The Curriculum From 5 to 16: Curriculum Matters 2
This resource, published in 1985, was the second in a series of discussion documents published by HM Inspectorate intended to stimulate debate about the National Curriculum in primary and secondary schools. It suggests an approach to teaching a broad, balanced, inclusive curriculum for all students. The focus of this report is…
Case Study: the Family, Continuity and Change
This resource presents a case study showing how one project used qualitative and quantitative methods of research to discover how much families have changed over the decades since the 1960s. The case study shows how ethnographic research, studying people in their own environment, is conducted. Data gathered highlights changes…
Ethics: Participants' Interests, Confidentiality and Consent
This resource looks at research ethics and the importance of confidentiality in research projects. Researchers must be aware of ethical issues and the effects that their research can have on research participants. The information sheet raises questions that can be debated in classroom lessons and encourages young people to give…
Illusory Pendulum Experiment
The Illusory Pendulum Experiment from Planet Science, available in English, French, German and Spanish, is used to demonstrate the sensitivity of the eye to light. A swinging pendulum is set up and is observed when dark filters are placed on each eye in turn. The pendulum appears to execute a different motion caused by a delay in…
What Do Social Scientists Do? Geography
This Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) resource gives information about career options for people who study geography. It starts by defining the subject, including its component parts of human and physical geography. Human geography includes studies of cultures, population, economies, health and medicine, rural and urban…
Pod 4: Climate Change
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students begin by reviewing their understanding of the carbon cycle. They investigate the link between human activity and increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and speculate on whether this is causing global warming. They compare the carbon footprints of different activities and…
Colds and Flu: Sheer Poetry
In this Planet Science resource, students are given a collection of limericks which contain some facts about colds and flu. Each limerick has a question attached to it which students have to answer. This could be used to assess how much students have learned about viruses or as a research exercise using the answer grid given. Finally…
A Curriculum for Excellence: Progress and Proposals
Published in 2006 by the Scottish Government, this report looks at the progress towards a Curriculum for Excellence. It was designed to present ideas and stimulate discussion between stakeholders in education within Scotland. The Curriculum for Excellence considers how and what children and young people should learn and experience…
Introduction
This Nuffield Foundation resource opens with a team game that demonstrates the need for careful planning and collaboration. Students use their findings to construct a standard operating procedure that enables them to improve their performance through better collaboration. They are also introduced to their games learning log which…
The Big Bang Lesson
The lesson activities and resources for 'The Big Bang Lesson' are provided here for teachers and lecturers to use in their own schools and colleges. The lesson outline includes links to many of the presentation slides used by Professor Cox in his lesson, and also to clips from Professor Cox's STAR lecture, which…
5/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Teacher guidance
Pod 1: Up to the Mark
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students carry out an investigation into some sporting techniques to establish whether practice improves performance. They conduct research into the rationale for training schedules for different sports. Students then investigate target games to explore whether scoring systems reward skill fairly…
Social Research: How Does It Work? What Is Research For?
This resource looks at what social researchers do and why they do it. Research is recognised as vital for expanding our knowledge, providing vital information for government and other agencies, as well as helping us to understand our own society and those societies which are beyond our own experience. This information sheet concentrates…
Independent Employer Forums
Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks t the theme of knowledge and technology transfer. Produced by Pera, it reviews a controlled process of informed communication and engagement between local providers and businesses across South Oxfordshire. An employer forum brought local employers…
What Makes Good Research?
This resource explains how important it is that social research is conducted in a scientific way, following definite rules that have been developed over time with the aim of ensuring that the results are not just the product of the researcher’s own beliefs. The paper stresses the importance of research being valid, reliable…
Pulp Friction Experiment
The Pulp Friction Experiment, from Planet Science, is available in English, French, German and Spanish, and is used as a demonstration of friction. Students simply require two books with the pages interlocked to try this quick experiment. Students discover that paper is not as smooth as it seems and that there is friction between…
Pod 2: Waste
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students investigate whether recycling alone can mitigate the wastefulness of current industrial processes. They categorize waste into two main categories - natural materials which can be recycled through natural systems, and processed technical materials which cannot. Students learn that in order…
Assessing Pupils' Progress: Standards Files
APP Standards Files exemplify student work at different levels. Each Standards File includes: • examples of evidence generated from students’ work in science, which have been assessed to exemplify the APP approach and show national standards • commentary on the evidence for each AF, which leads to a summative…
Where Would Social Science Be Without Maths?
