contact us

Smarter UK Resources

These resources have been produced to accompany the Smarter UK project.

They have been developed to support Key Stages 3 and 4 teaching of neuroscience.

Although they are intended primarily as extension activities for schools that have hosted Smarter UK discussions, they should be of use to all teachers of KS3/4 science.

The resources contain instructions on how to run your own Smarter UK style 'Vote with your Feet' discussion as well as a variety of shorter and longer curriculum-linked classroom activities.

The resources are provided in two parts. A set of PowerPoint slides to support neuroscience the neuroscience curriculum and a pack of printed resources.

The printed resource pack can be downloaded in full, or in sections from the links below.

Powerpoint slides to support the curriculum

• Presentation 1: How your brain and nervous system work
• Presentation 2: How we study the brain
• Presentation 3: Drugs and the brain
• Presentation 4: How memory works
• Presentation 5: How neurotoxins work

Teacher resource pack

• Full teachers' pack: MS Word (4.44MB)|PDF (2.76MB)
• Powerpoint presentation for memory exercises

Contents of pack

Introduction MS Word|PDF

• What is Smarter UK?
• Introduction - about the Smarter UK resources for schools
• Background - the science of Smarter UK
• 12 tips for running debates in the classroom
  

Activities MS Word|PDF

• Running the ‘Vote with your Feet’ discussion
• Advertising campaign
• Consequences game
• Cognitive enhancement in the news
• Synapse flicker book
• Make your own neurone
  

Quick Extension Activities MS Word|PDF

• Memory activities
• Executive function tests
• Colour and label motor neurone diagram
• Nervous system crossword and wordsearch

Appendices

• Appendix 1 – Signs for ‘Vote with your Feet’ MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 2 – Summaries of recent news reports
  MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 3 – Existing drugs for cognitive enhancement
  MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 4 – Regulation and governance of medicines
  MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 5 – Known side effects of licensed drugs MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 6 – Examples of neurotransmitters MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 7 – Curriculum links MS Word | PDF
• Appendix 8 - Glossary of terms MS Word | PDF