Interactive Amplify (IA)
Magnetic vs non-magnetic sorting on a class wall
Each pair gets a tray of mixed objects (paperclip, plastic spoon, eraser, key, coin, button). They test each with a magnet, then post a photo of each object to one of two Padlet columns: magnetic or non-magnetic. The class scrolls and the teacher asks any pair whose classification differed from others to demonstrate.
Tools: Padlet
Class plant growth measurements on shared sheet
Each pair plants two seeds (one in dark, one in light) and measures shoot height daily. Pairs enter measurements into a shared class spreadsheet. After two weeks, the class scrolls all pairs' data and identifies fastest-growing plants, slowest, and discusses likely reasons (tied to the dark/light condition).
Tools: Google Sheets
Forces investigation prediction wall
Before the teacher demonstrates a forces experiment (e.g. pulling a heavy box with rollers vs without), each pair posts a prediction on a class Padlet about what will happen and why. The class votes on Mentimeter. The teacher then runs the demo and the class compares predictions to outcome, posting one-line reflections on a shared sheet.
Tools: Padlet, Mentimeter
Ecosystem food web building, class merge
Each student is given five organisms from a shared habitat (e.g. a temperate woodland). They build a partial food web on their own Jamboard frame. In the second half of the lesson, the class merges all frames into a single class web; the teacher highlights cross-web species (those that appear in multiple students' webs) and asks the class what role they likely play.
Tools: Jamboard
Forces investigation with shared spreadsheet
Students conduct a basic spring extension experiment at their bench. Each student enters their three measurements into a shared class spreadsheet. The class scrolls all thirty rows; the teacher highlights outliers and asks the contributing student to explain whether the outlier reveals a measurement error or a real effect. Pairs then plot the class average against load.
Tools: Google Sheets
Periodic table sorting on a shared Padlet
Each student is assigned three elements (e.g. by row in a register list). They post each element to one of three Padlet columns (metal, non-metal, metalloid) with a one-line property justification. The class scrolls and the teacher pulls out any element that landed in the wrong column, asking the contributing student to defend before the class corrects.
Tools: Padlet
Virtual circuit lab with shared results
Each student designs and tests three circuits in a PhET circuit simulator (a series circuit with two bulbs, a parallel circuit with two bulbs, a circuit with mixed series and parallel). They post current and voltage readings into a shared class spreadsheet. The class scrolls all rows and the teacher highlights anomalies, asking the contributing student to debug their circuit.
Tools: PhET Simulations, Google Sheets
Mock-exam multi-choice debate on a wall
The teacher posts five GCSE-style multi-choice questions where the wrong answers are designed to be plausible. Each student votes on Mentimeter. The class sees the spread, then in pairs writes a 30-second defence of their answer. The teacher calls one pair from each side. The class re-votes. The teacher reveals the official answer and explains why each distractor sounds reasonable.
Tools: Mentimeter
Required-practical method comparison
The teacher names a required practical (e.g. measuring the rate of a reaction, investigating temperature change with concentration). Each student posts on a class Padlet the one method choice they would make differently from the standard mark scheme, with a one-line justification. The class scrolls and the teacher pulls out the three most defensible alternative choices for whole-class discussion.
Tools: Padlet
Required-practical method crowd-sourcing
The teacher names an A-Level required practical (e.g. determining specific heat capacity, investigating enzyme kinetics). Each student posts to a shared spreadsheet one method choice they would optimise (variable to control more tightly, repetition strategy, equipment substitution) with a one-line justification. The class scrolls the spreadsheet and the teacher pulls out the three most defensible optimisations for whole-class discussion.
Tools: Google Sheets
Mark scheme inference workshop
The teacher posts an A-Level question with two anonymised student answers (one strong, one weak) and the official mark scheme. Each student posts to a shared Padlet column one inference about why the mark scheme rewards what it rewards. The class scrolls all inferences and the teacher draws out the most useful patterns for revision.
Tools: Padlet
Spec-point question debate
The teacher posts an A-Level question with a deliberately ambiguous wording. Each student votes on Mentimeter for one of three valid interpretations. The class sees the spread, then in pairs writes a 30-second defence. The teacher calls one pair from each interpretation to argue. The class re-votes.
Tools: Mentimeter
Interactive Replace (IR)
Drag-and-drop labelling of a cell organelle diagram
Each student drags labels onto a digital cell diagram, matching each label (nucleus, mitochondrion, ribosome, etc.) to its organelle. After submission, the tool reveals correct positions.
Multiple-choice cell-structure quiz on Microsoft Forms
Students answer ten multiple-choice questions on cell organelle functions in a Microsoft Form. Each pupil sees the same ten questions in the same order. The teacher reviews aggregate results in the next lesson.
Tools: Microsoft Forms
Building atoms by dragging electrons in a chemistry simulator
Students drag electrons onto an atomic structure diagram for the first ten elements. They submit a screenshot of each correctly-built atom to the teacher. The simulator does not give in-line corrective feedback; it just renders what they place.
Tools: PhET Simulations
Passive Amplify (PA)
Audio-narrated science walk-through
Each student listens to a teacher-recorded audio walk-through of a new science concept (e.g. how the heart pumps blood) with embedded sound cues (heartbeat samples, water flow analogies for blood movement). The audio pauses for self-paced reflection at three points.
Tools: Seesaw
Adaptive Seneca science learning
Each student works through a Seneca science topic at their own pace. The platform adjusts question difficulty and revisits weak areas based on each student's performance. The teacher reviews per-student analytics afterwards and identifies misconceptions.
Tools: Seneca Learning
Edpuzzle science video with checkpoints
Each student watches a 12-minute science explainer video (e.g. on the digestive system) loaded into Edpuzzle with five embedded checkpoint questions. The video auto-pauses at each checkpoint; each student answers on their own device before the video continues. The teacher reviews per-checkpoint accuracy.
Tools: Edpuzzle
Passive Transform (PT)
Cell biology in immersive 3D
Each student navigates a 3D model of an animal cell at their own pace, observing organelles in spatial relationship and zooming into individual structures (mitochondrion, nucleus, ribosomes). The teacher poses three observational prompts during the navigation. Pairs share three observations after.
Tools: CoSpaces
Live ISS-Earth feed observation
The class watches the live video feed from the International Space Station for 20 minutes, with the teacher pausing on visible weather systems, city lights, and ocean colour patterns. Students observe the curvature, the speed of orbit visible in cloud movement, and the day-night terminator passing across the planet.
Tools: ISS Live Stream
Virtual lab demo of dangerous reaction
The class watches a virtual simulator demonstration of an alkali metal reacting with water (e.g. caesium, francium-style demos that are too violent or expensive for school labs). The teacher pauses to discuss observable phenomena, asks students to predict products, then lets the simulator complete the reaction with chemical-equation overlay.
Tools: PhET Simulations
Lessons that look IA but are not
Useful counter-examples when you are checking your own lesson placement on the PICRAT grid.
This page is one of a growing set of PICRAT examples by cell, subject and key stage. Page maintained by Andy Perryer.