This resource, from the University of Nottingham, describes a number of investigations which could be carried out in heathland habitats. Heathlands are excellent habitats to use for designing and carrying out experiments. Plants are often relatively easy to identify when compared with other habitats and...

Design and make a seed from a newly discovered plant using junk materials.This activity provides an opportunity for creative thinking around the topic of germination and seed dispersal. It also supports the development of literacy and presentation skills. Further ideas...

As the number of cells in a microbial culture increases, turbidity increases. In this experiment students calculate doubling time and growth rate constant using absorbance as the measure of growth. Turbidity is caused by suspended cells in the growth medium scattering light, and may be measured using a colorimeter...

This experiment is a continuation of Determining Doubling Time. Students create a standard curve of absorbance against yeast concentration, and use this to determine the concentration of yeast produced over time.

The standard curve (dry mass, grams per litre) is generated from known concentrations of dried...

This resource is designed to meet the specifications for the A-level practical endorsement in England (CPAC). However, it will make a valuable guide to dissection and scientific drawing of a flower for those following a variety of different specifications.

The ability to accurately observe, dissect and...

This resource provides a set of videos and a practical investigation aimed at supporting working scientifically in the classroom and relating science to real world experiences. In the first video Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to find out how to set up and run an investigation to find out if plants need soil...

This simple activity from NASA allows classrooms to study rocket stability as students construct and fly small "indoor" paper rockets. The rockets can be used for a range of activities into forces and movement in which students collect data and interpret the results.

Basketball Earth
This resource uses a basketball as the Earth to set up a scale model to the distance to the Moon, satellites and distances such as the thickness of the...

Ecology is one of the titles in the series of ASE Lab Books that were published in the early 1970s for the Association for Science Education by John Murray. Each title covered one or two topics and brought together the best of the teaching notes and experimental ideas...

These activities allow students to model how environmental scientists compare diversity in different ecosystems by using ordinary playing cards as ‘species’ to generate data to calculate Simpson’s Diversity Index. This can be completed in a single lesson. Some students find the concept of species diversity quite...

In this resource, produced by OPAL (Open Air Laboratories), children take part in a pond dipping session and then try to identify the different animals they find. A second activity looks at water quality and how the presence of certain species can indicate how clean the water is.

Designed for use in the...

This resource, produced by OPAL (Open Air Laboratories), aims to develop an awareness that there are different kinds of invertebrates in the environment which have different habitat requirements. It links to the topics of minibeasts, habitats and classification and is designed for use outside the classroom when...

Aimed at primary learners, this resource aims to develop an understanding of seed dispersal and the adaptation of bird beaks related to food choice. It is designed for use when visiting a wildlife area and links to the topic areas of plant life-cycles and interdependence and adaptation.

The materials,...

These materials aimed at primary learners explore how our senses can help us to learn about the natural environment. Linked to the topic areas of animals and habitats, they are designed for use when visiting a wildlife area. Most of the activities focus on one sense and...

This resource, produced by OPAL (Open Air Laboratories), aims to develop an understanding that there are different kinds of earthworms in the environment with different habitat requirements. Linked to the topic area of all living things and their habitats, it is designed for use outside the classroom when visiting...