Welcome to BioLAB’s Brain Bank – a comprehensive resource library designed to support learning in both the classroom and remotely.
Each resource has been designed to be a discrete learning task that can be completed by students in approximately 1-1.5 hours. Some VCE resources are a little more comprehensive and have been designed to address specific outcomes and key knowledge areas within the identified unit of study. Our resources are designed to be easily uploaded to your school learning management system (Compass or similar) and downloaded by students. Resources can be downloaded in two different file formats: Digital (Word docx) or Printable (pdf).
We would really appreciate your feedback if you have used our Brain Bank Resources throughout remote learning. If you could take 5 minutes to complete a BRAIN BANK FEEDBACK SURVEY it will help us greatly to continue to improve this library.
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Resource Type Curriculum Area Year Level Search
Vertical Limit is an engaging maths resource which introduces the Standing Vertical Jump Test which measures the height a player can jump in the air and the results help us to predict a players ability to mark, tap, and defend the ball during a match. Patrick Dangerfield talks students through the testing protocol and after completing the test, students will analyse their results and compare vertical jump height to their classmates and the Cats Players!
This new resource is aimed at supporting Year 5/6 students apply their mathematical skills to real world scenarios.
This resource consists of the Student Workbook and Video – links to both are included below.
This task will guide you through a short exercise circuit with exercise instructions from netball champion Madison Browne. Madison is into her 14th season of professional netball and has collected National championships, two Commonwealth games medals and various player awards throughout her career.
Madison has used her knowledge of the human anatomy, fitness components and training to ensure she is able to prepare herself for the sport of netball.
Learning intention
- To relate knowledge of the human body and movements to different sporting skills
Success criteria
- Complete netball focused circuit
- Determine bones and muscles involved
- Relate movements to sporting skills
- Create circuit for chosen sport
Sam and Cam are competitive individuals, lifting rocks like The Hulk and declaring themselves the “strongest at BioLAB” – apply your maths skills to settle the score and work out who is the strongest.
Learning intention
- To use formulas to work out the weight of an object.
Success criteria
- Define density.
- Use dimensions to draw a rectangular prism.
- Use a formula to calculate the volume of an object.
- Use a formula to calculate the weight of an object.
A fantastic resource that makes you want to be a tennis player!! It has been designed to compliment General Mathematics Units 1 and 2 Outcomes, in area of study 6.
Learning intention
To investigate and compare data distributions.
Success criteria
- Use a graphics calculator to construct a histograms and parallel boxplots.
- Identify the shape of a distribution.
- Use a calculator to find summary statistics.
- Identify Q1, median and Q3 from an ordered data list without using a calculator.
- Use summary statistics to write a report.
- Compare the centre, shape and spread of data distributions
The human heart is an incredible muscle. Rhythmically beating, to keep us alive.
Factors such as genetics, exercise, diet, sleep and stress all result in a range of variations to heart rate.
This resource includes two investigations into heart rate throughout a normal day.
Learning Intention
To analyse and understand how your heart rate changes during the day.
Success Criteria
- Collect primary heart rate data using accessible heart rate technologies.
- Interpret primary heart rate data
- Evaluate primary heart rate data
In the spirit of the Tour de France beginning soon! We bring you this french inspired mathematics resource. Grab your beret, put on your lycra and enjoy!
Learning intention
• To interpret data displayed on a distance time graph.
Success criteria
• Describe how the gradient of the graph relates to velocity.
• Calculate the average speed between two points of the graph.
• Use data to infer events that could of occurred.
This revision resource for VCE PE is designed to provide a good learning tool for anatomy revision.
This resource targets Unit 1: The Human Body in Motion/ Area of Study 1: How does the musculoskeletal system work to produce movement?
Learning Intention
To be able to test prior knowledge on the muscular and skeletal system.
Success Criteria
- Label muscle and bones on yourself or another individual.
- Check your answers using 3D Anatomy Learning app or Nelson VCE PE textbook.
