What does Working Scientifically cover at KS3?

The National Curriculum breaks Working Scientifically into six strands: scientific attitudes, experimental skills and investigations, analysis and evaluation, measurement, data handling, and scientific communication. The 19-lesson database covers all six across Years 7–9.

Which year groups are included?

All three KS3 year groups — Year 7, Year 8, and Year 9. Select the year group when generating and the resource is scoped accordingly.

What resource types are available?

Lesson slide decks with retrieval starters, worked examples, tiered practice questions, and exit tickets. Interactive revision games, worksheets, and flashcards are also available.

Can it produce resources for specific required practicals?

Yes. You can generate lessons that target the investigative skills used in a specific practical — for example, a lesson focused on identifying variables in a resistance investigation.

Will my department get a discount?

The Department tier covers 6 teachers for £349/year — roughly £58 per teacher per year. Email hello@printmylesson.co.uk to get set up.

UK Secondary · KS3 · National Curriculum

Working Scientifically.
Skills that stick.
Ready to teach.

The Working Scientifically strand runs through every KS3 science lesson, but it's the one most likely to be rushed or skipped. These resources give it the same careful treatment as the content units — 19 lessons mapped directly to the National Curriculum, covering variables, data handling, graphing, risk, and scientific reasoning.

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3 free resources every week · No card · First lesson in 2 minutes

19 lessons

covering the full KS3 Working Scientifically strand

< 2 min

to generate a ready-to-teach lesson

NC mapped

every lesson tied to National Curriculum skill points

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KS3 Working Scientifically · Year 8

Variables and Fair Testing

Lesson Slides · 55 minutes · 8 slides

StarterRetrieval quiz — types of variable, 4 min

I DoIndependent, dependent, control — definitions and worked example

We DoDesign a fair test — guided class activity

You Do3 tiered questions ★ to ★★★★★

Exit TicketIdentify the error in an unfair test

Ready to teach tomorrow

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KS3 Working Scientifically · Year 8

Planning an Investigation

★

State the independent variable and the dependent variable in an investigation into how ramp height affects the distance a toy car travels.

★★

A student wants to test how ramp height affects the distance a toy car travels. State two variables they should control to make it a fair test.

★★★

A student repeats her investigation three times at each ramp height and calculates a mean distance. Explain why taking repeat readings and calculating a mean improves the reliability of her results.

Excerpt — full worksheet includes an answer sheet

Tools your lessons can include: line of best fit, graph sliders, class vote, cold-call hider, compare tool. Every lesson opens in a classroom present mode — all taught straight from the browser, full-screen in class.

Spec alignment

Built on the spec.
Not on guesswork.

Working Scientifically covers the procedural and analytical skills students need to plan, carry out, and evaluate scientific investigations. The 19-lesson database spans every strand of the KS3 National Curriculum requirement — from variables and measurement through to data analysis, graphing, scientific communication, and evaluating experimental design.

Why it matters: Generic AI tools write plausible-looking resources that miss spec points, use the wrong command words, or pitch the wrong tier. Working Scientifically resources from Print My Lesson are built on a structured database of spec points, so every question, slide, and mark scheme is anchored to what students will actually be assessed on.

Built by Alex

Maths & Physics Teacher, Kent

KS3–KS5 classroom teacher who marks the papers and knows the difference between what the spec demands and what generic AI produces.

Example spec coverage

WS1Scientific attitudes — curiosity, respect for evidence, critical thinking
WS2Experimental skills — planning, variables, fair testing, risk
WS3Analysis and evaluation — patterns, anomalies, uncertainty
WS4Measurement — accuracy, precision, significant figures
WS5Data handling — tables, graphs, line of best fit
WS6Scientific communication — conclusions, explanations

Full topic and sub-topic coverage inside the generator.

Who it's for

For science teachers who want to teach the skills, not just the content.

Working Scientifically is examined across all GCSE sciences but often under-taught at KS3. These resources make it easy to dedicate proper lesson time to the investigative skills students need.

✓KS3 science teachers building a consistent skills curriculum across Years 7–9

✓HODs structuring a shared Working Scientifically teaching sequence

✓NQTs and ECTs who want reliable resources for the tricky procedural lessons

✓Non-specialists covering science lessons who need solid, curriculum-matched material

✓Teachers preparing students for KS4 required practicals by building skills early

What teachers ask first

The questions
you're already thinking.

Are these lessons just generic 'how science works' content?

No. Each lesson maps to a specific KS3 National Curriculum skill point and uses concrete examples from physics, chemistry, and biology contexts so students see the skill applied rather than described in the abstract.

Will it actually save me time?

Yes — once you've used it a couple of times and know how it works. The first generation might take a few extra minutes while you get the feel for it; after that, a full lesson takes under two minutes.

How do these skills connect to GCSE?

Working Scientifically skills appear in every GCSE science required practical and in the exam paper questions about investigations. Teaching them properly at KS3 reduces the scaffolding needed at GCSE.

Can I set the lesson length?

Yes — choose from 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, or 75 minutes when generating a lesson slide deck. The resource is scoped and timed to fit.

Honest about where we fit

When to use us.
When not to.

We're not right for every job. Here's an honest picture of where other tools win and where we do.

Use them

Generic AI chatbots

Can describe what Working Scientifically means in general terms. Not mapped to the KS3 National Curriculum, and won't know which skill points your lesson should target.

Use us

Print My Lesson

Lessons built against the 19-lesson KS3 Working Scientifically database — spec points, vocabulary, and learning objectives already defined.

Use them

Generic resource libraries

May have Working Scientifically worksheets, but they weren't made for your specific year group, lesson length, or class level.

Use us

Print My Lesson

Generated for exactly the skill, year group, and lesson length you need. Iterate immediately if the first version isn't quite right.

Pricing

Less than a textbook.
More useful than ten of them.

Start free — no card, no commitment. Department licence available.

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£0

3 free resources every week — no card required.

✓3 free resources every week
✓Every subject and board we cover — AQA & Edexcel
✓Interactive lessons, games & flashcards — taught in the browser

Start free

Working Scientifically.
Skills that stick.
Ready to teach.

The real generator, right here.

Built on the spec.
Not on guesswork.

For science teachers who want to teach the skills, not just the content.

The questions
you're already thinking.

When to use us.
When not to.

Working Scientifically resources.
The questions that matter.

Less than a textbook.
More useful than ten of them.

Resources for other
subjects and specs.

Stop spending Sunday
on Monday's lesson.

Working Scientifically.Skills that stick.Ready to teach.

The real generator, right here.

Built on the spec.Not on guesswork.

For science teachers who want to teach the skills, not just the content.

The questionsyou're already thinking.

When to use us.When not to.

Working Scientifically resources.The questions that matter.

Less than a textbook.More useful than ten of them.

Resources for othersubjects and specs.

Stop spending Sundayon Monday's lesson.

Working Scientifically.
Skills that stick.
Ready to teach.

Built on the spec.
Not on guesswork.

The questions
you're already thinking.

When to use us.
When not to.

Working Scientifically resources.
The questions that matter.

Less than a textbook.
More useful than ten of them.

Resources for other
subjects and specs.

Stop spending Sunday
on Monday's lesson.