This assembly activity, provided by the Association for Science Education (ASE), focuses on the controversy surrounding mobile phones. The aim of the SYCD assembly series is to make students more aware of their need for scientific understanding in the world outside school.

This is a classroom-based activity from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute that allows students to explore the features of two bacterial pathogen genomes. The aim of this activity is to highlight the role of different genetic components in two closely related subspecies of Salmonella enterica, and to identify how...

Learners discover the BIFoR FACE (Birmingham Institute for forest research free air carbon enrichment) experiment and the infrastructure associated with it. They are introduced to the arrays, met masts and flux tower and encouraged to think about the research questions that this experiment can answer. Learners are...

This Science upd8 activity draws on clinical trials. Eight young volunteers had been in clinical trials before, but this time things went horribly wrong. Six of the eight were left fighting for their lives. In this discussion activity students consider whether new treatments should be ever tested on human...

These two drama scripts, from the Association for Science Education (ASE), can be used to stimulate discussion and debate. These activities can be developed as far as teachers like, including ideas for short role-plays in science classes or full school productions.

The Plague at Eyam is a script for students...

This Science upd8 resource revolves around the concepts of evidence and validity. A chocolate manufacturer claims its new, high cocoa bar is good for your heart.

But is it? This is the context for teaching students how to evaluate evidence and the 'how science works' concept of validity. The activity is...

In this Science upd8 activity students analyse information and evidence about homeopathy to decide whether it is based on scientific theory. They then choose the best arguments for and against homeopathy to decide whether they would use it, and whether it should be freely available to all.

This activity highlights...

Two lessons from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)'s Seeing Science in which students look at how some plants absorb heavy metals. The lessons include an experiment to measure the amount of copper absorbed by lettuce and radish plants. In another activity, students use evidence cards and a map to...

Produced by the new economics foundation (nef), this resource contains activities that help students to discuss and understand issues around medical ethics. The materials contain teacher guidance, student information and a range of activities that promote discussion and debate.

Medicine, Ethics and Me is a...

This activity introduces the idea that climate change is leading to a greater risk of flooding due to higher levels of rainfall in a short period of time. The main part of the activity is a design challenge for the pupils highlighting how...