- Evaluate the implementation of this revision strategy.
This resource is designed to encourage students to graph and analyse real world data sets using athlete age statistics and world record marathon times
Learning Intention
Plot a side by side column graph from real world data then make a conclusion about the relationship displayed within the graph.
Success Criteria
I am able to demonstrate how to plot data on a side by side column graph:
- I am able to correctly use a legend to distinguish the different series within the data
- I am able to correctly plot data using the information on the x and y axis
- Using the graph, I am able to explain the relationship shown between an athletes age and the time it takes to run a marathon
- I am to conduct online research and explain how my findings might relate to the graph
Let’s explore chemical reactions with a few fun and easy experiments.
Learning Intention
To conduct an experiment exploring the effect of temperature on a chemical reaction.
Success Criteria
- Successfully follow a scientific method.
- Make a hypothesis.
- Complete a set amount of trials.
- Record all results.
- Compare and analysis data collected
These tasks are designed to increase and apply your knowledge of forces and Newton’s laws, and their effects on sports and its participants.
Learning intention
- To learn about Newton’s laws and explore how they are applied to different sports
Success criteria
- Define Newton’s three laws of motion.
- Apply Newton’s laws to different sporting examples.
- Research Sir Isaac Newton’s history.
This resource explores biomimicry and its applications in sport. In the field of biomimetic design, biomimicry is used to enhance sports equipment design in order to improve participant safety and comfort or to enhance performance.
Learning Intention
To understand how biomimicry is used in the design process.
Success Criteria
- Relate adaptations to organisms and their survival and reproductive success.
- Understand the use of biomimicry in the development of sports equipment.
- Apply biomimicry to the design of sports equipment.
- Consider the ethical implications of use of technology advancements in competitive sport.
Understanding and testing drag force is important in different sports to give athletes an edge. Scientists are constantly developing materials that help athletes deal better with drag force. This experiment demonstrates the effects of drag force on a runner.
Learning intention
- To conduct and evaluate a test to determine the effect of drag.
Success criteria
- Describe how drag force acts on a moving object
- Display and interpret data on a column graph.
- Make conclusions based on results.
- Identify different variables in the scientific method.
- Suggest improvements to a method.
The Olympic Games, while postponed for 2020, are set to take place in Tokyo 2021. This resource challenges students to complete a data analysis on the Olympic medal counts for athletic (track and field) events, across the four most recent Olympic Games; Rio, London, Beijing and Athens.
Learning Intention
To be able to use a big data to analyse and explore patterns and trends.
Success Criteria
- Use the excel spreadsheet to identify the number of gold, silver and bronze medals won at each Olympic Games.
- Find the difference between the number of male and female medallist.
- Graph the results using Microsoft Excel.
- Summarise the trend in data.
Use a dice and your math skills to follow Craig on his adventure to school! A great way to consolidate interpreting data and using graphs to tell a story.
Learning intention
To use a line graph to display heart rate data.
Success criteria
- Complete a line graph.
- Interpret data on a line graph.
This resource challenges to use data collected from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games to explore how correlations can be used to improve an athlete’s performance. A great introduction to finding correlations in data sets using scatter plots, and Cartesian planes.
Learning Intention
To understand how data correlations are used to predict an athletes performance.
Success Criteria
- Interpret secondary data set.
- Calculate the range of the data set.
- Use Microsoft Excel to create a scatter plot.
- Make a prediction using line of best fit.
A great game based maths resource that involves the whole family getting active and playing games!
This resource is aimed at grade 3 students, however it could be used for any primary school students to improve their understanding of odd and even numbers, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. The resource is based around the game Finska, an excellent game from Finland that can be used in a wide range of primary maths applications.
If students don’t have access to the equipment there are labels and directions on how to create your own Finska set from plastic bottles.
Learning Intention
To be able to use game play to complete addition and subtraction.
