I am a secondary science teacher from Plymouth, United Kingdom. I have a passion for designing interactive, engaging and well scaffolded resources that are inclusive for all pupils. I teach all years, from years 7-13. I teach KS3 Activate (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy (Biology and Chemistry), AQA GCSE Biology, AQA GCSE Chemistry, and A Level Biology (OCR A).
I am a secondary science teacher from Plymouth, United Kingdom. I have a passion for designing interactive, engaging and well scaffolded resources that are inclusive for all pupils. I teach all years, from years 7-13. I teach KS3 Activate (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy (Biology and Chemistry), AQA GCSE Biology, AQA GCSE Chemistry, and A Level Biology (OCR A).
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the third lesson in âChapter 1 - Forcesâ from Activate 1, Physics. This lesson is on friction.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Physics class, even by those where physics is not their specialism.
This lesson (and all lessons in this unit) is designed to be interactive and engaging, with plenty of real world examples and independent tasks.
This lesson includes a practical activity where students investigate the speed of a toy car down a ramp where different materials are used on the rampâs surface.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Give a definition for the key term âfrictionâ
Explain what causes friction to occur
Describe the effect that friction has on moving objects
Describe how to reduce the effect of friction
Investigate the effect of different material surfaces on the amount of friction a moving object experiences
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the third lesson in âChapter 2 - Reactionsâ from Activate 1, Chemistry. This lesson is on âoxidation reactionsâ.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Chemistry class, even by those where chemistry is not their specialism.
This lesson (and all lessons in this unit) is designed to be interactive and engaging, with plenty of real world examples and independent tasks.
This lesson also involves a practical demonstration where magnesium is burnt.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
State what a fuel is
Recall that fossil fuels are non-renewable
State what a combustion reaction is
Predict the products of combustion reactions
Write word equations for combustion reactions
Recall the definition for the term âoxidation reactionâ
Explain the difference between the terms âcombustionâ and âoxidationâ
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the 6th and penultimate lesson in âChapter 2 - Reactionsâ from Activate 1, Chemistry. This lesson is on âconservation of massâ.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Chemistry class, even by those where chemistry is not their specialism.
This lesson (and all lessons in this unit) is designed to be interactive and engaging, with plenty of real world examples and independent tasks.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
State what the law of conservation of mass is
Explain why mass is conserved during a chemical reaction (no atoms are created or destroyed, only rearranged)
Use the conservation of mass to calculate the mass of a reactant or product
Balance simple formula equations
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson based on the Biology Required Practical 6 from AQA GCSE Combined Science (reaction times). Also suitable for students studying AQA GCSE Biology.
This resource was designed for a lower ability year 11 class, but could easily be adapted for other year groups or abilities.
This resource includes:
A fully guided PowerPoint, with chunked practical instructions
A student worksheet with practical instructions, results tables, and application questions
A conversion table for reaction times
The PowerPoint includes:
A â5-in-5â retrieval-style starter
A lesson hook - an online reaction time game
Chunked practical instructions (slow practical) with use of colour coding and dual coding / imagery for ease of understanding
Models (e.g. a model results table showing how to find an anomaly)
Application questions
Model answers
A written plenary (an exam question, with a scaffold, a mark scheme, and a model answer)
A knowledge organiser from the KS3 Activate 2 physics topic on âenergyâ.
Makes a good summary sheet for revision at the end of the topic.
I used this resource with a mixed ability year 8 class, they used it to make flashcards.
Contains summary information on the following areas:
Energy resources (non-renewable and fossil fuels)
Energy stores
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Work done
Simple machines
Power
A PowerPoint lesson resource on the structure and properties of graphene and fullerenes (Buckminsterfullerene and carbon nanotubes).
This resource was a designed for a bottom set year 9 class, so is highly scaffolded. Scaffolds can be removed to suit all sets / abilities.
