How to use this resource

Finding your way around

There are four kinds of page, and they are all connected to each other:

Experiments — the practical steps, in order. Start at the introduction and work forwards with the "Next step" button.
Background Biology — why each step works. Each experiment has its own set of background pages.
Equipment — what each piece of apparatus is called and what it looks like.
Vocabulary — signed definitions of the science words used in the experiments.

Every page that has a video also has the same information written in English, so the resource can be used with or without the signed clips. Videos are silent — they are signed in British Sign Language — so they can be played without disturbing a class.

On experiment and background pages you will also find quick links to the equipment, vocabulary and background biology for that experiment, plus a numbered list you can use to jump straight to a step.

Watching the videos

Videos play in the page with the standard browser controls. They are sized to fit the screen you are using, from a phone to a projector, and one size is used everywhere so that the same page works on every device.

If a video does not start, check that your browser allows embedded video, then try the download link underneath the player.

Privacy and cookies

This site sets no cookies unless you agree to analytics. There is no advertising, no social media tracking, no profiling and nothing sold to anyone.

Analytics — optional

With your permission we use Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID G-L98S5B52BG) to see which pages, steps and videos are actually used, so the resource can be improved. It is loaded only after you press “Accept analytics”. If you decline, or simply ignore the banner, no analytics script is downloaded, no cookie is set and no request is sent to Google.

If you do accept, Google Analytics:

sets two first-party cookies — _ga and _ga_L98S5B52BG — which expire after up to two years and are used to tell returning visitors apart;
records which pages you view, approximately where in the world you are, and the kind of device and browser you are using;
does not receive your IP address: Google Analytics 4 discards it before anything is stored;
is not combined with any other information about you, and we do not enable Google’s advertising, remarketing or “Google signals” features.

Google acts as our data processor and may transfer data outside the UK and EEA under its own safeguards. See Google’s privacy policy and how Google uses information from sites that use its services.

Changing or withdrawing your choice

You can change your mind at any time using the button in the footer of every page. Withdrawing consent takes effect immediately: the analytics cookies _ga and _ga_L98S5B52BG are deleted and the tag is switched off. You can also delete or block cookies in your browser settings, which does not affect the rest of the site.

What we do not do

There are no advertising networks, no embedded social media widgets and no other third-party trackers on this site. The only external requests are the analytics above (and only with your consent) and the sponsor logos in the footer.

Questions

Privacy questions can be sent to support@signbsl.com.

Browsers and devices

The original resource was designed for a fixed desktop screen and tested against the browsers of its day. It has been rebuilt using standard HTML, CSS and video, so it works in any current browser — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari — on desktop, tablet or phone.

Video is served as MP4 (H.264), which every modern browser can play. No plug-ins, special software or CD-ROM is needed.

Sound and vision

All experimental work should be carried out with the appropriate laboratory supervision and safety equipment. The written notes that accompany these experiments were supplied by the Life Science Education section of Bio-Rad.

Questions about the original project can be sent to support@signbsl.com.