Success Criteria
Demonstrate an ability to:
- Accurately add and subtract single and two-digit numbers
- calculate my score as less than / more than my opponent
- calculate how many more I need to reach the target score
- Accurately identify my current score as odd or even
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Become an Olympic Data Analyst! Students will be challenged to make the data from the Olympic Games more meaningful and easier to understand. Students will need to use their researching, calculation and graphing skills.
Learning Intention
To be able to analyse and interpret secondary data to develop new ranking system.
Success Criteria
- Apply research skills to collate data sets.
- Calculate mean and range from a data table.
- Investigate ‘per capita’ calculations and develop new ranking system.
- Construct column graph representing data.
Create your own home workout using mathematical skills! Students use multiplication and addition skills to create their very own home workout. A great way to get them up and out of their seats during remote learning.
This activity has been developed to help students develop healthy work habits while learning in an online environment. It is designed to be used in lessons to break up tasks that require 30 minutes or more of screen time.
Learning intention
To be able to create your own home workout using mathematical skills.
Success criteria
- Use multiplication and addition skills to select exercise and song.
Introducing METRIC ME! our latest instalment from our BioCATS remote learning resources.
Metric Me! is an introduction to bio-metric measurement and the use of mathematics in determining physical advantage in sport. Students will be able to use calculations, tables and graphs to compare their biomentric measurements with Geelong Cats star Patrick Dangerfield.
To use this resource get students to watch the Metric Me video introduction with Patrick Dangerfield and complete their own measurements and analysis using the workbook.
Learning Intention
To be able to use your mathematics skills to collect, analyse and interpret biometric data.
Success Criteria
- Collect and record primary data
- Collect and record secondary data
- Analyse and interpret data
- Identify ways in which mathematics is used in AFL Football.
- Use tables and column graphs to represent data
More about the BioCATS Program
The BioCATS program is all about maths and science with a healthy edge!
Each activity developed under the BioCATS brand provides a unique insight into the application of maths and science skills using real life scenarios from the Geelong Football Club.
Our educational experiences are themed with physical activity and the wonders of the human body to engage students in a unique learning environment and emphasise the importance of healthy body, healthy mind.
This partnership program was design ed in 2012 by BioLAB: The Victorian BioScience Education Centre in partnership with the Geelong Football Club. It has been successfully delivered to over 10,000 Victorian primary school students from the Deakin Cats Community Centre at GMHBA stadium.
The BioCATS program is proudly supported by Bisinella.
This activity has been developed for students to see the real world application of displaying data on graphs to determine trends. Links to resources to help students complete different tasks have been included in the activity.
Technology allows scientists to collect more data than ever on athletes. In order to best communicate the trends to athletes, scientists display the data on graphs. This activity demonstrates how a scientist uses graphs to display the trends in a data set so it is easier for athletes and coaches to understand.
Learning intention
To display data on graphs to better understand trends.
Success criteria
- Use excel to display data on a column and line graph.
- Interpret data displayed on a graph.
- Identify advantages of displaying data on a graph.
This resource could be used as an introduction to Year 7 Statistics and Probability, where you challenge the students to go online to research the definition of mean, median and mode. Students could discuss the activity with peers to promote meaningful conversation about mathematics through presenting and justifying arguments. It could also be used an as an assessment opportunity at the end of the unit.
Learning Intention
To understand that summarising data by calculating mean, median and mode can help make sense of the data.
Success Criteria
- Calculate mean, median and mode for a variety of data sets.
- Interpret the statistics to organise the data collections into matching groups.
Athletes, coaches, engineers and sports scientists rely on the collection and analyses of data in order to develop new technologies that will improve equipment and performance. Data analysis skills are integral to the success of this process. This data analysis task was developed for students to apply their data analyses skills in the context of athlete training.
The task would be suitable for use at Level 10 or VCE General Mathematics. The questions are accessible to both levels; however, depth of expected answers at each level would differ.
Learning intention
To understand how to use boxplots and summary statistics to compare two data distributions.
Success criteria
- Approximate five point summary statistics from a boxplot.
- Calculate range.
- Describe the shape of a data distribution.
