Classroom resources for the new school year
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Classroom resources for the new school year
Are you looking for free and engaging educational resources to use in your classroom? Look no further!
As students and teachers head back to school, why not use our free educational resources in your lessons? At Futurum, we work with researchers and academics from all disciplines to create classroom resources for schools. Each article explains the researcher’s work in a clear and engaging way and provides advice for students interested in pursuing a career in the field. All articles are accompanied by an activity sheet to assist with lesson planning. The activity sheets contain talking points based on Bloom’s taxonomy to encourage students to discuss, analyse and evaluate the research project, along with practical, hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom. Some resources also include animations, podcasts and PowerPoints.
Whatever subject you teach, we are sure to have resources for you! Here is a selection of our subject-specific resources published over the past year.
Maths
Mathematics education – Dr Jennifer Holm is a mathematics educator who hopes to transform the way the subject is taught to reduce the negative image many students have of maths. In this teacher CPD article, Jennifer shares advice for maths teachers and introduces her teacher training modules that emphasise a conceptual understanding of mathematical procedures.
Probability – Dr Marylin Lightstone is a mechanical engineer who is reducing energy emissions by improving the heating systems used in buildings. Students will play a probability-based game to determine the most efficient set-up for heating homes.
Biostatistics – Dr Ann Weaver is a biostatistician studying the behaviour of wild dolphins. Reading about her work will introduce students to how statistics are used in real-world ecology research.
English
Comprehension – All our articles can be used for comprehension reading exercises. Each article is accompanied by an activity sheet that contains talking points to encourage students to reflect on what they have read.
Journalism – After learning about Professor Yi Huang’s climatology research, students will take on the role of a journalist to report on an extreme weather event and explain the link between greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather.
Essay writing – As a quantum physicist, Stefan Zeppetzauer is investigating the concept of time and building a quantum clock to explore the limits of timekeeping. After reading about his work, students will write an essay titled ‘How could science be taught differently?’ to discuss science teaching methods they have experienced and how they envision the future of science education.
Biology
Proteins – Professor Lali Medina-Kauwe is a biomedical scientist who has created a new protein to fight brain tumours by combining sections of other proteins. After learning about her innovative work, students will construct their own models of Lali’s protein.
Plant breeding and genetics – Professor Peter Pauls is a bean breeder who is using his knowledge of plant genetics to breed better bean varieties. Students will learn how biologists contribute to plant breeding programmes and then conduct their own experiments to evaluate characteristics of different types of beans.
Neuroscience – Professor Allan Johnson and Associate Professor Len White are pushing the boundaries of neuroscience by imaging mouse brains to the highest-ever level of detail. Students will use their stunning mouse brain images to create their own TikTok-style videos to educate others about the wonders of neuroscience and the intricacies of the brain.
Genomics – Professor David Langlais is exploring how the epigenome impacts the immune system. Students will learn about the principles of genomics and genomics research methods.
Cell biology – As a cell biologist, Professor Kari Naylor is investigating how processes in our cells’ mitochondria impact our health. Students will learn about mitochondrial dynamics and how Kari is studying amoeba to learn more about human health and disease.
Chemistry
Carbohydrate chemistry – Professor Charles Gauthier and Oscar Gamboa are creating carbohydrate molecules in the lab and exploring their potential uses in biomedicine. Students will learn about the chemistry of carbohydrates, how they can be synthesised, and why they are important in vaccines and antibiotics.
Carbon cycle – As a biogeochemist, Dr Sara Knox is studying how human disturbances in wetland environments impact the global carbon cycle. Students will learn about the role wetlands play in storing and emitting greenhouse gases.
Metals and composite materials – Professor Zhengyi Jiang is a materials and manufacturing engineer who is developing new composite materials and improving metal manufacturing processes. Students will learn about different metal manufacturing techniques and the real-world applications of composite materials.
Water chemistry – Dr Kelly Munkittrick, an aquatic toxicologist, and Dr Maricor Arlos, an environmental engineer, are studying the effects of pollution on freshwater ecosystems. Students will learn about how micropollutants are monitored and then conduct their own experiment to explore how pollutants impact the health of aquatic plants.
Physics
Space – Dr William Campbell and Emma Paterson are using quantum technologies to detect gravitational waves and dark matter. Students will learn about these mysterious phenomena in the Universe and then explain them in an accessible way to a non-scientific audience.
Nanoscience – Professor Jean-Pierre Leburton is studying how tiny holes called nanopores can detect DNA and generate electricity. Students will learn about the range of applications that this aspect of nanoscience brings to society.
Geography
Climate change – Dr Paul Treitz is conducting fieldwork and using remote sensing techniques to investigate what vegetation in the Arctic can tell us about the effects of climate change. Students will learn how climate change is impacting Arctic environments and then play geography-related games.
Geology – As a sedimentologist, Dr Robert Rainbird is examining ancient sedimentary rocks to look for evidence of when the Earth’s atmosphere became oxygen-rich. Students will learn how geologists date rocks and use their characteristics to deduce how, when and where they formed.