A poster for teachers to use within the classroom, produced by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). On the front is a timeline featuring prominent figures who developed the use of statistics, with accompanying teachers’ notes on the back. The timeline looks at landmark events in social science from 1662, when John…
Society Now: UK by Numbers
The 'UK by numbers' series focuses on key areas, such as population, energy and health, and provide important and up-to-date statistics about the UK. The documents are taken from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) magazine, Society Now. Population This issue gives statistics for the composition of the UK's…
Pod 2: In Top Gear
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students use secondary data to investigate how changes in technology have led to improved performance in cycling. They research footwear to see how materials of different properties can be combined for specific purposes and carry out a practical investigation to define the optimum design of a…
What Do Social Scientists Do? Sociology
This Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) resource gives information about careers related to sociology. It starts with a definition, explaining the ways in which sociologists study the effects of social issues and the way society is organised. The resource then lists career possibilities for sociologists using their analytical…
Supporting Scotland's STEM Education and Culture: Second Report
This report, published by the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group in January 2012, addresses many of the challenges and opportunities arising in implementation of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) as it affects the delivery of STEM education and engagement. It examines the ways in which STEM education may…
Pod 3: Game On
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students use the learning skills they have acquired in earlier pods to invent a new game of their own. They need to design and test equipment as well as establish effective rules and a fair scoring system. Groups then present and explain their new game at a sports fair where it is evaluated by…
Professional Standards for Teachers in England from September 2007
Produced in 2007, these professional standards were intended to help guide teachers' professional development and career choices. The professional standards cover the following career stages: Q – qualified teacher status C – core standards for main scale teachers who have successfully completed their induction…
Assessing Pupils' Progress: Guidelines and Criteria
Part of the Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) collection, these resources present the criteria for assessing progress in students’ understanding of science at Key Stage Three. Structure These guidelines/criteria are to help teachers assess progress in students’ work across five strands of assessment called Assessment…
Static Paper Experiment
This simple Static Paper Experiment, from Planet Science, available in English, French, German and Spanish, involves charging a balloon which then attracts small pieces of paper and is used as a demonstration of static electricity. A good explanation of the science involved is given, explaining the movements of electrons. This…
Evaluation of the Wellcome Trust Camden STEM Initiative
This report, published in March 2012 by the National Foundation for Educational Research, presents the findings of an evaluation of the Wellcome Trust’s Camden Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative which provided funding to eight Camden schools to develop interdisciplinary projects. Projects…
Noisy Coat Hangers Experiment
The Noisy Coat Hangers Experiment from Planet Science, available in English, French, German and Spanish, is used as a demonstration to allow students to compare how efficiently sound travels through solids and through gases and why it travels at different rates according to the substance. This resource is aimed at Key Stage Three…
Financial Awareness
Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of embedding functional skills, numeracy and financial capability. It describes a project that is being piloted at Hull College. The project aims to improve the financial awareness of its entry and level one learners, as well as…
APU Science Report for Teachers 9: Assessing Investigations at Age 13 and 15
This APU Science report for teachers is based on a selection of the questions used in the surveys of students aged 13 and 15 in the surveys carried out in 1981 and 1982 to assess the performance of investigations. These were complete investigations carried out individually by students working alone. Reference is also made to some…
Public Health
Produced as part of the Debating Matters series, this activity looks at the Government's role in public health and what actions should be taken to prevent unhealthy life choices. Governments have sought to improve public health by advertising, campaigns and targeted programmes. However, some have started to question whether…
Global Grant-Making: a Review of UK Foundations' Funding for International Development
This report published by the Nuffield Foundation in January 2012 provides an up-to-date picture of the scale of UK foundation resources devoted to international development. It also identifies how these resources are distributed across region and need, and how foundations approach international funding activities. Commissioned…
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