Other resources

This section will be developed further over time. It gives some links to other resources that may be useful in supporting professional development. The categories represent different aspects of professional development – subject knowledge, teaching approaches, and so on.

Basic mathematics

BBC Bitesize GCSE Mathematics is a useful starting point for brushing up on basic mathematics, as well as illustrating some of the approaches taken in the mathematics classroom. Of particular relevance to science teaching are the following:

• Whole numbers
• Decimals
• Fractions
• Percentages
• Converting between fractions, decimals and percentages
• Approximation
• Multiples, factors, powers and roots
• Standard form
• Algebraic expressions
• Algebraic formulae
• Laws of indices
• Ratio in context
• Direct and inverse proportion
• 2-dimensional shapes
• 3-dimensional shapes
• Probability

Awarding bodies

Each of the awarding bodies have been developing resources to support the use of mathematics in the new science GCSEs. The mathematical requirements of the GCSEs are the same for all, but the nature and style of the resources are different. So, those teaching a specification from one awarding body may find it useful to look in addition at the supporting resources from other awarding bodies.

AQA

Maths skills in GCSE sciences:  This page gives links to a set of teaching guides with accompanying PowerPoint presentations for students on the following topics: Standard form and order of magnitude calculations, Estimates and significant figures, Averages, Simple probability, Algebra skills, and Graphs.

Edexcel

A Guide to Maths for Scientists : This page gives a link to a single pdf file which covers the whole range of mathematics related to KS3 and KS4 science (e.g. graphs, percentages, ratios, algebraic symbols and equations, calculations, and so on) and include examples taken from mathematics textbooks.

Eduqas

Resources on maths for learners of Science: At the time of writing, this page indicates that these resources are ‘coming soon’.

OCR

Mathematical skills – Handbook: This can be found under ‘Handbooks’ in the section ‘Teaching and learning resources’ (the same handbook for both Twenty First Century Science and Gateway Science). In addition there is a ‘Learner Resource’, organised into five topic areas with sets of questions for students.

Teaching approaches in science

The Language of Mathematics in Science: Teaching Approaches is available from the ASE website. It is part of the same series as the guidance booklet (The Language of Mathematics in Science: A Guide for Teachers of 11-16 Science), and uses teachers’ accounts to outline different ways that science and mathematics departments have worked together, and illustrates different approaches to teaching mathematical terms and applications.

Mathematics teaching

Improving learning in mathematics is a set of downloadable resources that were produced by The Standards Unit, and which are based on active learning approaches. There is a booklet for teachers which describles the underlying principles and the nature of the actities, and activities for students with accompanying teachers’ notes.