In order to stimulate and support your learning in your chosen sixth form courses, we strongly encourage you to access at least some of the suggested reading and other activity ideas below over the holiday period:
Please be aware that whilst the following activities contain a number of suggestions for visits to sites of interest, these should be in line with current Government restrictions. Please check with the venue before visiting, however, please be aware that many such institutions are currently offering ‘virtual tours’ which you may find interesting.
General
To help you make informed decisions about you future Derby University have created a range of resources to provide information about university and to help you plan your pathway to your chosen career.
https://www.derby.ac.uk/departments/schools-colleges-liaison/teacher-resources/
University websites often have a broad range of electronic resources that cover a variety of subjects, which either enrich or directly relate to the school curriculum and also often include resources to find out more about Higher Education, eg: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/schoolsliaison/services/e-resources.aspx
This website offers free access to hundreds of online educational courses to help students continue and expand their learning:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/collections/futurelearn-schools?utm_campaign=fl_april_2020&utm_medium=futurelearn_organic_email&utm_source=newsletter_broadcast&utm
_term=200423_ADH___FLSCHOOL&utm_content=course05_copy
A Level Art and Design: Fine Art
Websites:
- https://www.studentartguide.com/
- https://www.theartnewspaper.com/
- https://www.artforum.com/
- http://www.artnews.com/
- http://artreport.com/
- http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/a-z
- https://www.artsy.net/artists
- https://artuk.org/discover/artists
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
Places to Visit:
- Locally
- Derby Quad
- Nottingham Contemporary Gallery
- Further afield
- Manchester Whitworth Gallery
- Tate galleries, Hayward Galery, Saatchi Gallery, London
Books:
- The Thames & Hudson Introduction to Art
- Art: The Whole Story
- T&H Dictionary of Art & Artists
- T&H Dictionary of Art Terms
- Mirror of the World
- The Shock of the New
- Styles, Schools and Movements
- Art Since 1960 (3rd ed)
- Drawing and Painting: Materials and Techniques for
- Contemporary Artists
- How to Write About Contemporary Art
Other Materials:
- Netflix has a whole host of Art documentaries that can make for a welcoming change from the norm. Everything from Street Art to Post Impressionism, Recycled art to Surrealism.
- On your tablet or Phone – Great digital storyboarding for inspiration – Pinterest/Instagram
A Level Biology
Magazines/journals
- Biology Science Review (quarterly)
- National Geographic
- New Scientist
- Nature
Books
- A short History of Nearly Everything-Bill Bryson
- On the Origin of Species-Charles Darwin
- Genome – Matt Ridley
- The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature – Matt Ridley
- The Selfish Gene – Richard Dawkins
- Any other popular science book. Go to Derby library and see what you find on the shelves that you find interesting.
eBooks:
Available to purchase on kindle for a limited time price of 1p the CGP Head Start to A-level Biology/Chemistry/Physics. This is an excellent book for bridging the gap between GCSE and A-level. Follow this link: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/head-start-to-a-level-biology-maths-physics-chemistry-cgp-a-level-kindle-edition-3760824?utm_source=mappshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=3760824&utm_campaign=2021-07-10
Places of Interest-London
- Science Museum
- Natural History Museum
- Alexander Fleming Laboratory
- British Dental Association Museum
- British Optical Association Museum
- British Red Cross Museum
- Chelsea Psychic Garden
- Freud Museum
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- Museum of the order of St John
- Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- Royal College of Physicians
- Royal College of Surgeons
- Royal London Hospital
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital
- Wellcome Trust and Wellcome Library
- The Worshipful Society of Apothacaries
TV/Film
Any David Attenborough production, e.g.: Life on Earth, The Living Planet, Life in the Freezer, Life, Life Story, The Blue Planet.
