I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
I am a secondary school & A-level Science teacher, specialising in Biology. I am also an experienced AQA GCSE Biology Examiner. My resources contain a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons aimed at meeting specification points for the new AQA Trilogy GCSE course and KS3 Activate course.
All of my lessons include at least one opportunity for self-assessment, a range of activities to suit students of all abilities, a set of differentiated starter questions and a plenary.
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Physics GCSE, particularly the 'Molecules & Matter’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins with an introduction to radiation, firstly looking at background radiation. Students are given some time to discuss on their tables, the sources of background radiation. After students have fed into a class discussion the answers can be revealed on the PowerPoint.
Next, students are shown some data on the sources of background radiation. Students will be required to answer a set of questions about this data, they can complete the work in their books and the mark scheme is provided on the PowerPoint.
Next, students are introduced to Marie Curie and her work towards radioactivity. The students will be given a list of questions and they will need to answer these using the video, the answers to which are then included so students can self-assess their work.
Students will then be asked to consider the safety rules when dealing with an radioactive substances before a teacher demonstration is carried out using a Geiger-Muller counter. Student are asked to observe the demo and also record their observations and answer a set of questions. This can then be marked using the mark scheme provided.
The last task requires pupils to complete a summary worksheet on radiation, this work can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary activity is an exit card, students will need to write down three things they learned during the lesson, five key words and one questions to test their peers knowledge of the lesson content.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the P2 1.2 unit on ‘Energy.
The lesson begins with an introduction to the law of the conservation of energy, students are told that energy cannot be created or destroyed but it can be stored and transferred. Next, students are introduced to the five main energy stores, students are asked to match the correct names to the photos displayed. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Next, students are introduced to the ways in which energy can be transferred - via light waves, sound waves and electricity. They will be shown an energy transfer diagram, depicting the energy transfers which take place within a torch. Once students have seen the complete diagram, they will then have a go at completing it themselves, using the statements provided. This task can the be marked against the mark scheme provided.
Students will then complete two further energy diagrams to display the energy transfers taking place within a candle and TV. The answers to this task are also included in the PowerPoint presentation so students can self-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
Lastly, students will complete an investigation into the height a ball bounces back up to after it has been dropped from a height. Students will work in groups of three, following the instructions provided on the PowerPoint to complete the results table provided. Students will then need to answer a set of questions using the data they collected from the investigation. This can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary task requires students to complete one of the sentence starters, to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Physics GCSE, particularly the ‘Forces in Action’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson begins with an introduction to force diagrams, students are given some information about how arrows can show the direction and size of forces acting upon an object. Students will then need to add force arrows to a diagram of a brick falling, this task can then be checked against the answer provided.
Students are now shown a ‘Tug of war’ diagram, students are asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about which side would win and why. After a short class discussion, students are now introduced to the idea of balanced and unbalanced forces, using ‘tug of war’ images as examples. Students are then given some information outlining how the motion of an object is affected by balanced/unbalanced forces acting upon it.
Students will now complete a forces circuit to consider the type and size of forces acting upon different objects in the circus, students will need to identify the type/size of the forces and decide whether they are balanced or unbalanced. This task can be self-assessed once it is complete.
Students will now be introduced to the definition of resultant forces, and will be shown some examples of how to calculate resultant force using ‘tug of war’ examples again.
Students will now complete a couple of tasks to assess their knowledge of what they have learned so far on resultant forces, both tasks can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided in the PowerPoint presentation.
Lastly, students are shown how to draw ‘Free-body Force Diagrams’, an example is given before students are asked to draw their own onces using the two scenarios provided. The work can be marked and corrected using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary task requires students to write a Whatsapp message to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the P2 1.2 unit on ‘Energy.
The lesson begins with a ‘Think > Pair > Share’ task whereby students are asked to think about why explorers need some large quantities of energy? What foods would provide them with such daily energy requirements? Students should have the covered the ‘Diet & Nutrients’ topic in Biology by this point, so after a short discussion in pairs they can feed their ideas back to the class and the answer can be revealed.
Students will now be provided with a set of food labels, if possible they should also be allowed access to the Internet via phones/laptops, using these tools students should estimate their daily energy intake, compare this with others and then make a list of all the ways their body might use this energy.
This follows into a task whereby students will look at activities, students will need to place these activities in order from most energy intensive to least energy intensive. Once complete, students can assess their work against the answers provided in the PowerPoint presentation.
Students are now provided with a set of data on the energy required to perform a range of activities for one hour. They will firstly need to plot this data onto a bar graph, they will also need to answer a set of questions. The mark scheme for this task is included in the PowerPoint presentation so students can self-assess their work once it is complete.