- Interpret a boxplot the answer questions about data sets.
- Explain when and why median is a more appropriate measure of spread than mean.
A fantastic new podcast relevant for VCE PE, Biology and Psychology and also those interested in mental health and wellness!
In this podcast, Tommy primarily focuses on the physiological benefits of physical activity. Physical activity is an incredibly important health tool that is used in the treatment and prevention of many diseases, including psychiatric diseases. There is a multitude of research showing that in addition to the physical benefits of exercise including, improved cardiopulmonary and muscle function, physical activity improves our quality of life.
So, what are the underlying physiological changes that take place during or after exercise? Can they improve our mental health? Have a listen to find out!
We have also included Revision Cards for this podcast to assist with students who may be using this as revision.
This next podcast in our VCE PE series explores the rapid and often exponential increases in science and technology, leading to further understanding of human biology and mechanics. In relation to sport and human performance, this new and emerging field of sports technology is aiding the optimisation of peak human performance.
VCE PE Curriculum links-
– Unit 3- Area of study 1- Chapter 1- Characteristics of skill and stages of learning
– Unit 3- Area of study 1- Chapter 2- Improving skills
– Unit 4- Area of study 1- Chapter 10- Activity analysis in sports
- Innovative Sports Technology and Performance Podcast (mp3) Download
Testing the lung function of athletes is common place. It allows coaches to measure the effect of training on athletes and also to determine if they are suffering from any respiratory diseases. One functional test that is used to determine if an athlete is suffering from a respiratory disease is a vital capacity test.
This activity has been developed for students to see the real world application of using the scientific method to test a hypothesis. Students will need access to basic equipment to conduct the experiment.
Learning intention
To use the scientific method to test lung function.
Success criteria
- Display and interpret data on a column graph.
- Make conclusions based on results.
- Suggest improvements to a method.
This fantastic new BioCATS resource is a great way for students to use their mathematical skills to analyse Geelong Cat Patrick Dangerfield’s performance! Join Pat as he introduces the activity and talks the students through the data collection component of the activity.
To use the BioCATS Stats Crunch resource please download the Student Workbook below and use the YouTube link below to distribute to students so they can view the video content and see Pat in Action!
More about the BioCATS Program
The BioCATS program is all about maths and science with a healthy edge!
Each activity developed under the BioCATS brand provides a unique insight into the application of maths and science skills using real life scenarios from the Geelong Football Club.
Our educational experiences are themed with physical activity and the wonders of the human body to engage students in a unique learning environment and emphasise the importance of healthy body, healthy mind.
This partnership program was design ed in 2012 by BioLAB: The Victorian BioScience Education Centre in partnership with the Geelong Football Club. It has been successfully delivered to over 10,000 Victorian primary school students from the Deakin Cats Community Centre at GMHBA stadium.
The BioCATS program is proudly supported by Bisinella.
An active STEM challenge for students to compare themselves with Usain Bolt!
Learning Intention
To be able to compare primary data collected to elite athletes results.
Success Criteria
- Use tools to measure 10 metres.
- Visually represent the experiment data in a column graph.
- Calculate the difference and range of results.
- Compare your data to elite athletes.
Research has shown that a person’s height is directly related to the length of their step (this is called their stride). This activity is great to get students active and using their maths skills at the same time.
Learning Intention
To be able to follow formulas to calculate answers to simple equations.
Success Criteria
- Measure height in centimetres.
- Calculate stride length (cm).
- Convert centimetres to metres and kilometres.
- Graph stride length calculations on vertical column graph.
BioLAB are creating a series of podcasts that focus on difficult concepts in the VCE curriculum.
This podcast is designed for VCE Physical Education students and teachers who want to revise their understanding of energy systems and their interplay. Join our host Tommy Moore for a enlightening summary of this important concept in Unit 3/4 VCE PE.
In this episode, we focus on the three energy systems. We discuss what fuels them, what ATP is and why we need it and the constant interplay of all three systems to supply us with the energy we need.