Others
The Eden Project – Cornwall
Websites
- http://www.ibiblio.org/virtualcell/amazingbiology/
- http://www.cellsalive.com/
- http://www.centreofthecell.org/
- http://www.biology-online.org/
- http://www.arkive.org/
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- BBC iPlayer – Science & Nature. A large number of programmes exploring a wide variety of topics and current scientific issues. Also check out BBC Four for programmes including Pain, Pus & Poison, Chemistry: A Volatile History, Blood & Guts: A History of Surgery and Shock & Awe: The Story of Electricity.
- https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF9IOB2TExg3QIBupFtBDxg
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3EED4C1D684D3ADF
- https://www.youtube.com/user/AmoebaSisters
- https://www.livescience.com/ – Great for finding articles with lots of up to date data for all of the sciences.
Apps
- BBC news app – ‘Science & Environment’ and ‘Health’ section
A Level Business
Websites:
- Please visit: https://time2resources.co.uk/blog/preparing-year-11-students-for-year-12-business-qualifications-with-inside-aldi/
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- Impact of COVID-19 in the economy (from 1.32 to 1.43)
BBC Sounds – Jeremy Vine - Panorama – Lockdown: How business is coping
BBC Panorama - Business and Enterprise MOOC
MOOCs on Corporate Social Responsibility and Exploring Innovation and Entrepreneurship
A Level Chemistry
Websites:
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- BBC iPlayer – Science & Nature. A large number of programmes exploring a wide variety of topics and current scientific issues. Also check out BBC Four for programmes including Pain, Pus & Poison, Chemistry: A Volatile History, Blood & Guts: A History of Surgery and Shock & Awe: The Story of Electricity.
- Interested in A-Level Chemisty? Youu can book on to free webinars this August to explore key concepts in the subject – www.daltonchemistrytuition.com/webinars
10/08/2021- Structure and Bonding
17/08/2021- Amount of Substance
24/08/2021- Organic Chemistry
eBooks:
Available to purchase on kindle for a limited time price of 1p the CGP Head Start to A-level Biology/Chemistry/Physics. This is an excellent book for bridging the gap between GCSE and A-level. Follow this link: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/head-start-to-a-level-biology-maths-physics-chemistry-cgp-a-level-kindle-edition-3760824?utm_source=mappshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=3760824&utm_campaign=2021-07-10
A Level Computer Science
Please complete the activities on the attached document.
Places to visit:
National Museum of computing:
Bletchley Park Museum:
https://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/
The Centre for computing History:
https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/
Manchester Science and Industry museum:
https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/
Science museum:
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
Subscribe to:
YouTube – CraignDave:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0HzEBLlJxlrwBAHJ5S9JQg
YouTube – Computerphile:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Computerphile
YouTube – Computer Science Tutor:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsBxhDfwURg-vQASN2ZeHwg
YouTube – TheCherno:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheChernoProject
Books:
- The nature of code
- Hackers: Heroes of the computer revolution
- Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion
- How to Thrive in the Digital Age: The School of Life
- The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
- The Code Book for Young People: How to Make It, Break It, Hack It, Crack It
- The Code Book: The Secret History of Codes and Code-breaking
- History of Cryptography and Cryptanalysis: Codes, Ciphers, and Their Algorithms (History of Computing)
A Level English
Books/Articles:
- Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale, Contemporary Classics, 1996
- Othello, William Shakespeare, Penguin, 2011
- Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, Bloomsbury, 2011
- Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue, Penguin Books, 2008
- Read any poetry you feel you might be inspired by!
Websites:
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- Check out BBC Four for programmes of interest, including the broadcast of theatre versions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado about Nothing, Othello and Hamlet.
- https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/blog/50-great-21st-century-novels-for-6th-formers
- https://www.theguardian.com/books/series/saturdaypoem
- Take the opening of your favourite novel or story and transform it into a different text type. The website gives you examples of what these transformations might look like based on the opening to Charles Dickens’ novel ‘Great Expectations’
https://www.graphicdesignand.com/product/page-1-great-expectations - Introduce yourself to literary non-fiction through this article by author Zadie Smith published in the New Yorker magazine.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/12/17/some-notes-on-attunement
A Level Geography
Things students can read:
- Newspaper articles focusing on science and the environment with specific links to climate change, coasts and natural hazards. They should also read articles linking to global trade and the growth and associated challenges experienced in global cities.
