All classroom activities
‘Number Crunching’ ideas for further research [PDF 42KB]
Investigate the misuse of statistics in the media or research data forgery.
From
‘Number Crunching’, summer 2013
‘Number Crunching’ infographic [PDF 76KB]
Compare the data storage of an MP3 player and CERN, and find out how much taking A-level maths adds to the average salary.
From
‘Number Crunching’, summer 2013
‘Inside the Brain’ lesson ideas [PDF 79KB]
Do a Fast Facts challenge, start a debate on the ethical issues related to brain imaging and set an educational game for homework.
From
‘Inside the Brain’, spring 2013
‘Inside the Brain’ infographic [PDF 670KB]
Investigate ‘neurons by numbers’: find out how many neurons there are in the human brain, and compare the average brain volume for men and women.
From
‘Inside the Brain’, spring 2013
‘Inside the Brain’ poster
Download or order our free poster, which shows the brain, a neuron and a synapse in detail.
From
‘Inside the Brain’, spring 2013
‘Careers From Biology’ lesson ideas [PDF 60KB]
Let students meet real scientists, try a quiz about possible careers and choose a career of the month.
From
‘Careers From Biology’, summer 2012
Careers From Biology infographic [PDF 339KB]
Look at biology careers in the UK by numbers, including the wage premium for science occupations and the number of people employed in science-based careers in the UK.
From
‘Careers From Biology’, summer 2012
‘Exercise, Energy and Movement’ lesson ideas [PDF 72KB]
Get In the Zone with free equipment kits, design a training programme and debate the use of drugs in sport.
From
‘Exercise, Energy and Movement’, spring 2012
Moving figures infographic [PDF 190KB]
Take a numerical look at exercise, energy and movement, including the energy used in common activities and reaction times by age.
From
‘Exercise, Energy and Movement’, spring 2012
Cellular respiration poster [PDF 476KB]
We need energy to live, but how do we get it? We eat food and, via the process of respiration, we transfer the energy within this food to energy our bodies can use.
From
‘Exercise, Energy and Movement’, spring 2012
‘Feast or famine?’ lesson ideas [PDF 241KB]
Consider the environmental, economic and ethical implications of eating meat and importing food.
From
‘Food and Diet’, summer 2011
Further lesson ideas [PDF 67KB]
Debate about diet in schools, find out how much vitamin C is in orange juice and find out how bread is made.
From
‘Food and Diet’, summer 2011
‘Feast or famine?’ playing cards [PDF 459KB]
Consider some of the pros and cons of potential solutions to ‘Eating animals: a meaty problem?’ and ‘Food miles: what’s fair?’, then try to come up with more of your own.
From
‘Food and Diet’, summer 2011
Eating by numbers infographic [PDF 428KB]
Look at a snapshot of our lives through food, including trends in obesity in the UK and how much food the average family wastes per year.
From
‘Food and Diet’, summer 2011
Stem cell discussion [PDF 68KB]
Students consider the implications of stem cell research, investigate the current research situation and debate the future of stem cell technologies.
From
‘The Cell’, January 2011
Hearing is believing teachers’ notes [PDF 1.8MB]
Students discover how the ear translates sound waves so that the brain can process sound, consider the potential advantages and ethical implications of stem cell therapy and discuss how science is reported in the media.
From
‘The Cell’, January 2011
Deadliest drugs lesson plan [PDF 144KB]
Consider how drugs and other addictions are represented in the media.
From
‘Addiction’, May 2010
Addiction prediction lesson plan [PDF 616KB]
Consider how drugs effect the functions of the brain, understand the impact of drug abuse on an individual and on society and discuss a possible future preventative measure against drug addiction.
From
‘Addiction’, May 2010
Melodic Marvels
Listen to various audio files to explore the nature of auditory illusion and delusion, the effect of music on our minds and bodies, and the potential for music in medicine.
From
‘Music, Mind and Medicine’, May 2009
Climate Health Challenge
Using a simulation game, students must sustain the health of the global community by implementing strategies and performing research in order to prevent disease and combat the effects of global warming.
From
‘Health and Climate Change’, January 2009
ImageLab
Find out how beauty products work and make your own videos advertising or scrutinising them.
From
‘How We Look’, June 2008
Power to Prescribe
Based around a simulation of a pharmaceutical company planning future spending, role-play various characters working for the company to consider which pharmaceutical to develop.
From
‘Drug Development’, January 2008
The Devil’s Alliance
Based around a play in two parts - the first set in prison, the second in a hospital isolation ward. It is about one man's personal experience of TB and the emotional consequences of isolation.
From
‘Epidemics’, September 2007
Big Word
Based around different styles of scientific writing, students have the chance to read, analyse and evaluate articles on evolution written in a variety of styles, including a scientific journal, a newspaper article, a web article and an exam question essay.
From
‘Evolution’, January 2007
Are You Responsible?
Uses two podcasts - news reports of a high-profile murder case, produced in completely different styles. The accused has brutally slain a colleague. His defence is that he was suffering from a brain tumour at the time, the physical changes in his brain causing him to become more aggressive and impulsive, making him less responsible for his actions. Students are encouraged to debate the issues surrounding this.
From
‘Thinking’, September 2006
Debating Sex Selection
Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their child? Students have their say and find out more about key issues in the sex selection debate.
From
‘Sex and Gender’, January 2006
Democs
Based on the format of Deliberative Meeting of Citizens (Democs), a card game developed by the new economics foundation. In this game, specially adapted for post-16 students, students work in groups to find out more about nanoscience and nanotechnologies, think about a selection of case studies and mull over some key issues.
From
‘Nanoscience’, June 2005
The OBs
A web-based game enables students to explore the complex interactions between genotype, socio-economic setting, upbringing, and chance in the context of obesity. They then transfer the experience of playing into real-world learning.
From
‘Obesity’, January 2005