VCE PE curriculum links-
- Unit 3- Area of study 2- Chapter 6- The three energy systems working together to produce ATP
- Unit 3- Area of study 2- Chapter 7- Acute responses to exercise
BioLAB are creating a series of podcasts that focus on difficult concepts in the VCE curriculum.
This podcast is designed for VCE Physical Education students and teachers who want to revise their understanding of the role of lactate and the concepts underlying the lactate inflection point. Join our host Tommy Moore for a enlightening summary of this important concept in Unit 3/4 VCE PE.
In this episode, we will be discussing the key differences between lactic acid and lactate, what lactate threshold and lactate inflection point means and what to look for in a graph.
This is relevant for both Unit’s 3 and 4 for VCE PE, as we look at relative contribution of fuels at particular intensities, by-products, fatigue and fatiguing factors as well as training to improve performance.
VCE PE curriculum links-
- Unit 3- Area of study 2- Chapter 7- Acute responses to exercise
- Unit 3- Area of study 2- Chapter 8- Energy system fatigue and recovery mechanisms
- Unit 4- Area of study 1- Chapter 11- Assessment of fitness
- Lactate, Lactic Acid and Lactate Inflection Point Podcast (mp3) Download
Subtraction problems are everywhere in sport!
This resource is designed to be completed at home with the help of a parent / carer. It is part of a series of resources based on subtraction strategies.
The Parent Information sheet aims to get parents / carers more involved in the maths education at home. The goal is to get the parents to understand the benefits of developing strong number-sense strategies for mathematical problem solving.
Learning Intention
Use compensation to change the numbers in a subtraction problem to make it easier to solve.
Success Criteria
I am able to demonstrate how to use the compensation strategy to change numbers in a subtraction problem to make it easier to solve:
- I am able to change one of the numbers to make it a friendly anchor number
- I understand that I must compensate for this change by making the same change to the other number before solving the problem
In this activity students will be completing an experiment designed to test the effect of physical activity on your memory.
Learning intention
To analyse the effect of exercise on memory.
Success criteria
- Collect baseline and experimental data.
- Compare and analyse the primary data collected.
- Display data in column graph and interpret results.
- Conclude as to whether exercise has a positive or negative impact on brain function and memory.
This activity has been developed as a problem solving task for students that have a sound understanding of area and volume. Students also need to apply rates to volumes calculated.
Learning intention
- To use area, volume and rate calculation to solve a problem.
Success criteria
- Draw shapes based information provided on other diagrams and tables.
- Calculate area of 2-D shapes.
- Calculate volume of 3-D shapes.
- Apply rates to volumes to calculate cost.
This activity has been developed for students to see the real world application of manipulating and substituting into equations and displaying data on graphs to determine trends. The task should be completed by students after they are confident in manipulating equations. Students will take around 45 minutes to complete this activity.
Learning intention
- To use maths to determine the effect of training on an athletes heart.
Success criteria
- Manipulate and substitute into equations to find unknown values.
- Display and interpret data on a line graph.
This learning task can be used to introduce the relationship between features of circles and using formulas to solve problems.
Learning Intention
To investigate the relationship between the length of diameter and the length of the circumference of a circle.
Success Criteria
- Identify the circumference and diameter of a circle.
- Accurately measure the circumference and diameter of a circle.
- Calculate the ratio circumference to diameter for multiple circles.
Attempt to approximate a rule for using diameter to calculate circumference
This activity has been developed as a problem solving task for students that have a sound understanding of Pythagoras Theorem. Links to resources to help students complete different tasks have been included in the activity.
Learning intention
- To use Pythagoras Theorem to solve a problem.
Success criteria
- Draw right angled triangles based information provided on other diagrams and tables.
- Use Pythagoras Theorem to solve the hypotenuse side of a triangle.
- Make conclusions based on a set of calculated values.
This Olympic mathematics challenge is ideal for Year 5 students who are consolidating their maths skills – in particular their ability to order numbers in hundreds and thousands.
