Club Activity Pack
These resources from Planet Science provide a series of pen pictures of a scientist and a related experiment which can be used at home or as science club activities. Activity A: Great Social life: Toyin Solanke The geologist Toyin Solanke provides the inspiration for a simple activity demonstrating how oil is formed and how it…
Lucknow India - Curry and Rice Makes You Hot: How?
Dr Srinath Singh, an Indian scientist is investigating how to grow rice which makes less methane which contributes to global warming. In this Planet Science resource, students are asked to discuss Dr Singh’s ideas, to carry out some research to convince farmers his ideas are viable and then to take part in a debate between…
Jaipur, India - Natural Dyes, Paints and Colours
In this Planet Science resource, an introduction on natural and synthetic dyes leads on to activities in which students devise an experiment for making a natural dye and testing its colour fastness. A feature on the Indian painter Shammi Banu and the techniques he uses to use paints made form natural sources like his ancestors is…
University of the United Arab Emirates - Jojoba: Liquid Gold for the 21st Century
In 2000, two Indian scientists persuaded farmers to plant jojoba plants in their fields. In this Planet Science resource, students are asked to research the uses of jojoba oil – for fuels, cosmetics and medicines. They then take part in activities to make adverts for the fuel and cosmetics, to design a leaflet persuading farmers…
London U.K. - Dissolving: The Acid Bath Murderer
The acid bath murderer used strong acid to dispose of the bodies of his victims in the 1940’s. Planet Science uses this gruesome story as a basis for activities which teachers could demonstrate to their students – examining whether small pieces of meat, fat, gristle and bone dissolve in acid and if alkali might be more…
Athens, Greece - Dissolving: Acid Rain
In this Planet Science resource, the effects of acidic gases emitted from power stations and cars on marble statues around the world is the stimulus for demonstrations and activities on acid rain. Students also consider the ethics of Lord Elgin removing the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon and are asked to come up with a solution…
Copenhagen, Denmark - Dissolving: Reactivity of Metals
During the war the gold medals of some Nobel prize winners were dissolved in Aqua Regia to prevent them falling into the hands of the Nazis. This story from Planet Science is used to introduce the fact that some metals (gold being unavailable in schools!) can be dissolved in acids and then reclaimed by electrolysis. Students then…
Egypt, 1st Century BC - Dissolving: The World’s Most Expensive Cocktail
The story of the pearl Cleopatra dropped into vinegar to impress mark Anthony is the basis for an investigation designed by Planet Science into whether pearls (or in this case, oyster shells or sea shells) dissolve in acidic solutions. The resource also explains where pearls come from and the chemistry behind dissolution.
Princeton USA: Can You Really Be a Burger Addict?
This Planet Science resource highlights the problems of fast foods and obesity to students. The stimulus is an American court case where a 56 year old man with diabetes and two heart attacks sued several fast food chains claiming they were responsible for his illnesses. Some scientists believe eating fast food can become an addiction.…
Texas USA: Can Malaria be Defeated by Building Tall Towers?
This resource from Planet Science aims to give students an insight into the problems caused by the disease malaria and to come up with creative solutions to combat the disease. Malaria is a major worldwide life threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly in hot countries - it kills an African child every…
Lost in Interpretation
These lesson activities from Planet Science are designed to improve students’ scientific literacy in regard to data and its interpretation. The resource encourages students to be critically reflective when data is presented and interpreted by the scientists involved and/or the media and to be aware that this can lead to scare…
The Placebo Effect
This investigation, provided by Planet Science, covers three lessons. The aim of the lessons is to introduce students to the concept of the placebo effect - that something which cannot have any effect does in fact have the same or similar effect as the drug or experiment being tested. This is usually due to the person being tested…
Let’s Get Detoxed: Scientific Claims from Advertising
This resource, from Planet Science, examines the claims made by AquaDetox that toxins can be extracted from the body by electrolysis of a salt solution in which feet are bathed. The lesson activities revise the way in which toxins are removed from the body naturally and use practical work to investigate and question the claims made…