Lastly, students will complete an investigation into the energy content within food. The practical worksheet is included, students can collect the equipment listed and follow the steps in the method to fill in the results table in their books. Once complete, students should answer the summary questions.
The plenary task requires students to write a twitter message to their friends, including #keywords.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This bundle of resources contains 5 whole lessons, along with all additional resources, which meet all learning outcomes within the Year 7 P1 ‘Forces’ Unit.
Lessons include:
Introduction to Forces
Stretching & Squashing Forces
Friction & Drag Forces
Forces at a Distance: Non-contact Forces
Balanced & Unbalanced Forces
The lessons contain a mix of differentiated activities, videos & animations, progress checks and more than two opportunities, per lesson, for self/peer red-pen assessment of tasks.
This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P2 ’Sound’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
Students will firstly be introduced to the main features of a wave - amplitude, frequency and wavelength. Students can sketch a diagram of a wave into their books and take notes on the main features.
Students are now introduced to transverse and longitudinal waves, students will need to know the differences between the direction of the oscillations of these two waves. Students are then asked to discuss how a ‘slinky’ could be used to demonstrate these two waves, after a short class discussion students can be shown an animation to demonstrate how a slinky shows these two types of wave. Students will now get into groups and come up with a short role-play to demonstrate the differences between these two waves.
Students will now complete a progress check where they will need to copy and complete a paragraph to summarise what they have learned so far this lesson. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
A diagram of a longitudinal wave which shows the differences between rarefactions and compressions is shown to students, they will then need to answer a set of questions. The answers to this task are included in the PowerPoint so students can self-assess their work once it is complete.
Next, students will need to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about what happens when two or more waves join together. Students can discuss their ideas first before being shown a video demonstrating the process of superposing waves. Students will then complete a fill-in-the-blank task to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
The plenary task requires students to write a WhatsApp message to tell their friends what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P1 ’Forces’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This lesson starts with a recap on the differences between contact and non-contact forces. Students are given a list of forces and a variety of pictures, they need to match the correct name of the force with the correct picture and decide whether this is a contact or non-contact force. This task can self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Students are now introduced to the concept of a ‘reaction force’, with examples of a ball hitting the floor and a person walking along the ground. Students are shown a particle diagram to demonstrate what is happening. Next, students are introduced to the idea of an elastic cord or spring being affected by ‘extension’ and ‘tension’ forces. To assess students knowledge of what they have learned so far they will complete a progress check, a set of questions which students can answer in their books. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The last part of the lesson will look at Hooke’s law, students will conduct an investigation where they will investigate Hooke’s law. This practical involves students adding 1 Newton weights to a hanger which is attached to an elastic band. Every time a new weight is added, the distance between two marked point on the elastic band is measured. Students should carry out the investigation, record their results in a the table and then plot a graph of their results. Hopefully, students will draw a linear graph and be able to identify what Hooke’s law is from their results. Students can check their work against the results provided in the PowerPoint.
Finally, students are asked to complete a ‘Sentence Link-Up’ task, this is a literacy task which requires students to link three words in a summary sentence. This work can be self-assessed once it is complete using the answers provided on the PowerPoint.
The plenary requires students to write three quiz questions to test their knowledge of what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This bundle of resources contains 4 whole lessons, along with all additional resources, which meet all learning outcomes within the Year 7 P4 ‘Space’ Unit.
Lessons include:
The Night Sky
The Solar System
The Earth
The Moon
The lessons contain a mix of differentiated activities, videos & animations, progress checks and more than two opportunities, per lesson, for self/peer red-pen assessment of tasks.
This lesson is designed to meet specification points from the NEW AQA GCSE 'Energy' module. For more lessons within this series please visit my shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with pictures demonstrating the 5 energy stores, pupils will need to discuss and decide on what these energy stores might be using the pictures.
Once pupils have identified the energy stores (these can be written down on the whiteboard) pupils will then need to complete sentences which describe each of the energy stores, sentence starters are provided.
Pupils are then given a slide with pictures which demonstrate examples of energy transfers, pupils again will need to identify the different ways in which energy can be transferred using the pictures.
The next part of the lesson will focus on energy transfer flow diagrams, pupils will need to describe the energy transfers taking place in different systems, including a torch, candle & TV. There is a worksheet at the end of the PowerPoint which pupils can use to complete these tasks. When finished, pupils can self-assess their work.
Pupils will then answer some progress check questions in their books, I usually ask pupils to complete in silence to reflect on what they have learnt this lesson. Pupils will then self-assess their work.
The final task is a past-paper question, pupils can complete on the sheet and peer-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the P2 1.1 unit on ‘Electricity & Magnetism’.
This lesson begins with an introduction to potential difference, students will watch a couple of minutes of a video and whilst watching will need to answer a set of questions. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided on the PowerPoint presentation.