Environmental science – Professor Barbara Zeeb is studying how plants can clean up polluted land, for example by removing salts that contaminate roadsides. Students will learn about the impacts of pollutants on ecosystems then take on the role of an environmental consultant to develop a plant-based remediation plan for solving a contamination scenario.
Earthquakes – As a seismologist, Dr Fiona Darbyshire is using seismic waves to understand how continents formed. Students will learn how seismic waves travel through the Earth, how they are measured, and how this allows seismologists to build pictures of the Earth’s interior.
Development – A team of researchers is investigating the social, economic and political impacts of electricity access in Kenya. Students will learn about the success of Kenya’s green energy transition, the challenges many Kenyans face in accessing electricity, and the benefits that electricity brings to individuals and communities.
History
Historical sources – Professor Cecilia Morgan is reading letters held in museum archives to learn what life was like for British settlers in 19th century Canada. Students will discover what these historical sources reveal about past societies and then evaluate what a future historian could learn from their modern forms of communication about life today.
African American women’s history – Dr Laila Haidarali is investigating the role that beauty practices played in shaping the public image of Black women during the 20th century. Students will learn about the history of African American women in the fashion and modelling industry.
Modern foreign languages
Comprehension – Many of our research articles and activity sheet have been translated into other languages, including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Swahili, Mandarin and Arabic. This makes them ideal resources for language lessons and means they are accessible for speakers of other languages.
Multilingual pedagogies – As an applied linguist, Dr Sandra Zappa-Hollman is investigating how teachers view multilingual students and how prepared these teachers feel to implement multilingual pedagogical practices. In this teacher CPD article, Sandra shares advice for teachers of multilingual students and explains the importance of using multilingual approaches in your classroom.
Arts
Art – Dr Christina Smylitopoulos is teaching arts-based methods to scientists to help them understand how their biases might impact what they see when they collect data. Students will examine pieces of abstract art and explore how their impressions of the artwork are influenced by their personal experiences.
Music and dance – Dr Craig Jennex is investigating the role of music and dance in LGBTQ2+ liberation. Students will learn about the history of LGBTQ2+ dance and explore how music creates community connections.
Drama – Drama teacher Anne Dunkerley shares the importance of the arts for students and society and explains how she uses drama to teach SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy/environment)-based activities on topics such as ‘shoes’, ‘sugar’ and ‘trains’.
Photography – Dr Karla McManus is a visual arts researcher who is studying the history of bird photography and its role in shaping ecological knowledge and conservation efforts. Students will explore the power of visual arts by creating their own artistic exhibition to raise awareness of an environmental or social issue.
Fashion – As a feminist scholar, Dr Ilya Parkins is investigating the role that clothing plays in LGBTQ+ and feminist weddings. Students will learn about how some people feel excluded from the wedding fashion industry and interview people who are/have been married about their experiences of choosing wedding clothes.
Citizenship
Politics – As a political scientist, Professor Jared Wesley is helping people with opposing political views to find common ground. After learning about the dangers of polarisation and the importance of ‘listening to understand, not to argue’, students will have respectful discussions with people who hold different opinions on topics such as ‘Are dogs better than cats?’.
Human rights law – As a human rights lawyer, Dr Jennifer Orange is using data science to investigate gender disparities in school sports. Students will learn about their human rights and then conduct a survey to investigate opportunities for sports participation in their school.
Careers – All our articles contain information and advice about careers in the researcher’s specific field of study.
Computer science and technology
Coding – As a software developer, Professor Angelos Barmpoutis encourages his students to use computer coding to create digital education resources for schools. Students will play the educational games designed by Angelos’ students then evaluate them from the perspective of a software developer.
Quantum computing – Dr Salini Karuvade is using her skills as a theoretical quantum physicist to investigate how to improve quantum computers. Students will learn the basics of quantum computing and then play video games that explain quantum concepts.
Transistors – Professor Sorin Voinigescu is a quantum engineer who is investigating whether the transistors in our smartphones can advance the field of quantum computing. Students will learn about quantum engineering methods and applications.
Mental health and well-being
Mindfulness – Niina Haas and Dr Paula Gardiner are developing an innovative platform to help patients manage chronic pain through mindfulness and peer support. Students will explore the history of mindfulness and its place in modern medical treatment.
Teacher CPD
Museum visits – Professor Anik Meunier is investigating how museum visits can improve educational outcomes for students. In this teacher CPD article, Anik explains how you can incorporate museum education into your teaching and encourages teachers of all subjects to make the most of museums as educational resources.
Classroom management – Many students struggle with attention difficulties, yet teachers are not commonly taught how to manage these issues. In this teacher CPD article, Dr Agatha Lenartowicz and Dr Jennie Grammer discuss how they are combining neuroscience and education research to investigate student focus and attention in classrooms.
Alternative grading – Most teachers rely on point-based assessments to evaluate their students, but Dr Karla Rivera Caceres is investigating how alternative grading methods can boost student engagement. In this teacher CPD article, Karla encourages you to try alternative grading methods and provides advice for how you can implement these in any subject.
Need more inspiration?
If you want more classroom activities for different subjects, check out these ideas from last year: futurumcareers.com/classroom-resources-for-the-new-school-year-3
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