- Geography Reviews.
- National Geographic.
Things students can watch:
- Any David Attenborough documentary e.g. Climate Change – The Facts
- Kevin McCloud – Slumming it
- Stacey Dooley in the USA – Homeless in Detroit
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b049bcfb/stacey-dooley-in-the-usa-series-2-2-homeless-in-detroit - The Grand Tour season 3 Episode 1 – Top Gear in Detroit – on Amazon Prime
- Requiem for Detroit? Documentary on the growth and decline of Detroit. Also, looks at urban resurgence.
Places you can visit:
- Coastal areas – look at the role of coastal management and specific coastal landforms e.g. Old Harry, Dorest
- London – Olympic Park (example of urban regeneration), Brick Lane/Shoreditch (examples of gentrification), Canary Wharf (London’s Financial Centre), Thames Barrier (flood management)
Websites:
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
A Level History
Places to Visit:
- Leicester or Bosworth to find out more about Richard III and Henry VII which will be studied in Year 12.
- If you are going away on holiday you can research the history of where you are going.
- Countries such as Spain, France and Germany frequent the History curriculum.
- Even if you stay at home, the Midlands has some fantastic places to visit such as:
- Hardwick Hall
- Kenilworth Castle
- Kedleston Hall
- Calke Abbey
- Tutbury Castle
- Bolsover Castle
- Cromford
- Crich Tramway Museum
- Derby Museum
- Places that you visit are always more interesting if you do some research before you go. These may not be directly connected to your studies but maintain your interest and focus on History.
Books/Articles
- Read about Weimar, Nazi Germany and the early Tudors as this would be advantageous.
- Read magazines such as BBC History or History Today that discuss current debates and themes in History. (These magazines also highlight where there are displays, open days, re-enactments or shows with a historical theme that are occurring over the summer!). History Today allows you to access some articles online for free.
- Phillippa Gregory and Hillary Mantel have written popular books on the Tudor period and these have also been adapted for television
- Ian Kershaw, Hitler Myth, Oxford University Press, 2001
Websites/Videos/Downloads:
- Watch an excellent documentary series such as Nazis: A Warning from History or the Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler.
- Thomas Penn, ‘The Winter King’ is a useful documentary about Henry VII and David Starkey also has a number of programs on the period that are available on YouTube.
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- Check out BBC Four for programmes of interest, including Mary Beard’s Meet the Romans, Michael Wood’s Story of England, Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain and Tunes For Tyrants.
A Level Mathematics
Websites/Videos/Downloads:
- MyMaths – Bringing Maths Alive – http://www.mymaths.co.uk/
- Username: Landau Password: Addition
- Focus particular emphasis on algebra – by far the most important element as you approach post-16.
- MyMaths also has an A level section for students who want to look ahead at subject material for Core 1.
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- https://www.drfrostmaths.com/ – A great website to explore maths beyond GCSE
A Level Physics
Websites:
- https://www.gresham.ac.uk/schools – (Please click the appropriate subject)
- BBC iPlayer – Science & Nature. A large number of programmes exploring a wide variety of topics and current scientific issues. Also check out BBC Four for programmes including Pain, Pus & Poison, Chemistry: A Volatile History, Blood & Guts: A History of Surgery and Shock & Awe: The Story of Electricity.
eBooks:
Available to purchase on kindle for a limited time price of 1p the CGP Head Start to A-level Biology/Chemistry/Physics. This is an excellent book for bridging the gap between GCSE and A-level. Follow this link: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/head-start-to-a-level-biology-maths-physics-chemistry-cgp-a-level-kindle-edition-3760824?utm_source=mappshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=3760824&utm_campaign=2021-07-10
A Level Psychology
A Level Spanish
https://www.muyinteresante.com.mx/junior/
Username: landau
Password: lanforcol
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