video

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Create a DNA Fingerprint

Source: Create a DNA Fingerprint

Found this really easy to use DNA fingerprinting “game” I guess you could call it. It directs you through each step to perform the DNA fingerprinting and then you do the matching up at the end to find out the culprit. Each step also tells you the science behind the step and it won’t let you do it wrong! It also doesn’t tell you when you’re wrong though!

This would be good fun as part of revision or during a lesson with a different pupil trying each step, discussing them and then seeing who guesses right with the culprit. Very easy for most levels to understand.

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TED-Ed and Periodic Videos

TED-Ed and Periodic Videos.

This specific link to TED-Ed shows a periodic table, where every single element has a video link! The videos are from the University of Nottingham and all subtitled, varying in length and type of content. Randomly, I watched the videos on Mercury, Molybdenum and Oxygen. Molybdenum’s was only about a minute long, Oxygen was 6 minutes. They were all very informative, with Mercury and Oxygen having some “fun” science being shown in them so obviously it will all depend on which elements can have more visual content.

But, if you ever need to start off a bit of research on an element, or to prepare a lesson on one (especially a rarer one), this is the perfect starting location. Where else would you learn the meaning behind Mad as a Hatter?

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What did dogs teach humans about diabetes? – Duncan C. Ferguson | TED-Ed

What did dogs teach humans about diabetes? – Duncan C. Ferguson | TED-Ed.

I was directed to this website for an amazing collection of element videos, but I wanted to have a look around at their other lessons and then stumbled on to one about Dogs and Diabetes. The video is less than 4 minutes long, subtitled and really interesting for anyone looking at the history of diabetes, insulin or even animal testing. From Ancient Egyptians to Man’s Best Friend… What did dogs teach humans about diabetes? And did they benefit at all from it?

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Lammas Science – YouTube

Lammas Science – YouTube.

I’ve just been sent the link to this YouTube page and… Oh… My… God. I once spent an entire summer recording all of our VHS tapes onto the computer so that we had a digital copy. It took forever and although I didn’t actively watch them, I had to keep the sound on so I could catch the end of each episode. From the looks of this YouTube account, I needn’t have bothered!

If you look under Lammas Science playlists, you get collections of videos divided into different KS4 units (B2, C4, etc), there are Bitesize collections, other BBC show colelctions (Wonders of, for example) and broader topics (like forensics, pyrotechnics).

Easily an important site to bookmark, and view whenever needed. The fact that videos are labelled with relevant titles, especially linking them to specific KS4 units is what is most helpful!

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Merry Christmas from the Science Learning Centres | National Science Learning Network Blog

Merry Christmas from the Science Learning Centres | National Science Learning Network Blog.

This is a link to two videos from the National Science Learning Centre – both of them linked to Christmas! The first is aimed more at primary aged children with snow and winter in mind. I’m sure you can do it even if you’re older in age (and young in mind perhaps). The video makes it look very simple, perhaps even to get an older set of students to plan it all and experiment themselves with differing amounts/types of salt and watching how fast the ice/snow melts.

I don’t think it would be too difficult to adapt to do at home with younger children either. Especially as nothing involved is hazardous or toxic (if you stick to salt). I’ve always wanted to try ice and salt based activities with normal table salt and reduced sodium salt. Add in rock salt and you have a nice little experiment.

The second video is for secondary aged students and based around experiments you can do at the Christmas table.

Merry Christmas!

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8 Water Tricks That’ll Melt Your Mind – YouTube

8 Water Tricks That’ll Melt Your Mind – YouTube.

Water illusion – turn the arrows the other way with only a glass and water. What happens?

Pepper Trick – trough and water with pepper scattered on the surface, pop your finger in it and then a soapy finger! What happens?

Water and JD – shot of water on top of shot of JD, separated by a credit card. Introduce a small gap between the two glasses. What happens?

Fireproof balloon – balloon filled with water on a candle flame. What happens?

Laser Trick – point a laser through a bottle filled with water. What happens? Put a small hole in the bottle and let the water leak out, point the laser through the hole. What happens?

Glowing Water – using tonic water, what happens when you put a UV light on it and turn off the lights?

Water Suspension – bottle, some screen around the top and held in place by an elastic band, fill it with water. Turn upside down – What happens? Now put cocktail sticks in it (still upside down) – What happens?

Instant freeze – put a bottle of pure, distilled water in the freezer and wait for it to reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Bang the cold bottle of water on the table. What happens? With a repeated bottle, pour it out onto an ice cube. What happens?

If you don’t want to try them, watch the video!

I saw the instant freeze on a science show a while ago (with beer not water) and really wanted to know how I could use it in a school environment. I finally have the answer!!!! Now to try all of these!

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Amazing! Giant waterlillies in the Amazon – The Private Life of Plants – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife – YouTube

Amazing! Giant waterlillies in the Amazon – The Private Life of Plants – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife – YouTube.

This is an excellent video, suitable for OCR GCSE Biology Gateway : B2e (adaptation). It’s only 4.26 mins long, and so would make a good discussion point to begin a classroom talk on adaptation within plants.