Big believer in the power of beautiful lesson plans to make learning easier. My resources cover the sciences and geography. My biochemistry degree and tuition work I do mean I create resources for a lot of courses as and when I need a resource-always feel free to comment and request something if you want something else or an adaptation. Oxford biochemistry graduate.
Big believer in the power of beautiful lesson plans to make learning easier. My resources cover the sciences and geography. My biochemistry degree and tuition work I do mean I create resources for a lot of courses as and when I need a resource-always feel free to comment and request something if you want something else or an adaptation. Oxford biochemistry graduate.
Worksheets for teaching polymers on the AQA chemistry specification, covering the current 9-1 GCSEs: a two-page question and answer worksheet covering addition and condensation polymers, and a fill-in-the-blanks sheet for the common addition polymers and their uses. Practices definitions and drawing organic molecule structures. Mark schemes are attached. I include a lot of alternative ways the molecules could be drawn in case the person giving the lesson isn’t a chemistry specialist.
Worksheet on two pages on extracting metals using carbon (and tungsten), targeting the AQA 9-1 science and chemistry GCSEs in the C5 “Chemical changes” section of the course. Covers the reactivity series, unreactive metals, word and symbol equations, environmental impact, redox and tungsten extraction. There’s an in-depth mark scheme, diagram of a blast furnace and links to recommended videos.
Update, September 2024: added version with the images tuned to print well in black and white (note that the emoji graphics appear in colour onscreen).
Notes with diagrams and video links on the Rutherford/Geiger/Marsden gold foil experiment. Explains the plum pudding model, why they used alpha particles, what Rutherford expected and finishes with a bullet point list of features of the modern view of the atom.
Covering one page, the notes are suitable for GCSE physics and particularly targeted at AQA GCSE physics. It could also be used for OCR Gateway GCSE chemistry and physics and Edexcel 9-1 physics.
Worksheet on making copper sulfate crystals from copper oxide (insoluble base method) covering two pages for Edexcel 9-1 iGCSE chemistry, versions in colour and in black and white for printing with a mark scheme. Covers removing the excess copper oxide and letting crystals form. There’s a link to a recommended video from Pearson.
The content is divided over the two pages: the first page is more “directly on the topic” questions and could be used on its own for students at the time they cover copper sulphate or do the practical, the second page is more extension and for “final exam revision”: based on student questions and points that came up from discussing the video, I made the second page cover more synoptic questions making connections with other topics, like temperature and rate of reaction. The worksheet is targeted towards building exam technique and written question skills, so doesn’t include a full practical method. Questions consulted include 2C June 2016 Q7 for technique (I recommend this for exam-style practice) and 1CR June 2019, question 5d for rate of reaction and temperature.
I have a similar worksheet for AQA GCSE chemistry.
Worksheet on making copper sulfate crystals covering two pages for AQA 9-1 GCSE chemistry, versions in colour and in black and white for printing with a mark scheme. Covers removing the excess copper oxide and letting crystals form, and checked against a similar question on the 84621H specimen paper. There’s a link to a recommended video from Pearson.
The content is divided over the two pages: the first page is more “directly on the topic” questions and could be used on its own for students at the time they cover copper sulphate or do the practical, the second page is more extension and for “final exam revision”: based on student questions and points that came up from discussing the video, I made the second page cover more synoptic questions making connections with other topics, like temperature and rate of reaction. Written targeting AQA but would be suitable for other exam boards. The worksheet is targeted towards building exam technique and written question skills, so doesn’t include a full practical method.
Topic area: required practical 1 and 4.4 Chemical Changes > 4.4.2 Reactions of acids > 4.4.2.3 Soluble salts > Preparing a pure dry sample of a soluble salt from an insoluble oxide or carbonate.
I also have a version for Edexcel iGCSE chemistry.
Worksheet on making copper sulfate crystals from copper oxide (the insoluble base method) covering two pages for Edexcel 9-1 GCSE chemistry, versions in colour and in black and white for printing with a mark scheme. Covers removing the excess copper oxide and letting crystals form. There’s a link to a recommended video from Pearson.
