I have just stumbled accross these web pages. They may be useful to you, your teaching and technician colleagues. Have a look!
The Nuffield Curriculum Centre with Biosciences Federation and CLEAPSS have just launched the Practical Biology website.
See
http://www.practicalbiology.org/
http://www.practicalchemistry.org/
http://www.practicalphysics.org/
Each experiment on the sites has practical information for technicians and teachers - apparatus lists, health & safety notes, and instructions about how to set up and run the experiment. It’s aimed at those who think they'd like a bit of advice so there is quite lengthy information.
Practical Physics has been going longest so has the most stuff, but the other two are coming up fast behind. We’ve been concentrating on what you need for GCSE, but we’re moving into KS3 and A-level.
Please have a look if you haven’t already, and send in comments and suggestions.
Attached for download is the latest newsletter sent to HoDs. (Click on title and find attachment in the new page that opens)
Tracking pupil progress is a really important job for HoDs and all science teachers. I have been contacted by Science Monitor who are offering a 20% discount on their monitoring software. I do not endorse this product but you may wish to visit their web site to see whether it might help you track pupil progress accross both keystages. A link to a free evaluation download is included below.
Science Monitor can store all of your pupil marks and information, and then analyse data for departmental analysis. Science Monitor has been extensively updated to support the new GCSEs from all of the major exam boards (AQA, EDEXCEL, OCR & WJEC) and now also allows import of data from any source to any field within the program. More details can be found on the Science Monitor website at www.sciencemonitor.co.uk
If you have not had time to evaluate the software, or need to order a new demonstration copy, then please download the evaluation version from http://www.scimonsoftware.com/download.htm
I'm sure you are all aware of the entitlement for all students gaining L6 in the 2008 SATs to study Triple Sciences. In Specialist Colleges there is a requirement that Triple Science is offered to students. The Science Learning Centre (SE) is running training here in Kent at Simon Langton Boys School in Canterbury. I have copied and pasted the information about these below. As these sessions are free and local you may wish to sign up for them.
Triple Science Support Programme at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, Kent All pupils who have reached level 6 or above have an entitlement to study triple science at GCSE. In order to prepare for this requirement the DCSF are funding a Triple Science Support Programme with training and consultancy delivered by the national network of Science Learning Centres. A series of 5 one - day courses are taking place from 10.00am to 4.00pm at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury, Kent. (Map) These courses are funded by LSN and are FREE to all maintained schools in the South East region. Up to two teachers per school can attend a course day free of charge. Wednesday 24th September Triple Science Support Programme - Chemistry Wednesday 1st October Triple Science Support Programme – Physics Wednesday 15th October Triple Science Support Programme - Curriculum Modelling Wednesday 5th November Triple Science Support Programme - Raising Attainment Wednesday 19th November Triple Science Support Programme - Biology To book a place on any of these courses or if you have any queries, please phone the Centre on 02380 598810 or email slcse@soton.ac.ukYou can also book online by clicking on any of the links above.