Learning Intention
To be able to order numbers in their hundreds of thousands.
Success Criteria
- Understand the difference between ascending and descending.
- Round to the nearest whole number.
- Order the attendance records of each Olympics.
- Predict attendance for the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games
In this task students will plan their own fair test to investigate how changing one factor affects the bounce height of balls.
Learning intention
To design and conduct a fair test.
Success criteria
- Identify independent, dependent and controlled variables.
- Outline steps taken to conduct a fair test.
- Record results of a fair test.
- Draw conclusions about the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
This resource explores the effects of sports engineering and show design on marathon times. Students use algebraic equations The resource is designed to support student learning in Number and Algebra – Level 7 and 8.
Learning Intention
To be able to calculate percentage differences.
Success Criteria
- Identify fastest and slowest marathon times for athletes.
- Demonstrate attempts to follow formula by showing working out.
- Calculate the percentage difference of marathon times for all three athletes.
This learning task is a simple investigation designed to support science inquiry skills and incorporates physical activity.
Learning Intention
We are using digital technology tools to measure changes in heart rate during exercise and rest.
Success Criteria
- Record and analyse individual heart rate data.
- Use affordable and accessible scientific equipment to collect heart rate data.
- Complete a range of moderate-vigorous exercises.
- Critically analyse accuracy of equipment and experimental method.
- Effect of Exercise on Heart Rate: Student Worksheet (print) Download
This resource focuses on the use of Cartesian planes in a novel game play environment!
Learning Intention
To be able to use a Cartesian plane to plot coordinates.
Success Criteria
- Successfully plot known ‘defender’ coordinates.
- Score a goal by plotting attackers around the known defenders.
- Show several different ways you can solve the problem.
This activity has been developed for teachers to use over a range of topics when students are starting to revise for a topic. The tasks require students to go back over the concepts that they have covered and start thinking of the types of questions they may be asked in an assessment.
Instructions for teachers
The worksheet that students complete is a word document that has been designed using the developer function. This means that students can save the document to their device and are able to modify certain sections to record their answers. Although students are able to quickly adapt to this format, it is recommended that you briefly familiarise yourself with the document before you distribute it to students. You may also like to enter the topic that students will be revising in the heading before distributing the activity to students.
Instructions for students
- Download the activity, save to your device and then select view and select edit document.
- Complete the activity and resave to your device.
- Submit the task to your teacher for feedback.
This activity is designed to explore the concepts of “handedness” in athletes and encourages students to use scientific method to conduct and evaluate an accurate and fair test.
Learning intention
- To conduct and evaluate a test based on the scientific method.
Success criteria
- Display and interpret data on a column graph.
- Make conclusions based on results.
- Identify different variables in the scientific method.
- Suggest improvements to a method
This resource is aimed at Unit 2 VCE Biology.
This resource is a word document that has been designed using the developer function. This means that students can save the document to their device and are able to modify certain sections to record their answers. Although students are able to quickly adapt to this format, it is recommended that you briefly familiarise yourself with the document before you distribute it to students.
- To begin students will need to open the document, press ‘View’ on the top heading bar, then ‘Edit Document’. They are then encouraged to save it to their desktop (including their name) before they begin the task.
Learning intention:
To understand the genetic screening process.
Success criteria:
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of the terms genotype, phenotype, gene, allele, homozygous and heterozygous.
- Explain how the differences in DNA sequence within a gene results in different traits.
- Identify the role of gel electrophoresis in organising and predicting DNA fragment size.
- Calculate using a probability table, the genotypes and phenotypes of different genetic crosses.
- Express phenotype ratio as a percentage and as a fraction.
This task is designed to focus on Fitness Components and Training content in VCE PE Unit 3. The resource will guide you through a short exercise circuit with exercise instructions from Collingwood Magpies netball captain Madison Browne. Madison has used her knowledge of the human anatomy, fitness components and training to ensure she is able to prepare herself for the sport of Netball.
