Spark Science provides high quality science educational resources for secondary school teachers.
From dual-coding, literacy and reading tasks, dyslexic friendly backgrounds, and continual Assessment for Learning (AfL) tasks embedded into all our lessons, Spark lessons will increase engagement, participation and understanding for your students.
Spark Science provides high quality science educational resources for secondary school teachers.
From dual-coding, literacy and reading tasks, dyslexic friendly backgrounds, and continual Assessment for Learning (AfL) tasks embedded into all our lessons, Spark lessons will increase engagement, participation and understanding for your students.
This is a KS3 Biology lesson covering the defintions of tissues and organs, examples of both in humans and plants, and the functions of some of the key organs.
This lesson may require students to have access to the internet.
This resource contains:
Teacher powerpoint including teacher guidance and answers
Student worksheet (PDF and Editable versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable versions)
Lesson Objectives:
Define the terms “tissue” and “organ”
Identify some of the key organs in the human body
Identify some of the key organs in plants
Describe what some key organs do
This lesson covers the KS3 national curriculum on unicellular organisms, focusing primarily on euglena and amoeba.
This lesson looks at what unicellular organisms are as well as their parts and what each part does, and how they are similiar/different to animal/plant cells.
Lesson Objectives:
Know what a unicellular organism is
Name 2 examples of unicellular organisms
Describe the features of an amoeba
Describe the features of an euglena
This lesson resource includes:
Interactive lesson powerpoint with answers, teacher delivery guidance and plenary task
Student led reading task worksheet with questions (PDF and editable)
Reading task answer sheet (PDF and Editable)
A quick and simple student led activity designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry (Triple and Double award) explaining how crude oil is formed from plankton.
Students should put the cartoon panels in the right order, then match the correct description to each panel.
This can be a cut and stick activity or a numbering/line drawing activity.
Good for SEN and students in need of visual cues and support.
Resource download includes PDF and Editable Powerpoint versions.
This lesson covers the KS3 biology curriculum looking at diffusion in cells and describing the movement of some of the key particles that move in and out of cells.
Lesson objectives:
Name some substances that move into and out of cells
Describe the process of diffusion
Describe examples of diffusion in cells
This Lesson Contains:
Complete lesson powerpoint with animations, video clip link, student tasks and guidance for teachers
Student gap fill worksheet for higher and lower ability (differentiated) (PDF and Editable versions)
Answer sheet for student gap fill
A lesson covering instrumental analysis and flame emission spectroscopy for the AQA Triple Chemistry GCSE specficiation. Applicable to both higher and foundation candidates.
Lesson Objectives
Know what instrumental techniques are
Describe advantages and disadvantages of instrumental techniques over other analysis techniques (e.g. flame tests)
Interpret flame emission spectra to identify unknown elements in a mixture
Lesson Resources include:
Lesson powerpoint - including starter, example spectra, spectra analysis example and advantages/disadvantages task
Exam questions covering instrumental analysis, flame spectra analysis, and ion identification questions with full mark schemes.
This lesson is designed for AQA GCSE Chemistry/Combined Science Trilogy and covers how to calculate relative atomic mass.
This lesson contains:
A lesson powerpoint complete with all answers, worked examples
Student worksheet (PDF and editable versions)
Worksheet answers (PDF and editable versions)
Lesson Objectives:
Define what an “isotope” is and identify examples
Calculate the relative atomic mass of elements from their relative isotopic masses and abundances
This lesson covers the KS3 basics of animal cells, including their basic structure, the function of each part of the animal cell, and how to observe animal cells (cheek cells) under a microscope.
This Lesson Includes
Lesson powerpoint with full answers, guidance for teachers in delivery and engaging activities designed for EAL and AEN students, interactive plenary multiple choice quiz, challenge tasks for higher ability students
Practical order form/risk assessment
CLEAPPS Guidance on practical completion
Student key note/worksheet (PDF and Editable word versions)
Student worksheet answers (PDF and Editable word versions)
Lesson objectives
State what a cell is
Name the different parts of an animal cell
Describe the function of each part of an animal cell
Use a microscope to view animal cells (cheek cells)
This complete lesson teaches students the parts of the microscope, how to use one, what they’re used for, and how to calculate magnification.
This lesson contains:
Complete lesson powerpoint, including mini-whiteboard AFL tasks for calculating magnification and full answers
Student handout sheet (with and without hints for AEN students)
Plenary task
Lesson Objectives
Name the parts of a microscope
Describe how to use a microscope to observe very small objects
Calculate the total magnification used to observe an object
View and focus objects under a microscope
This lesson covers examples of specialised cells, their adaptations and how those adaptations make them suited for their function.
