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KS3 Density - could be used with lower ability KS4

Year 7 - Topic on Space Lesson to follow the concept of applying to be an astronaut. Big focus on the skills which might be required. In small groups, students consider the profiles of different applicants, and come to a decision as to who they would hire (imagine they are working for NASA). What sort of experience and key skills are they looking for, and why? How might hobbies link to this? Focus: justifying and supporting ideas. Next students collect information on how astronauts live and survive in space. Information cards spread around the room, and there is also a video link (Kevin Fong RI Xmas Lecture). My school has iPads for research, but textbooks could also be used. Homework: choice of tasks. Students to fill in NASA application form, or to create a space survival guide for new astronauts.

A mock paper which I have put together for our year 13 students - taking questions from a variety of years and syllabuses to avoid the usual learning of mark schemes which I tend to encounter!!

Used with high ability iGCSE Chemistry class. Notes on Diamond, Graphite (and Buckminster Fullerene) and Silicon dioxide. Students highlight and annotate this whilst looking at models of these structures and discussing them as a class. Use the information sheet as a comprehension activity by setting key questions [e.g. why does graphite conduct electricity but diamond does not?]

Fun 100 minute session on the heart and blood vessels - could be expanded or reduced. Students to learn about the structure of the heart through a memory recall drawing challenge and a dissection. Video links to support learning. Cryptogram challenge for students to learn about the blood vessels.

Used this powerpoint with my high ability year 12 class, alongside a number of worksheets (adapted from other TES authors, or using past exam questions). - Species and Taxonomy - Calculating diversity - Molecular techniques to investigate diversity - For the slides on courtship rituals I added a sound effect (Puppy Love, by Donny Osmond). For this to work on your computer you would need to save this song as an mp3 (using a youtube converter) and add it to the slide.

Used with year 9 and 10 classes (high ability) studying the new GCSE Biology course. The challenge sheet (shown on the ppt) near the end of the lesson was downloaded from another author on TES and is a fantastic resource (/teaching-resource/surface-area-to-volume-ratio-logic-challenge-11313026)

Used with high ability year 8 class, following a lesson on sexual and asexual reproduction. I chose to laminate the info sheets for use with several groups and to save future spending on photocopying! Would work really well in a school with iPads/class IT access so they could do their own research or as an extension find out about another animal.

Used with my high ability year 7 class. Glued the passport into the front of their books, and added their 'passport photo' in which they drew themselves as scientists. Investigation skills linked heavily to the KS3 National Curriculum. Following a practical students write the data in the table heading, and tick off the skills they have developed/demonstrated. Could enhance this with a red amber green system to show the progress they are making towards a skill. When writing up a practical I encourage them to finish with a reflection in which they link back to these skills. I found previously they struggled to describe skills so this gives them a prompt. Aim to demonstrate each skill through a range of different practicals across the year, such that by then end they may hope to achieve 'expert' status. I produced this to link to the idea of the new A-level CPAC criteria and the idea of demonstrating mastery of practical techniques. With each new book they may receive a new passport.

Powerpoint and Comprehension activity used with a high ability year 11 class.

Lesson to a mixed ability year 7 group, 100 minute session but could be adjusted. Market place activity, using differentiated booklets. AfL Dice game. Followed by more ethics based activities, looking at how doctors can make the decision of who receives a donor organ. Developing higher order thinking skills (Bloom's) by ranking and justifying ideas. Donor cards to be printed, and used as exit pass for 3-2-1 plenary.

Presentation to introduce learning in Science. Gets pupils to reflect on science in Primary schools and discuss their anxieties/excitement for secondary school science. In small groups, use A3 paper for pupils to draw their mental image of a scientist. 99% will go with the mad scientist stereotype. Look at each other's drawings, and then go through some images of 'real-life' scientist, to get pupils to reconsider their initial stereotype - making the point that we can all be scientists as we make hypotheses, analyse, and consider solutions. Skills sort (I laminated these) - Which skills are most important to a scientist. Pupils work in small groups, and generate excellent discussion, with teacher playing devil's advocate. Gets pupils to think about how scientists actually work. Finally pupils can redraw their scientists, annotating diagrams with the key skills which a scientist may showcase! Really fun lesson.

A lesson used with a high ability year 10 class. Excellent worksheet on labelling a reflex arc also used (sourced on TES).

Designed for use with high ability year 9 class to cover the new GCSE scheme, mark scheme included. Have not included a question on cancer, as members of this class have recently lost family members.

Used with a high ability year 10 class, alongside the AQA 9-1 Biology Textbook. Comprehension activity and exam questions, with a markscheme.

Used with a high ability year 12 class over the course of several lessons, as part of the Mass Transport topic. PPT includes: - structure of the heart - cardiac cycle - valves - blood vessels - tissue fluid

Used with a high ability year 12 group as part of the mass transport topic. Used the 'Grilled Cheese' font, so titles may need changing if you do not have this font on your computer.

Year 9 - iGCSE Biology, higher ability. Lesson on human populations and limiting factors which affect population growth. Cover bacterial sigmoid curve (to be printed for students). I used an old sheet of exam questions (not uploaded) to test their understanding of growth curves. Next lesson: to look at population pyramids.

Article relating to a modern recreation of Priestley's photosynthesis experiment, with comprehension questions. Used for higher ability student in my Biology class.

Used with a high ability GCSE class. Years 9,10, 11