Articles tagged as "14 -16 (KS4)"

Using Spinach in the Lab

Spinach leaves are easily available all the year round, and make great resources for investigating photosynthesis and chromatography.

Using Aspidistra in the Lab

Great plants for the lab, aspidistra make wonderful subjects for a range of classic investigations into photosynthesis.

Using Dandelions in the Lab

Dandelions are a valuable resource for the science lab, for topics including plant responses, gravitropism and, of course, ecology.

Using Pelargoniums (Geraniums) in the Lab

Geraniums are often found in the school lab, but they're rarely used to their full potential as a scientific resource. Follow our guidance and care tips to ensure they flourish in your lab.

Using Potatoes in the Lab

Potatoes make a reliable and easy to obtain resource for key practicals such as investigating osmosis.

Using Cauliflower in the Lab

Cauliflower is a useful resource in the classroom. This explores its classroom uses and how to grow it. Part of our 'Plants in the Classroom' sereis

Diagrams showing parts of a plant and a flower

Download a powerpoint or an image showing labelled and unlabelled versions of a diagram showing parts of a plant, and a diagram showing parts of a flower

Cauliflower Cloning - Tissue Culture and Micropropagation

'Cauliflower cloning' is an enjoyable way for students to see totipotency at work, and is now a key practical for GCSE specifications. This updated protocol, including technical instructions and a student sheet, is a reliable way to demonstrate this in the lab, with much less risk of contamination.

Investigating Gravitropism with Dandelions

This experiment offers a simple, cheap and fun way to look at gravitropism over the course of a double lesson, using the strong gravitropic response of common dandelions.

Investigations into eutrophication

This brief resource gives five starter ideas for students and classes who want to investigate eutrophication, with options including using duckweed, algae and other plants.

Student Sheet 21 - Measuring the biomass of duckweed (Lemna minor)

A useful way to calculate the amount of duckweed in a pond or an aquarium.

Video demo - How do nettles sting?

This video demo shows a quick and easy plant practical for your biology lab. Using Universal Indicator paper, students investigate the pH of nettle stings. This can easily be built up into a broader investigation, or used as a quick practical to introduce the topics of plant defences, adaptations and specialised cells.

Floating garlic - growing roots

Here is a simple way of growing garlic roots for the root tip squash practical

The Structure of Flowers

Diagram of a dissected flower with stamens and carpel, in this case a Brassica rapa (fast plant)

The Structure of a Flowering Plant (Brassica rapa)

Diagram of a flowering plant, in this case a Brassica rapa ('fast plant') showing the root and shoot systems.

A science garden: illustrating various topics in biology

Ideas for plants for a science garden to illustrate topics including genetic variation, hybridisation, plant evolution, chimeras and mutation.

Investigating adaptation and defence - spines on holly leaves

Holly trees are well known for their spiny leaves. In this investigation focusing on adaptation and defence, students consider whether there is a relationship between the number of spines on a leaf and its height above the ground.

Measuring Stomatal Density

Stomata control the movement of gases in and out of a leaf, making carbon dioxide available for photosynthesis, and controlling the loss of water from the leaf through transpiration. There are a number of ways to measure stomatal density, and the different techniques are explored here. These include using clear nail varnish, Germolene New Skin and water-based varnish.

Student Sheet 24 - Microscale Investigations with Catalase

A simple yet accurate protocol looking at the results of the enzyme catalase, found in nearly all aerobic cells (animals, plants and microbes).

Student Sheet 14 - Phosphatase Enzymes in Plants

A worksheet and accompanying teachers' notes looking at phosphatase enzymes extracted from germinating seeds.