Using Mung Beans in the Lab

Mung beans are cheap, reliable and easy to germinate, and offer a useful way to look at topics including plant growth, cells, plant nutrition and hydroponics.

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

Using Arabidopsis 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.

Mathematical modelling in biology

Modelling is key to today's biological research, with computer modelling is set to become one of the main methods biologists use to explain their theories and make predictions. This collection of resources introduces the importance of biological modelling for A-level students and their teachers.

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.

Light Banks for use in the classroom

If you're planning to use fast plants in the classroom, you'll need a light bank. Here are some details of suppliers.

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.

Growing duckweed - what nutrient level and pH level is recommended?

Notes on growing duckweed in the classroom

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.

Student Sheet 18 - Koch's Postulates

Robert Koch was a bacteriologist who lived from 1843 to 1910. In his work on diseases, he was trying to establish whether a microbe, obtained from a diseased patient, was in fact the cause of the disease. This protocol allows students to demonstrate and test Koch’s Postulates, using apples infected with the fungus Penicillium expansum.

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.

Microorganisms - a world in a hanging drop

Do all microorganisms look the same? Can they move and change shape? What do they feed on? How small are they . . . and are they actually alive? This activities looks microorganisms under a microscope using the hanging drop technique.