The content is divided over the two pages: the first page is more “directly on the topic” questions and could be used on its own for students at the time they cover copper sulphate or do the practical, the second page is more extension and for “final exam revision”: based on student questions and points that came up from discussing the video, I made the second page cover more synoptic questions making connections with other topics, like temperature and rate of reaction. The worksheet is targeted towards building exam technique and written question skills, so doesn’t include a full practical method.
Specification reference: SC8c core practical, preparing copper sulfate, C3.17
Two-page revision checklist of all the transition metal colours on the OCR A A-level chemistry specification. Also includes list of notable catalysts, half-equations with dichromate(VI) and manganate(VII) ions, lists of the types of stereoisomerism, and links to videos of most of the reactions. There’s versions both in colour and black and white.
These notes are inspired by vocab lists you use when you learn a foreign language-you cover the answers and read through. Getting the points to learn into an order you repeat over and over is really helpful for learning everything.
Changelog, 12/3/23: a broken link has been fixed.
One-page poster of the transition metal formulas and colours of aqua ions and reactions with hydroxide ions, ammonia, carbonate ions and HCl. Covers Fe2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Cu2+ and Co2+ ions. Versions in full colour and black and white. For AQA A-level chemistry.
These notes are inspired by vocab check lists you use when you learn a foreign language-you cover the answers and read through. Getting the points to learn into an order you repeat over and over is really helpful for learning everything.
Updates, June 2025: changed phrasing to emphasise formation of H+ ions in acidic/amphoteric solutions.
It’s a real difficulty for students that the AQA A-level biology textbook doesn’t include a diagram of an ELISA. So here’s notes on one page covering the ELISA stages, with a diagram of the specific type of ELISA on the AQA course (an indirect ELISA), and explaining how it links to other things students may know about like pregnancy tests and COVID lateral flow tests.
There’s an explanation of what monoclonal antibodies are, explanation of artificial passive immunity as an extension, and links to some good videos.
9/3/2024 update: new version! Clearer numbering of the stages to link diagram to text, shortened URLs, brighter colours and better paragraphing. Also added a version tuned to print better in black and white.
Worksheet for AQA A-level biology plant tropism on two pages, covering IAA, phototropism, gravitotropism, the acid growth hypothesis and an experiment design question. Versions for colour and black and white printing and a detailed mark scheme. Written for the new 2015 specification.
Doing a different specification? I have versions for AQA GCSE current specification, Edexcel GCSE and Cambridge iGCSE in a similar style.
2024 update: edited to give students more space for writing answers.
Worksheet covering wave speed, frequency, and wavelength, on two pages, targeted for Edexcel 9-1 GCSE physics.
Intended to provide a graduated scheme of work from definitions of wavelength, frequency, wave speed, time period, longitudinal and transverse waves to calculations and taking in unit conversion. There’s diagrams and a power triangles for the core wave equation to practice using and a mark scheme.
Teaching AQA 9-1 GCSE photosynthesis is difficult: with its emphasis on the inverse square law and light intensity data, it’s different to other courses and standard worksheets that haven’t been targeted don’t cover these points. Two-page worksheet with answers targeted at AQA specifically, covering a range of common questions and problems.
Questions consulted for research include 8464B1H 2018 Q3 and 2021 Q1 and 84652H 2021 Q7, which would make great follow-ups.
Worksheet covering the types of radioactivity over two pages. Questions on alpha, beta and gamma radiation, nuclear decay, neutron emission and half-life. Based on review of past paper questions, I’ve found knowing exactly what blocks different types of radiation is a key topic for practice and there’s a lot of questions on this. There’s a wide range of pictures and diagrams to jog students’ memory, and I mention alternative ways of writing the decay equations.
This worksheet is especially targeted for the AQA 9-1 physics GCSE, although it could also be used for any other physics GCSE or secondary-level course. A version converted to black and white is included. Model answers are based on collation of many past paper questions, giving extensive exam tips. Want to know exactly what definition of gamma radiation AQA want? It’s on page 2 of the mark scheme.
