students to explore some of the problems people have with their hair, why they happen, and what can be done about them. The unit investigates how hair is kept clean and healthy, what substances are used in hairdressing...

A Catalyst article about hydrogels. Soft contact lenses, disposable nappies, hair gel and plant water crystals all make use of substances called hydrogels. These are polymers which have the unusual property of being able to absorb huge quantities of water. The article looks at the structure of hydrogels and their...

These resources were developed by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme and the Centre for Science Education at Sheffield Hallam University in order to demonstrate new ways that ICT can be used to enhance practical work in science. Research scientists use computer technology in both the collection and the...

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these materials look at the work of the plant biologist, Julian Ma. Through seeing how natural and genetically-modified plants can produce medicines, students gain a greater understanding of the career opportunities...