Next, students will be shown a circuit diagram, with two voltmeters connected - one parallel to a cell and one parallel to a light bulb. Students are asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about whether the potential difference is higher across the battery or across the cell. Students will then carry out an investigation to find the answer the this question.
After this, students will complete a fill-in-the-blank task to summarise what they have learned so far this lesson. Once complete student can self-assess or peer-assess their work using the mark scheme provided.
Lastly, students will be given a set of questions relating to potential difference and also resistance, students will need to use what they have learned this lesson as well last lesson on resistance to complete these questions. This task can then be marked and assessed using the mark scheme provided. This is followed by a very quick anagram challenge, students will need to unscramble the anagrams to spell 6 key words related to the topic of electricity, students can write a definition for each key word if they have finished.
The plenary requires students to write a twitter message, summarising what they have learned this lesson, including #keywords.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the KS3 Year 8 Science course, specifically the P2 1.2 unit on ‘Energy’.
More Biology, Chemistry and Physics resources can be found in my TES Shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
This lesson starts with an introduction to conductors and the process of conduction. Students will be given a definition for each of these terms, they will then be asked to consider what some examples of good conductors and insulators are. The answer to these questions are then revealed, students can take notes in their books.
Next, students are shown a diagram which demonstrates what happens to the particles within a solid when conduction occurs. Students are then asked to discuss ‘Why does conduction occur best in solid materials?’ - after a short discussion students will be shown the answer to this question so they can self-assess their work.
Students will now complete an investigation to test different types of materials - copper, wood, iron, plastic & zinc - to see how well they conduct heat. Students should follow the method provided on the practical worksheet, they can record their results in a table in their books.
The next part of the lesson focuses on convection, students will watch a video, during which they will need to answer a set of questions. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Lastly, students are asked to draw a cross-section of a room in a house with a radiator on and show how a convection current might occur with the air particles in this room. This task can be assessed against the diagram provided in the PowerPoint presentation, once complete.
The plenary task requires students to write down three facts, three key words and 1 question to test their peers knowledge of what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P3 ’Light’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This lesson begins with an explanation of how the different parts of the eye work together in order for you to see objects. The functions of different parts of the eye are briefly explained. Students will then need to complete a task to assess their knowledge of this introductory information, this can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
This leads onto another task which looks at the function of different parts of the eye, students will each be given a different piece of information outlining the function of one part of the eye. Students will then need to walk around the room, sharing information with each other to complete a table on the functions of eye parts. This task can be marked using the answers provided.
Students will then be shown an image of a pinhole camera, they will need to sketch a copy of it into their book. They are then asked a few questions which looks at the similarities between a pinhole camera and the eye, students should answer these questions in their books and once complete they can mark their work using the answers provided.
Students are then provided with some information comparing the structure and function of eyes compared to a digital camera. Students will need to outline one way in which they are similar and one way in which they are different, this task can also be assessed using the answers provided.
Lastly, the plenary task requires students to write down three sentences to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the Activate KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P1 ’Forces’.
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
The lesson begins with a video which introduces students to forces, students will watch a video and will need to answer a set of questions whilst watching. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
Students will then be asked to ‘Think > Pair > Share’ their ideas about the differences between a contact and a non-contact force. Once they have had chance to discuss their ideas and feed back to the class, the definition for both contact and non-contact forces can be revealed for students to check their answers. Students will then be shown a set of diagrams of either contact or non-contact forces, students will need to sort these into the correct columns. This work can be marked and corrected once this task is complete.
Students will now be shown how force diagrams can be drawn, to indicate the size and direction of a force acting upon an object. Students will then need to draw force diagrams for a set of objects, a worksheet for this task in provided. This work can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided on the PowerPoint.
Lastly, students will be given the definition for an ‘interaction pair’, as well as an example to help contextualise this meaning. Students will then need to complete a progress check (‘copy-and-complete’ task) to assess their knowledge of what they have learned this lesson. This work can be self or peer assessed using the answers provided on the PowerPoint.
The plenary task is for students to spend a minute talking to the person next to them about what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is aimed at the new GCSE specification, on the topic of ‘Energy’.
More lessons from this series can be found in my TES Shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
Pupils begin by considering what types of objects have a store of kinetic energy and then they can ‘Think, Pair, Share’ - what factors might affect how much kinetic energy an object actually has?
The lesson then moves on to show pupils the calculation to work out kinetic energy, you can work through two model questions with pupils on the board.
Pupils are then given a table where the calculation is broken down into sections. They are given the mass and the speed of an object, they will need to calculate 0.5 x mass in one column and the speed squared in another - from this they can calculate the kinetic energy. Once complete pupils can assess their work using a red pen.