This resource contains:
A â5 in 5â retrieval style starter on giant covalent molecules and bonding
Direct instruction on graphene
A series of checkpoints (multipe choice quizzes, cold call questions, quick written tasks) based on short exam questions on graphene
An independent written exam question on the properties of graphene, with optional scaffold
Guided self assessment / model answers
An embedded video on buckyballs
Direct instruction slides on fullerenes (Buckminsterfullerene and carbon nanotubes)
A series of checkpoints (multipe choice quizzes, cold call questions, quick written tasks) based on short exam questions on fullerenes
An independent written exam question on the properties of fullerenes, with optional scaffold
Guided self assessment / model answers
A plenary task (6 mark exam question with answers)
A full 1 hour lesson resource designed for a mixed ability year 10 class studying the AQA GCSE Chemistry specification.
This lesson is from the âelectrolysisâ topic and guides students through the Required Practical on electrolysis.
This resource contains a guided PowerPoint (inc. a health and safety slide), and a student method sheet with a results table and application questions. The slide contains answers to the application questions.
My lesson resources always contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class introducing them to acids and alkalis.
This is an introduction lesson to âChapter 4 - Acids and Alkalisâ from Activate 1, Chemistry.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Chemistry class, even by those where Chemistry is not their specialism.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Know that alkalis are the chemical opposites of acids
Give examples of common acidic and alkaline solutions
Describe the hazards of using acids and alkalis
State how to control the risks of using acids and alkalis
Compare concentrated and dilute solutions
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the 5th and final lesson in âChapter 4 - Acids and Alkalisâ from Activate 1, Chemistry.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Chemistry class, even by those where Chemistry is not their specialism.
This lesson includes a practical demo (a magic trick with âwaterâ into âwineâ) and a class practical activity (using litmus paper to test different household solutions).
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Recall the general word equation for a neutralisation reaction
Name the salts produced in reactions with acids
Complete word equations for specific neutralisation reactions
Complete word equations for the reactions between a metal and an acid
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
This is a full 1 hour lesson resource designed for a mixed ability year 11 class studying the AQA Biology syllabus. It comes with a full PowerPoint presentation and printouts.
The PowerPoint contains the following:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
Lesson hook
Embedded videos
Guided class discussions
Guided teacher model slides
Direct instruction slides (using dual coding, reduced cognitive load)
âCheck for understandingâ slides using hand signals, quizzes etc.
Independent tasks (exam questions), with answer slides
Challenge questions
A written plenary task based on an exam question
A full 1-hour lesson resource designed for a mid-ability year 10 class studying the AQA GCSE Combined Science curriculum.
This resource focuses on introducing enzymes, specifically on the action of enzymes and lock and key theory.
This resource contains:
A â5 in 5â retrieval-style starter
A lesson hook
An introduction task on what an enzyme is
Teacher input slides on enzyme action (active site, substrate, product)
Multiple choice hand signal quizzes
Student independent task, drawing and labelling enzyme-substrate complex (with answer slide)
Teacher model slides, naming the enzyme, substrate and product
Student independent task naming enzyme, substrates and products (with answer slide)
Guided class discussion about locks and keys, how they work
Teacher input slides on the lock and key theory, with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Guided class discussion, applying lock and key theory as to why protease canât be used to break down starch
Student independent practice on lock and key theory (with optional scaffold, and answer slide)
Written plenary
A full hour lesson designed for year 7 as part of an âintroduction to scienceâ unit, teaching key science skills to new students in KS3.
This full hour lesson resource contains:
A â5 in 5â style retrieval starter recapping key concepts from primary school, lab safety, scientific apparatus, measuring, Bunsen burners
A lesson hook - writing instructions for an alien to draw a stick man (guidance for teachers included)
A task on reproducibility - students follow instructions for drawing a house
Direct instruction on what makes a good scientific method
Independent task - writing instructions for making a cup of tea
Practical demo - teacher follows studentsâ instructions and makes cups of tea
Peer assessment slide
An independent task - students write a method for a scientific investigation
A written plenary task
This lesson is designed for a year 7 class studying the KS3 Activate curriculum in science.
This lesson is focused on contraception.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Name two methods of contraception (condoms, contraceptive pill)
Describe how each method of contraception works (barrier, contains hormones to prevent ovulation)
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type of contraception
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
An A3 knowledge organiser on the Organic Chemistry topic from the AQA GCSE Combined Science syllabus.
