Science and simulations

Simulations work best when pupils have a question to answer. Before opening a PhET model, give a prediction to test, then ask pupils to change one setting at a time and record what happens.

• PhET Interactive Simulations, from the University of Colorado Boulder, offers free simulations in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics that run in a browser.

• NASA's STEM pages provide lesson plans, activities and images linked to space and Earth science.

• The Royal Society of Chemistry publishes practical activities and teaching guidance for chemistry at school level.

Computing and making

Starting with an unplugged activity before a screen-based one often helps pupils grasp the idea behind the code.

• Scratch, developed at MIT, is a free block-based programming environment with teacher accounts for managing classes.

• The micro:bit Educational Foundation provides free lesson plans and the MakeCode editor for the BBC micro:bit.

• Code.org offers free computer science courses and the Hour of Code activities.

• CS Unplugged, from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, teaches computing ideas without computers.

Mathematics

NRICH problems are often marked with the age range they suit and come with teacher notes, which makes them easy to slot into a lesson as a starter or an extension. Desmos and GeoGebra are useful for showing a whole class how a graph or shape changes as one value moves, and pupils can then repeat the exploration on their own devices. Khan Academy works well for independent practice, homework or catch-up, where pupils can move at their own pace and teachers can see which topics need more attention.

• NRICH, run by the University of Cambridge, publishes rich problems and investigations for all school ages.

• Desmos and GeoGebra are free graphing and geometry tools with classroom activities.

• Khan Academy provides free practice exercises and short instructional videos.

Putting a resource into practice

A practical example: for pupils aged 11 to 14, a 50-minute lesson on forces can use the PhET Forces and Motion: Basics simulation on shared laptops or tablets, one per pair, with a printed recording sheet. Pupils predict how the crate will move under different pushes, test each prediction and then write one rule they can defend with their results.

Before adding any resource to a scheme of work, check that it matches the curriculum objective, works on the school's devices and network, and has clear privacy terms if pupils need accounts. In the UK, STEM Learning also offers resources and professional development for teachers across all four subjects.

Key points

• Choose resources from established organisations and check they fit the objective.

• Give pupils a question before opening a simulation.

• Pair unplugged activities with screen-based ones.

• Check device compatibility and privacy terms before use.

Photos: Vitaly Gariev, National Cancer Institute / Unsplash