Concentrations and Dilutions: a Survival Guide
This resource from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) is presented as a survival guide for students, describing how to handle numbers correctly, standard form, the use of scientific calculators, the definition of a mole, calculating molarity, Avogadro’s number, how to express concentrations and how to calculate dilutions.…
Symbols and Units: a Survival Guide
From Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this guide explains the rules for using symbols and units which students will meet in their science courses and reminds of the importance of using them, and writing them, correctly. The guide contains six sections: 1. SI base units 2. Derived units 3. Secondary units and prefixes 4.…
Carnivorous Plants
This resource from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) describes the work of Charles Darwin on carnivorous plants to determine what causes the leaves to curl up when stimulated. Darwin’s experiments are very easy to repeat. These teachers' notes describe several investigations which students could carry out, such…
Investigations with Venus Fly Traps
In this activity from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), students investigate what causes a Venus’ Fly Trap to shut. These experiments are related to a series of investigations that Darwin carried out as part of his work on evolution and adaptation and background information on this is provided. Students use a brush to…
Wild Oats on the Move
In this experiment, from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), students are required to make observations about wild oat seeds. Using a petri dish, glass jar, filter paper and water, students can recreate the conditions of a greenhouse. They can then observe the changes to direction of the awn (the long hair at the top of the…
Plants as Chemical Factories
These teachers' notes from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) describe how students can investigate the trichomes on the surface of vascular plants, including hairs and glandular hairs, using a microscope. Students can use plants like thyme or sage to investigate these structures in the classroom. The activity can…
Stresses and Strains in Plants
From Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these practical activities allow students to investigate how woody and herbaceous plants support their shoots, branches, flowers and fruits and shed them at the appropriate time. A number of investigations are suggested that can be adapted for students over a range of age groups.…
Pollen, Lungs, Asthma and Allergies
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this resource helps students to put hayfever and asthma into the wider contexts of both plant and human biology. Students look in detail at how plants use pollen to reproduce, including growing pollen tubes and investigating the pollen in honey. They then think about how we breathe…
James Seymour: Product Manager
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these materials look at the work of product manager, James Seymour. Through investigating organic food crops and horticulture, students gain a greater understanding of the career opportunities available in plant biology. James is a manager in a herb growing company and uses…
Jonathan Kendon: Conservation Biotechnologist
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these materials look at the work of conservation biotechnologist, Jonathan Kendon. Through investigating the effects of human activity on the environment, students gain a greater understanding of the career opportunities available in ecology and plant biology. Jonathan is a…
Amy Eycott: Landscape Ecologist
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these materials look at the work of landscape ecologist, Amy Eycott. Through investigating habitats and biodiversity, students gain a greater understanding of the career opportunities available in ecology and biology. Amy works for the Forestry Commission. Her work includes…
Jess Chu: Plant Science Researcher
Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), these materials look at the work of plant research scientist, Jess Chu. Through investigating vitamin C in plants, students gain a greater understanding of the career opportunities available in plant biology. Jess is looking into the anticancer properties of the rainforest plants.…
Measuring Photosynthesis with Cabomba
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. A reliable way to demonstrate photosynthesis in the classroom. When the pond-weed Cabomba is placed in a solution of sodium hydrogen carbonate in the presence of light of appropriate intensity, it will begin to produce…
Investigating Photosynthesis: Can Leaf Discs Make Starch in the Dark?
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. In this practical activity, students to investigate the role of light in starch production in leaves during the process of photosynthesis. By using leaf discs rather than whole leaves, a number of common misconceptions…
TLC for Plant Pigments Involved in Photosynthesis
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This reliable and enjoyable practical gives students the opportunity to observe the different pigments involved in photosynthesis using thin layer chromatography (TLC). A low-cost method to get the most out of TLC…
Investigating Plant Growth: Growing Radishes in Film Cans
One of a series from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This practical introduces a simple method to grow radishes, for investigations into the effect of a range of factors on plant growth, including levels of pollutants, nutrients, or light levels and temperature. Students use radish…
Investigating Phototropism: The Response of Seedlings to Light
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This activity offers a simple way to investigate phototropism: the response of seedlings to different wavelengths of light. This technique will help students investigate this tropic response, using seedlings in film…
Investigating Gravitropism Using Seedlings
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. An intriguing way to demonstrate gravitropism in action over the course of a lesson. Using black film canisters, a freshly cut seedling stalk (hypocotyl) is attached to the lid, the lid replaced, and the resulting…
Investigating Seed Germination
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. This activity allows students to investigate many factors that influence seed germination, including temperature, light, nutrient levels, pollutant effects, tropisms and so on. It provides a convenient, cheap and replicable…
Growing Pollen Tubes
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. An enjoyable and thought-provoking introduction to the topic of sexual reproduction in plants. Students observe in real time the growth of a pollen tube, over the course of a lesson. When a pollen grain is released…
Investigating Factors Affecting Photosynthesis Using Leaf Discs
One of a series of resources from Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS) investigating key topics in plant biology. An enjoyable and reliable practical activity allowing students to compare factors affecting photosynthesis. Possible investigations could include the rate of photosynthesis in sun and shade plants, and at different…