How much of our food crops are lost to disease? Lesson starter

Plant disease is new to the curriculum. This is a simple and easy starter to encourage students to understand the impact that plant disease has both on the world’s poorest farmers and on consumers in the UK.

Interviews with scientists - Dr Cristobal Uauy on wheat genomics and yield

This 5-minute video interview with Dr Cristobal Uauy of the John Innes Centre introduces post-16 students to contemporary genomics and food security. The accompanying notes include a teachers' summary, plus student questions and answers.

A-level practical skills - Molecular Modelling

This practical activity aims to develop students' understanding of primary, secondary and tertiary structure of proteins through computer protein modelling. Computer modelling can create 3D interactive images to support the student to visualize different interactions between amino acids within a molecule.

Measuring forests: saving forests

This relevant and engaging activity gives a concrete example of how conservation activity can be guided by science. It also covers some of the practical and mathematical skills common to all biology A-level courses, particularly logarithms. Students work with data from a conservation scientist, Dr Ed Mitchard of the University of Edinburgh, and identify how new technologies can be used to preserve the world's forests.

ASE Annual Conference 2020 - practical drop-in session

The following practical activities are all on display at the SAPS practical drop-in session at the ASE Annual Conference 2020.

The Battle for Fortress Plants (poster and presentation)

The poster ‘The Never-Ending Battle for Fortress Plant’ illustrates ideas about plant defences against pathogens. It depicts the plant as a fortress which is defended against invading pathogens. The accompanying resources explore this idea.

Plant Disease Teaching Resource Collection

This collection of resources introduces 14-16 students to the world of plant disease in a lively and engaging way. They include practicals and classroom activities to get your students thinking about plants as living organisms, with their own defences against the threat of invading pathogens.

A-level set practicals - investigating flower structure and function in primulas

In this activity, students follow in Darwin’s footsteps, investigating primulas. They will dissect and record primula flowers, which grow in two forms: ‘pin-eyed’ and ‘thrum-eyed’. This resource is designed to meet the specifications for the A-level practical endorsement in England (CPAC). However, given its focus on adaptation and evolution, it will make a valuable resource for those following a variety of different specifications, such as the Advanced Higher Biology Organisms and Evolution Unit.

Plant disease - Fighting for Survival (post-16)

In this worksheet and case study, for post-16 students, students develop their understanding of communicable plant disease and how plants respond to infection. It addresses the plant related learning outcomes in the OCR Biology A specification, section 4.1.1 ‘communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system’.

Plant disease detectives

In this activity, designed for the new GCSE biology specifications, students act as detectives, piecing together information from the sources provided to identify common plant diseases, and how to stop the spread.

Plant disease practicals - identifying the cause of brown rot

In this practical activity, suitable for the new GCSE specifications, students explore how the technique of re-infection (using infected material to infect healthy plant tissue) can help to identify the cause of a plant disease.

Plant disease practicals - powdery mildew

In this practical activity, designed for the new GCSE specifications, students collect samples of leaves showing samples of infection with powdery mildew, and send them to the powdery mildew survey for analysis.

Plant disease practicals - Investigating violet bramble rust

In this practical activity, designed for the new GCSE specifications, students use magnification to examine leaves showing symptoms of a common plant disease, and produce labelled drawings of the fungal spores.

A-level set practicals - microscopy of root tip mitosis

An improved and simplified version of this well-known practical, designed specifically for use for the new A-level practical specifications.

A-level set practicals - dissection and scientific drawing

This resource is designed to support the use of practicals across various new 2015 A-level biology specifications (OCR, AQA, Edexcel and Eduqas). Students learn to produce a scientific drawing from observation. Drawing from observation is both a valuable skill in itself, and a way for students to develop their understanding and appreciation of living organisms.

Gene technologies - the science behind the poster

The 3rd in our series of PlantPower posters, this one dives into the science of gene technologies.Our A2 colour poster takes you through the issues, from mutagenesis to genome editing.

A-level set practicals - factors affecting rates of photosynthesis

This updated version of our popular 'algal balls' resource is designed to support the use of practicals across various new 2015 A-level biology specifications (OCR, AQA, Edexcel and Eduqas). Students conduct an investigation into factors affecting the rates of photosynthesis, using a colorimeter to record quantitative measurements

Ins and Outs of Water - biology, chemistry and physics for 11-14 students

This collection of resources for 11-14 students uses the topic of plants to address important scientific ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. While investigating how plants have evolved to grow and flourish in many different environments, the students can cover topics including pure and impure substances, energetics, forces, physical changes and more. The resources involve a mixture of independent investigations, engaging and hands-on practicals, and activities to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.

Plant Needs - biology, chemistry and physics for 11-14 students

This collection of resources for 11-14 students uses the topic of plants to address important scientific ideas in biology, chemistry and physics. While investigating how plants have evolved to grow and flourish in many different environments, the students can cover topics about atoms, elements and compounds, energy, and the particle model. The resources involve a mixture of independent investigations, engaging and hands-on practicals, and activities to identify misconceptions and strengthen understanding.

Plants and Science for 11-14 Year Olds

How can pupils be encouraged to see the connections between the sciences? How can they lay the foundation for a synoptic understanding of key scientific concepts? In this innovative suite of resources, we cover key topics in biology, physics and chemistry, through the themes of plant evolution and adaptation. This collection of resources is designed to support science teaching at key stage 3 and similar curriculums for 11-14 year olds.