**This lesson resource includes: **
Complete lesson powerpoint
Student led circus investigation task sheet (PDF and editable versions)
Answer sheet (PDF and editable versions)
Information cards for task on different specialised cells (PDF and editable versions)
Automatically checking multiple choice plenary quiz (great for mini-whiteboard AFL)
Lesson Objectives
Know what a specialised cell and an adaptation is
Give some examples of specialised cells
Identify and describe the adaptations of some specialised cells
Explain how an adaptation makes a specialised cell good at its function
A full lesson outlining the basic GCSE structure of the atom, the position and charges of the subatomic particles inside it. A part of the course which is sometimes difficult to teach in a fun and interactive/discovery based way, this lesson will help students to discover information and make connections themselves. Students will hopefully not only learn the charges and masses and positions of subatomic particles, but gain an appreciation of scale and relative mass, as well as understand some of the reasons behind the structure of the atom and the reason we draw it the way we do.
This lesson includes:
Powerpoint - including key notes, delivery tips, modelling ideas, interactive class activities and key hinge/get-them-thinking questions, tips on dealing with common misconceptions
Multiple choice interactive plenary activity
Full answers
Lesson Objectives
Describe what a subatomic particle is
Describe the structure of an atom in terms of subatomic particles
Give the positions, relative mass and charge of the three subatomic particles
A full lesson resource teaching students how to use the periodic table (mass number and atomic number) to count the numbers of subatomic particles in an atom. This lesson also covers the definition of “isotopes”. This lesson also dual codes this information with atomic diagrams and periodic table squares to cement student understanding of where these numbers come from, while also being a great support for EAL and SEN students. Great for “I do, we do, you do” activities and can be easily added to and extended if more examples and practice are needed by a given class.
Lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including whole class whiteboard AFL activities, core hinge/thinking questions, full answers and notes to aid in lesson delievery and structure
Student worksheet
Exam style questions with mark scheme
Lesson Objectives:
Know what the numbers on the periodic table mean
Use the periodic table to count the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom
Predict atomic number and mass number from the numbers of subatomic particles
Define the term “isotope” and identify examples of them
A lesson resource for teaching the possible applications, advantages and disadvantages of nanoparticles and nanotechnology.
Lesson/Resource Outcomes:
State possible uses of nanoparticles
Describe advantages of using nanoparticles
Describe some of the possible risks of using nanoparticles
Resource contains
Student worksheet (pdf and word doc)
Complete answer sheet (pdf and word doc)
5 A4/A3 printable information/newspaper article sheets (Reading level 3-4) on the uses of nanoparticles in medicine, electronics, cosmetics, clothing and catalysts
Exam question set on nanotechnology & mark schemes
This lesson introduces students to the concept of word equations and what we do and do not include in one.
In this lesson students will learn how to write word equations from sentences, turn sentences into word equations and identify reactants and products in a word equation.
This lesson is the second lesson in the KS3 "Chemical Reactions” topic, though can be taught as a stand alone lesson. It is designed with non-specialist teachers in mind, being easy to follow and present, and comes with complete answers to all activities and examples built into the powerpoint slides, along with hints and tips about lesson delivery in the powerpoint’s “notes” section.
Lesson objectives:
Identify the reactants and products in a word equation
Write word equations for simple chemical reactions
Turn word equations into sentences/paragraphs
Describe how atoms rearrange and join together differently in a chemical reaction
Lesson features:
Interactive powerpoint with delivery tips/notes
Intergrated answers on slides
Built in AfL and mini-whiteboard checks
Scaffolding and “I do, we do, you do” tasks
Stretch and challenge tasks throughout
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint (pptx.)
Writing Word Equations Worksheet (PDF)
Worksheet answers (PDF)
In this lesson students will learn what a bond energy is and how to use bond energies to calculate the overall energy change of a chemical reaction.
This lesson also links the overall energy calculations to the reaction profile diagrams students will have met in “Energy Changes 1”, allowing students to make visual links between their calculations and the profile diagram of the reaction taking place.
This lesson is the first lesson in the “Energy Changes 2” topic, and assumes that students have already learned about reaction profile diagrams and the basics of exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Lesson Objectives:
Describe what a bond energy is
Know whether breaking and making bonds are exothermic or endothermic
Calculate the overall energy changes for reactions using given bond energy values
Resource features:
Interactive powerpoint including teacher delivery notes and full answers throughout
Plenary task
Stretch and challenge tasks throughout
Clear diagrams, worked examples and scaffolding for calculations
Resource includes:
Lesson Powerpoint (pptx.)