The next part of the lesson introduces how to rearrange the equation and then an activity follows with slightly harder calculations on kinetic energy, where they may be required to use the rearranged equation. Self-assessment of work when complete.
**Higher ability students should now have a go at the past-paper question from the NEW AQA GCSE specimen material, they can complete the question and mark their work using the mark scheme provided**
The plenary is game of ‘equation bingo’ - the students write 6 equations/words/phrases into their books, you describe their meaning and if students have the correct equation/word/phrase they can cross them out of their book. The first person to cross all of them out correctly can shout bingo!
All resources are included in the PowerPoint - enjoy :)
This bundle of resources contains 8 whole lessons, along with all additional resources, which meet all learning outcomes within the ‘Molecules & Matter’ unit for the NEW AQA Physics Specification.
Lessons include:
Atoms & Radiation
The Development of the Nuclear Model
Radioactive Decay
Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation
Half-life & Radioactivity
Nuclear Radiation & Medicine
Nuclear Fission & Nuclear Fusion
Dangers of Radiation
The lessons contain a mix of differentiated activities, progress checks, practical investigations, exam questions and more than two opportunities, per lesson, for self/peer red-pen assessment of tasks.
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Physics GCSE, particularly the ‘Forces in Action’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins with an introduction to moments, using a spanner. Students are then introduced to the calculation - moment = force x distance from the pivot.
Students are then shown a worked example using the calculation, before being presented with a problem to solve themselves. Next, students are shown a diagram of a man pushing down on one side of a see saw, at the other side is a bag of money. This diagram is labeled to show the effort force, pivot and load.
Students are then given a worksheet on levers, students will need to identify the effort force, pivot and load in each of the diagrams and also match the key words to the correct definition. This work can be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided once it is complete.
The last two tasks are assessment tasks, firstly students will copy and complete the paragraph, using the key words provided, to summarise what they have learned this lesson. This can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided. Lastly, students are presented with a set of moment problems, using the calculation they learned at the beginning of the lesson students will need to work through these calculations. The mark scheme for this task is also included so students can self-assess or peer-assess their work.
Lastly, students will be shown a diagram of apparatus which can be used to investigate the turning effect of a force. Students are asked some questions about this investigation, they will then need to complete a ‘Quick Check’ task which will assess students knowledge of what they have learned this lesson. This task can then be self-assessed using the mark scheme provided.
The plenary task requires students to copy and complete a sentence starter to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation, thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated
The plenary task requires students to write a Whatsapp message to summarise what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This homework activity is designed for the KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 8 B2.1 Module on ‘The Periodic Table’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension/revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know @swift_science_education or swift.education.uk@gmail.com, any feedback would be appreciated :)
This lesson is designed for the NEW AQA Trilogy Physics GCSE, particularly the 'Electricity’ SoW.
For more lessons designed to meet specification points for the NEW AQA Trilogy specifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics please see my shop: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience
The lesson begins with an introduction to the safety features of a plug which ensures that a person does not get electrocuted, this includes details of the role of the earth wire and the purpose of double insulation. Students will now be given some information about plugs, wall sockets and cables, using which they will need to answer a set of questions. Students can then use the mark scheme provided to self-assess or peer-assess their work.
Students will then look at why cables with different thicknesses are used for different purposes, students will complete notes on this topic by completing a fill-in-the-blank task. The mark scheme is included in the PowerPoint presentation so students can either self or peer assess their work.
The next part of the lesson focuses on fuses, students will watch a video about fuses and using the information provided in the video students will answer a set of questions. Once this task is complete students can check their work against the mark scheme provided.
Lastly, students will be given a past-paper question to complete, higher ability students could close their books and try to complete the question without their notes. The mark scheme for this task is included in the PowerPoint presentation for students to check their work.
The plenary task will require pupils to write a set of three quiz questions aimed at testing students knowledge of what they have learned this lesson.
All resources are included at the end of the presentation. Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments section and any feedback would be appreciated :)
This homework activity is designed for the KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 7 P1.1 Module on ‘Forces’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension/revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know @swift_science_education or swift.education.uk@gmail.com, any feedback would be appreciated :)
This homework activity is designed for the KS3 Science Course, specifically Year 8 B2.1 Module on ‘Energy’
For more lessons designed for KS3 and KS4 please visit my shop at: /teaching-resources/shop/SWiftScience.
This activity contains a set of differentiated questions, it also includes additional extra challenge tasks for higher ability students to complete. This worksheet could be used as a homework or as an extension/revision activity in class.
I have included a comprehensive mark scheme for teacher or self-assessment of the work, there are also details of grade boundaries which I use to RAG pupils work, a full explanation of how I do this is included.
Thanks for looking, if you have any questions please let me know @swift_science_education or swift.education.uk@gmail.com, any feedback would be appreciated :)