Also suitable for AQA GCSE Chemistry, although does not include the âmore organic chemistryâ topic.
The knowledge organiser includes information on:
The structure and formula of alkanes
The structure and formula of alkenes
Tests for alkenes
Complete combustion of hydrocarbons
Incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
Trends in the properties of hydrocarbons
Fractional distillation
Cracking
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 8 class.
This is the 3rd lesson in âChapter 1 - Electricity and Magnetismâ from Activate 2, Physics. This lesson is based on the âcircuits and currentâ pages, where students have the opportunity to practice building circuits in a practical activity.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Physics class, even by those where physics is not their specialism.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Identify series and parallel circuits from circuit diagrams
Use circuit diagrams to build simple series and parallel circuits
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the 6th and final lesson in âChapter 3 - Lightâ from Activate 1, Physics. This lesson focuses on âcolourâ.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Physics class, even by those where physics is not their specialism.
This lesson (and all lessons in this unit) is designed to be interactive and engaging, with plenty of real world examples and independent tasks.
This lesson includes a short practical where students pass white light from a ray box through a triangular prism.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Describe how white light is dispersed when it passes through a prism
Explain why white light is dispersed when it passes through a prism
Explain why objects have certain colours
Recall the primary colours of light and secondary colours of light
Describe the colour of light that will be seen when primary colours of light are mixed
Identify the colour of light that will be seen when different coloured lights are passed through different coloured filters
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task
This revision place mat was designed for a lower ability year 11 group studying the topic âhomeostasisâ.
This resources covers the following topics from AQA GCSE Combined Science:
Structure of a neurone
Reflex arc
Ruler drop test method for reaction time
Endocrine system - matching hormones to glands
Blood glucose control (foundation tier only, no glucagon)
Diabetes (type 1 vs. type 2)
A full 1-hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 10 class studying the AQA GCSE Chemistry topic âElectrolysisâ.
This lesson focuses on the electrolysis of molten ionic compounds, with a specific focus on predicting the products at each electrode. OIL RIG (oxidation and reduction) is discussed in regards to the reactions at each electrode.
This lesson contains:
A â5-in-5â retrieval-style starter
A retrieval practice (class discussion on ion formation)
A brief recap on the process of electrolysis
Guided teacher model practising naming the products at each electrode
Hand signal quizzes with answers to check for student understanding
A table for students to copy and complete, predicting products at each electrode
Answer slide
Slides explaining OIL RIG
Flow chart for students to complete, with answer slide
Printable exam questions from ExamPro for students to practise, with answer slides
Written plenary
A full 1-hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 10 class studying the AQA GCSE Chemistry topic âElectrolysisâ. This lesson introduces the topic âelectrolysisâ and focuses on the process of electrolysis.
This PowerPoint resource includes:
A â5-in-5â retrieval-style starter
A recap of ionic bonding, featuring a âchoose the wordâ written task
Guided class discussions
Multiple choice hand signal quizzes to check for understanding, with answers
Teacher models, including animations
Mnemonic devices to help students remember the names of the ions and electrodes
A printed diagram for students to label of an electrolysis cell
A âfill in the blanksâ style task for students to complete
Answer slides
A written plenary task, matching up key definitions from the lesson
A full 1 hour lesson designed for a mixed ability year 7 class.
This is the first lesson in âChapter 1 - Forcesâ from Activate 1, Physics.
This lesson should be suitable to teach to any KS3 Physics class, even by those where physics is not their specialism.
This lesson (and all lessons in this unit) is designed to be interactive and engaging, with plenty of real world examples and independent tasks.
From this lesson, students should be able to:
Recall the effects that forces can have on objects
Describe how to measure forces
Compare contact and non-contact forces, and give examples for contact and non-contact forces
Recall that forces always come in pairs called interaction pairs, and use this concept to explain certain phenomena
All of my lesson resources contain:
A 5-in-5 retrieval-style starter
An interesting lesson hook, careers link, or retrieval practice to start the lesson
Teacher input slides with dual coding and reduced cognitive load
Teacher models
Regular âcheck for understandingâ slides, such as hand signals quizzes
Regular student independent practice slides, with optional scaffolds, challenges and answer slides
A plenary task