Overall Energy Change Calculations: Student Worksheet (PDF)
Overall Energy Change Calculations: Answer Sheet (PDF)
Printable Bond Energy Values Tables for students (PDF)
This lesson recaps the parts of the light microscope students have met in KS3, and introduces students to the electron microscope and the advantages and disadvantages of both types of microscope.
This is the first lesson in the “Cell Structure” topic. This topic is designed to act as a “bridging topic” between KS3 and KS4 biology, introducing students to some of the basics of the GCSE biology syllabus (relevant to both combined and separate science courses)
Lesson Objectives
Label the parts of a light microscope
Describe what magnification and resolution are
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using a light and electron microscope
Features
Challenge tasks throughout
Complete answers for all tasks included either in notes section of powerpoint or integrated into powerpoint presentation
Student led reading and literacy task
Two whole class AfL tasks/activities
**Materials included: **
Lesson powerpoint (pptx.)
Student literacy/reading worksheet (PDF)
A comprehensive, engaging, challenging, and interactive lesson package designed with non-science/non-chemistry specialist teachers in mind.
This lesson covers content from GCSE AQA Chemistry and Combined Science Trilogy.
It covers the properties, structure and bonding in graphite and diamond, as well as explaining the key properties of diamond and graphite (electrical conductivity, melting point, hardness) to its structure and bonding.
This lesson contains:
Lesson powerpoint - including teacher notes, delivery instructions and answers in “notes” section
Bank of exam style questions on graphite and diamond taken from past AQA papers with mark schemes (PDF and editable versions)
Printable images of graphite and diamond for students to annotate (PDF and editable versions)
Lesson resources contain:
In-built challenge tasks throughout
AFL mini-whiteboard tasks throughout
In-built scaffolded learning for lower abilities and alternative task for lower ability classes
Colour coding throughout to aid EAL, SEN and other learners
Various activites to assess progress and understanding that you can tailor to fit any class or available resources
Full answers to all questions (mostly automated into slides to make it easier for you to deliver)
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
State some properties of diamond and graphite
Compare the properties of diamond and graphite
Compare the structure and bonding in diamond and graphite
Explain the similarities and differences in the properties of diamond and graphite in terms of structure and bonding
This lesson is the fourth lesson in the “Space” topic and covers why we get different length days and different temperatures at different times of year. The lesson contains a mini-student practical, animated gifs to illustrate concepts clearly, AFL miniwhiteboard tasks to assess understanding, and a link to an online modelling software that really helps students understand the changing angles and position of the sun at different times of year.
This lesson is designed to be easy to teach, student led and is ideal for non-specialist teachers.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including activity delivery instructions and tips for teachers, full answers, gif illustrations, simulation link, plenary task, AFL whiteboard tasks and discussion activities
Lesson Objectives:
Explain the apparent motion of objects in the sky
Explain why hours of daylight and temperature change during the year
Describe seasonal changes in different places on Earth
This lesson is the third lesson in the “Space” topic and covers the basics of how our solar system formed. The lesson contains links to online videos, whole class AFL tasks to assess understanding and two independent tasks for students to complete.
This lesson is designed to be easy to teach, student led and is ideal for non-specialist teachers.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including activity delivery instructions for teachers, full answers, AFL whiteboard task and discussion activities
Student Gap fill summary worksheet (PDF) AND answer sheet (PDF)
Student crossword activity worksheet (PDF) AND answer sheet (PDF)
Lesson Objectives:
Describe how the Solar System formed
This lesson is the first lesson in the “Space” topic and covers some of the main objects that can be found in the night sky as well as describing our place in the universe. The lesson contains various links to online videos, modelling software and simulations that really help students understand the vastness of space and allow them to explore the universe in which we live.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including activity delivery instructions for teachers, full answers, plenary task, AFL whiteboard task and discussion activities
Lesson Objectives:
Describe the objects that you can see in the night sky
Describe the structure of the universe
This lesson is the second lesson in the “Space” topic and covers the structure of our solar system and the composition of the planets within it. The lesson contains various links to online videos, modelling software and simulations that really help students understand the vastness of space and allow them to explore the universe in which we live.
It also addresses the misconception around the distances between selestial objects, gives students the opportunity to describe strenghts and weaknesses in scientific models, and an activity to get students to identify patterns and trends in data about the planets.
This lesson is designed to be easy to teach, student led and is ideal for non-specialist teachers.
This Lesson Contains:
Lesson powerpoint, including activity delivery instructions for teachers, full answers, 3 main student activity tasks to choose from, plenary task, AFL whiteboard task and discussion activities
Student Activity Worksheet and Answer Sheet (PDF) (Main task Option C)
Lesson Objectives:
Describe the structure of our Solar System
Compare position and composition of the planets of the Solar System
Identify trends and patterns in data and draw conclusions