2024 updates: links to videos of emitters from the IOP and using beta particles are included on the mark scheme and a wrong number for charge has been corrected.
Worksheet on homeostasis and thyroid function, covering thyroxine, TSH and nutrient deficiencies as well as revising homeostasis and negative feedback generally.
This two-page worksheet has plenty of illustrations and diagrams to help students remember the topic. Targets the AQA 9-1 biology GCSE. There’s versions of the worksheet for colour and black and white printing and an in-depth mark scheme.
Doing Edexcel GCSE? I have a separate version targeting that course specifically.
2024 update: fixed a glitch with question numbering and following feedback from students, added more space for writing down some answers.
Some of the hardest questions for many GCSE chemistry students are the long answer written questions, explaining things like why the rate of reaction increases when you increase the temperature, and how the position of equilibrium shifts. So I’ve written a one-page set of notes for the Edexcel iGCSE chemistry course that covers all these questions, fitting them onto a single page.
These notes cover:
how temperature and concentration affect rate of reaction
melting point of ionic, molecular and giant covalent chemicals
equilibrium position
conductivity
It makes chemistry so much easier for students having everything on a single page.
Particularly intended for iGCSE chemistry but I think it’s also pretty helpful for A-level students just starting the course who need to recap what they did last year, many will have forgotten these topics.
This set of notes was written consulting current Edexcel iGCSE chemistry papers and mark schemes. Questions consulted included:
rate: 1CR June 2019, question 5d
bonding: 1CR June 2019 9a and 9b
equilibrium: June 2019, 2C 7b and 2CR 7b
conductivity: 2CR June 2019 and Paper 1CR June 2019 9c
diffusion: 1C Jan 2018, 3c ii)
Versions with colour pictures and without pictures for photocopying.
I also have a version for the AQA GCSEs and a combined set for a range of courses.
Worksheet covering the equations and rules for solution electrolysis for AQA 9-1 GCSE higher chemistry on two pages. Covers electrolysis of sodium chloride solution (brine/saltwater), copper sulfate solution with inert graphite electrodes, and electrolysis of pure water. Diagrams, a mark scheme and links to recommended videos from Fuse School and ChemJungle are included. Versions in colour and converted to black and white.
Worksheet for the Edexcel 9-1 GCSE biology specification on genetic definitions and genetic crosses on two pages. Dominant and recessive, alleles and genes and Punnet squares are all covered.
Sensitivity note: the worksheet includes cystic fibrosis as a case study. This pack is almost identical to my AQA pack covering the same content, you could use either if you teach both courses. Specification reference: B3.12, B3.13, B3.14.
You get a much better response explaining cyclic AMP when you draw it as a hat that makes enzymes happy and working harder when they wear it! One-page revision notes on cAMP for the OCR specification, combining the different places it’s used on the course (adrenaline receptors, ADH in the kidney collecting duct, lac operon of bacteria). Also has links to YouTube videos of some of the processes discussed.
I’m thinking of expanding this into a larger resource covering this topic-contact me if that’s something you’d particularly want. It’s offered for free in the meantime.
This free resource shows how people tend to get their eye diverted by an eye-catching big diagram or graph or picture, and not read the text above it.
I regularly show this to my students to help them understand that examiners write exams downwards, and that often the very start of the text before a picture or diagram hides vital information that they can easily skip over. It really helps them visualise what’s going on and the importance of looking everywhere for the information to solve questions. They often burst out laughing when they get the joke.
This image was based on a popular meme distributed without copyright statement whose original author I have not been able to trace, so I’m making it available for free. A couple of different versions are included in colour and black and white.
Poster explaining what global warming causes and why climate change is so important, using clear, simple images. Could be useful for geography, biology, chemistry, other sciences and general citizenship lessons.
Included is a version for students to fill in.
I also have a poster on how to stop global warming which is also available for free. If your teaching prefers the wording “climate change” rather than “global warming”, I also have a poster saying this, content is otherwise identical.