Resources for teachers

Many of our researchers have worked with Oxford Sparks to produce animations that bring the science behind their research to life. Each animation is accompanied by teaching resources that have been reviewed and approved by secondary science teachers to help teachers make the most of these videos in the classroom:

• ‘A Case of Crystal Clarity’ (Department of Biochemistry) explores a technique called X-ray crystallography, that is used to determine the structure and shape of objects and proteins. 
• ‘How to read DNA’ (Radcliffe Department of Medicine) explores the techniques behind genetic sequencing. 
• ‘Brain Development in Teenagers’ (Department of Experimental Psychology) explores how our brain changes as we grow. 
• ‘Another Case of Heart Trouble’ (Radcliffe Department of Medicine) explores inherited heart conditions and how genetic sequencing can shed further light on this. 
• 'Hip Hip Hooray' (Nuffield Department of Rheumatology, Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Sciences) explores the link between sports, bone development in the young, and arthritis. 
• ‘DNA: A Rich Tapestry’ (Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics) explores how clues to our ancestry and the genetic makeup of the British Isles are stored within our DNA. 
• Discovering life-changing dementia treatments (Alzheimer’s Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute) looks at how researchers at the University of Oxford are developing drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, by harnessing the power of the brain’s microglia.

Some departments also offer their own digital resources for teachers:

• The Department of Oncology have developed number of games and activities to illustrate research into cancer
• The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine has an ‘EMB for Under 18s’ initiative which offers KS3 teaching materials, in line with the National Curriculum and mapped to Key Concepts
• The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics offer ‘try at home’ activities and free, downloadable classroom materials for debates on obesity and allergies. 
• The MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine has developed a classroom activity to introduce students to the basic principles of immunology, specifically antibodies, in both their biological role in immune defence and as research tools by using a hands-on activity to practice working scientifically. This is hosted by Oxford Sparks. 

The MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine also offers workshops and courses for local school teachers to engage them with with the latest scientific advancements, an initiative that enables teachers to enrich their delivery of the science curriculum. Contact Caterina Vicente (catarina.vicente@imm.ox.ac.uk) to find out more.