Catalyst 1, green and red student books
Carol Chapman and Moira Sheehan
Oxford: Heinemann 2003 | Pp151 each | £10.25 each | ISBN0 435 76011 4; 0 435 76010 6
Reviewed by Lesley Stanbury

These two student books for the first year of this differentiated Key Stage 3 science course (green for National Curriculum levels 2-5 and red for levels 4-6) are written in parallel so 'they can be used in mixed-ability classes'. From one year to the next, how are you to know the numbers for the red and green books? Two books for one class may be a sensible idea but to put it into practice is trickier.

The chapters follow the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) scheme of work and consist of double-page spreads with a mixture of colour pictures and photographs. The work presented to the class on 'using fuels wisely' on page 98 in both texts is amazingly similar in content, with the presentation in the green book recognising the pupils' needs for more space on the page. There are questions in the text and at the end of every double-page spread, but there is no mention of laboratory work in either book. The texts are supported by a teacher resource CD-ROM, which is sold separately.

A large amount of planning has gone into these publications to provide useful detail for busy heads of departments. The Catalyst scheme is certainly worth considering to support a science department's teaching across all three disciplines at Key Stage 3.