Developing a new design for earphones and headphones In this activity, students will develop a new design for earphones and headphones using reverse engineering. The activity will also teach the importance of fitness for purpose when designing new products. It is essential that products used in our everyday lives are fit for purpose. In order to design a product which will be useful to the customer it is important to understand how different products function and why different materials and components are suitable for different applications. This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3, supporting the teaching in design and technology (DT). It can be used as a starter activity to be followed by our Materials for design lesson. Activity: Developing a new design for earphones and headphones Students will answer a series of questions provided in our worksheet and focus on identifying the target audience for each of these designs, evaluating technology and style, and exploring the balance between form and function. They will also take part in a discussion that relates the design changes to societal and technological advancements and then use what they’ve learned to produce a design of their own, focusing on areas where they’d develop existing technology. The engineering context Engineers might reverse engineer a competitor’s product to understand its strengths, weaknesses, and how it compares to their own offerings. This can help them improve their own designs or develop innovative new features. Sometimes engineers will have to do this using just photographic or video evidence. For example, Ferrari and Mercedes F1 engineers might want to learn how a rival racing team like Red Bull have built their car but they will not be able to closely examine the car itself. They will have to rely on visual evidence for their reverse engineering analysis. It’s important to remember that there are ethical implications related to copying and intellectual property, and therefore reverse engineering should only be used for inspiration and to improve your existing understanding of a particular piece of technology. Suggested learning outcomes At the end of this lesson students will understand the construction and function of an engineered product or system for the purposes of reverse engineering. Download our activity sheet and related teaching resources The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. All documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation

In this solar panel STEM project, students will investigate the photovoltaic effect by manufacturing a simple circuit and integrating it into a product, in this case a version of the popular jitterbug project. The jitterbug is a device that moves due to vibrations caused by an off-centred mass on a motor’s driveshaft, can be powered by sunlight when connected to a photovoltaic (PV) cell. Learners will gain insight into the works of sustainable technology by learning about photovoltaic cells (these solar-powered cells are a primary component in renewable energy solutions). This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the class teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3. It is part of the ‘Let there be light’ scheme of work, which involves investigating how photovoltaic cells are used and then using this technology to make a series of electronic circuits of increasing complexity. This could form the basis of a Design and Make Assignment (DMA) project in design and technology (DT), with cross-curricular links with Science. The engineering context Understanding how to build a simple circuit is one of the fundamental skills in engineering. It provides the basis for understanding electricity and electronics, which are integral to many areas of engineering - from electrical and electronic engineering to computer engineering and even mechanical and civil engineering. Furthermore, photovoltaic cells, or solar cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. This technology plays a key role in renewable energy solutions, which are becoming increasingly important due to the global push towards sustainable living. Understanding how photovoltaic cells work gives students insights into this technology, preparing them for future innovations in the field. Suggested learning outcomes Upon completion of this lesson, students should have a comprehensive understanding of how photovoltaic cells work and how they can be integrated into a circuit. They will gain hands-on experience in manufacturing a simple circuit and integrating it into a product. This activity not only deepens their understanding of the photovoltaic effect but also exposes them to the practical side of electronics and product design. Download our activity sheet and related teaching resources The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download (including the video), and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your class’s and your schools’ needs. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this activity, students will design a fun infrared ‘tag’ game. It ideally needs to be preceded by our input, process and output activity as students must draw on their earlier work for designing the game. It’s one of a set of resources developed to aid the teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3, supporting the teaching in engineering and design & technology (D&T). Activity: Designing an infrared ‘tag’ game Students will design a new version of the classic tag game using their electronics knowledge to create a fun interactive experience. Learners will review our design brief to design a novelty “tag” game using emitter and detector circuits (which have been tested previously in input, process and output) to indicate when a player is “tagged”. The game needs to be easy to use and playable both indoors and outdoors. As a class, students will review the key requirements of the brief and discuss these in pairs. They will then draw their design ideas with annotations. From their ideas, they’ll select one design for modelling using 3D CAD software. Finally, they should present their idea to the class for feedback on how it can be improved. Download our activity overview for a detailed lesson plan on designing a fun infrared tag game. The engineering context Infrared technology has been used in the design of all sorts of fun devices, from TV remote controls to Wii remotes, mobile devices, and laser tag games. By understanding how this technology works, learners can start their journey to potential careers in computer games engineering. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this lesson, students will be able to analyse a design brief. They’ll also be able to explain how research findings affect design ides as well as be able to generate ideas for a product. Finally, they’ll be able to produce a 3D CAD model of a design idea. Download our activity sheet and related teaching resources The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. Download our classroom lesson plan and presentation and please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Designing and making a zip line for a toy This is a project to build a model of a zip Line. It could be carried out in pairs but will work for individuals. It requires some space to complete successfully but can be executed both indoors and outdoors. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about the effect of gravity on a body falling in a controlled manner, friction or the practical application of trigonometry. Resources required: String or thin rope, 10m should be enough A ‘passenger’ for the zip line Paper clips or stiff wire Sticky tape A stopwatch or a stopwatch App on a phone A ruler or tape measure A protractor Some paper and a pen to take notes Download the activity sheets for free! And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Alert homeowners to the risk of flooding with your prototype In this free resource, learners will identify the design problems presented by flooding. They will then develop a working flood warning system using the BBC micro:bit. By engaging in this activity, students will gain valuable knowledge about computing and design principles while having fun at the same time. This could be used as a main lesson activity. It is an ideal exercise for learners to improve their understanding of basic electronics, develop programming skills, make use of programmable components, and embed intelligence into a product design. **Tools/resources required ** Projector/Whiteboard BBC micro:bit system and online programming software Internet (to access programming software) PCB development software Moisture sensors and LEDs Crocodile clips or other wiring options (to attach input and output devices) PCB or strip board to create homemade moisture sensors and/or potential divider circuits PCB production facilities (etch tank or CAM router) What is the BBC micro:bit? The BBC micro:bit is a great way to get kids interested in computing. It is a small, programmable computer that can be used to create a wide variety of activities and projects. It is a powerful teaching and learning tool that helps learners develop their own systems and learn the basics of coding. It is an ideal tool for introducing children to programming concepts in a fun and engaging way. The engineering context This is an ideal topic for teaching about programmable components and embedded intelligence in products. These are key parts of the 2014 programme of study for Design and Technology at KS3. It is also an ideal vehicle for using the BBC micro:bit in the classroom and developing the programming skills of learners. Suggested Learning Outcomes By the end of this activity students will understand a block systems diagram of the flood warning system and they will understand the use of a moisture sensor as an input sensor. They will also be able to design a moisture sensor and/or potential divider circuit. Lastly, they will be able to successfully program the BBC micro:bit so that the system meets the design criteria. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Learning to programme using BASIC language commands This activity is designed to build on understanding of programming commands and what they are used to do in a program. It requires students to show a detailed knowledge of each command and what it is used to do. It also requires them to apply programming commands in a real context. Students will engage with the BASIC language commands, understanding their purpose and how they function. They will write their own program to control an LED light, seeing first hand how their code translates into action. BASIC is a simple programming language that can be used to program electronic systems. It consists of a set of commands that can be used to perform particular functions. This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the class teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3. It has been designed to support the delivery of key topics within engineering and design and technology (DT). Activity: Learning to programme using BASIC language commands This activity involves understanding and applying BASIC programming commands. Starting with a discussion about the language and its common commands, students will then predict the functions of commands like ‘high’, ‘low’, ‘goto’, ‘wait’/‘pause’, ‘if’, ‘else’, and ‘stop’. They will put their understanding into practice by writing a program to control an LED light. Reflection on their experience and a question-answer session will round off the activity, consolidating their learning and addressing any queries. The engineering context Programming plays a crucial role in engineering, especially with the rise of programmable systems, such as smart devices and autonomous vehicles. By learning to program in BASIC and applying it in a real context, students get a sense of how engineers use programming to create solutions and control systems. Suggested learning outcomes Through this beginner activity, students will gain an understanding that programs can be written using programming code. They will learn the purpose and function of a range of BASIC programming commands, and they will also get a chance to write a program using these commands to meet a given design brief. The activity aims to provide students with a solid foundation in programming, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to further explore this vital field. Download our activity sheets for free! The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download (including the video), and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your class’s and your schools’ needs. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Learn about the robots used to perform remote surgery and the important role of electromagnetism Telemedicine is a new and fast-developing field in healthcare. Even 20 years ago the idea of a surgeon being able to operate a robot from hundreds of miles away in order to perform an operation seemed like science fiction. Today, this is not only possible but engineers, working with scientists and doctors, are now designing robotic systems which will be able to operate on patients with no human intervention at all. This activity is a quick, engaging introduction to a lesson using telemedicine and robotics as a context to explore electromagnetism and the link between technology and real-life science. Download the activity sheets for free! And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Card game to consolidate understanding of electronic systems The role of smart sensors in our everyday lives is becoming increasingly fundamental. The Smart Sensor Communications topic focuses on what smart sensors are, how they are being used today and how they can be innovative in the future. Students are introduced to some recent developments in using smart sensors in control systems. Many of these uses are in health care and other high-tech applications. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity students learn the differences between smart sensors and ordinary sensors by studying some applications of smart sensors. They may also use a card game to consolidate their understanding of electronic systems. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. You can stream and download the related films by clicking on the appropriate link in the related resources section. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day A set of printable resources and guidance notes giving teachers and technicians the basic ingredients to run their very own IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day. This cross-curricular activity day brings science, design and technology, engineering and maths (STEM) together in an engaging way. The context of the challenge Ease of communication is part of our life, we pick up the phone, turn on the radio, TV or internet to get news and information. Wifi networks work by radio signals. Your phone, TV and radio signals are transmitted by masts we hardly notice. But when all of these are knocked out by natural events how do we communicate? Students are the engineer rescue team based in the town of Alpha which has been relatively unaffected by the extreme weather. As the engineer rescue team in town Alpha, students will design and build a prototype device that will need to send coded messages to town Beta, and create a code to send a message from Alpha across the mountains for decoding in Beta. There is little time to lose, with a (simulated) helicopter arriving in a matter of hours to transport half of the rescue team to town Beta to set up the system for testing. Designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 12 – 13 years (year 8, and equivalent), the challenge encourages the development of students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills. This activity day can be tailored to the needs of your school and your students by adapting the PowerPoint presentation and the editable student booklet. What’s included? The complete set of downloadable materials includes: Teachers pack A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day… plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates. Student booklet Available as an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school. Introductory PowerPoint presentation A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation, including links to the related film clips. **Remember, it’s all free! ** All online resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and the student booklet and PowerPoint presentation are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. If you are running one of our IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day please do share your experience with us via our feedback form and case study template here. If you are unfamiliar with how to run a IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day have a look at our 6 start-up videos here where we take you through the days, how they should run and what they entail. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Work as a team to program the robot buggy so that it can navigate a maze path This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in Design and Technology lessons. Programmable robotic systems are becoming an important part of industrial developments in Design and Technology. Robots are now being developed that can sense changes in their surroundings and respond accordingly. In this unit of learning, learners will use the BBC micro:bit to develop a robotic buggy that can successfully navigate a maze or path. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will work as a team to program the robot buggy so that it can navigate a maze path. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of remote or robotic surgery Telemedicine is a new and fast developing field in healthcare. Even 20 years ago the idea of a surgeon being able to operate a robot from hundreds of miles away in order to perform an operation seemed like science fiction. Today, this is not only possible but engineers, working with scientists and doctors, are now designing robotic systems which will be able to operate on patients with no human intervention at all. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will explore the impact of modern technology on science, using telemedicine and robotics as a context. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Investigate some potential modifications to your solar powered night-light circuit The ‘Let there be light’ scheme of work involves investigating how photovoltaic cells are used and then using this technology to make a series of electronic circuits of increasing complexity. This could form the basis of a Design and Make Assignment (DMA) project in Design and Technology (D&T), with cross-curricular links with Science. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links An engaging activity in which students will investigate some potential modifications to the circuits they have designed and made in the ‘Let there be light 2’ activity. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the free activity sheet below! All activity sheets and supporting resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

How could programmable systems be used to allow people to monitor their own health? This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in design and technology lessons. There are many reasons to monitor heart rate. For example: There are 2.7 million people in the UK currently suffering from heart problems. The quicker these problems can be found and treated the better the chance of a full recovery. Athletes measure their heart rate during training to ensure that they are training in their optimum physical range. In this unit, learners will use the BBC micro:bit to develop a prototype for a personal heart monitoring system. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will discuss the social effects of good and bad personal health management and the potential benefits that programmable systems can bring to this. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Learn about train design and improve engineering skills with this fun STEM activity! In this activity students will design a model high-speed vacuum tube train. Students will have to decide on how to get a ball to travel through a tube as quickly as possible without the help of gravity. They will then look at the forces that would act on a real vacuum tube train. Students should be supplied with a variety of marbles and ball bearings in various sizes. They should be allowed to choose which sizes they want (this will depend on the method they choose). Options may include using a magnet to pull the ball, using force from a metal rod or air from a pump to push it. Learners can’t rely on gravity – the tubing needs to be placed on a level desk or floor. Groups are asked to record the speed and then modify their design to make it faster. They will need to use stop clocks to measure time and then calculate speed. If you have data-loggers to measure speed these can be used instead. Students should understand the need for repeating their measurements and they should record them in a table. Groups can modify the ball if they wish. They might want to make it more aerodynamic by using paper or by using a lubricant. As an optional extension, students could modify their design so it has a safe stopping mechanism. Alternatively, students could write an explanation as to why air resistance is not a problem in a vacuum tube train and why this is an advantage. How long will this activity take? This activity will take approximately 50 minutes to complete. What is a vacuum tube train? A vacuum tube train, also known as a vactrain, is a proposed design for train transportation. The train would use maglev technology to run in partly evacuated tubes or tunnels. Reduced air resistance could allow vacuum tube trains to travel at very high speeds – up to 4,000 mph! Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to design a model vacuum tube train and they will be able to use a force diagram to show the forces interacting on a real vacuum tube train. Download the activity sheet for free! All activity sheets, worksheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Use the BBC micro:bit programmable system to create a working prototype of a automatic lighting system This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in Design and Technology lessons. People are always looking for ways to save energy. It is estimated that the average UK homeowner could save up to £240 a year alone on the cost of lighting their home. In this unit of learning, learners will use the BBC micro:bit to develop a prototype for an LED based automatic home lighting system, designed to save energy. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will develop their programmable lighting system using the BBC micro:bit. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this activity students will learn about importance of and use Ohm’s law to calculate the value of a protective resistor for an LED. Using a BBC micro:bit, they will develop a prototype for an LED based automatic home lighting system, designed to save energy. This prototype aims to promote energy efficiency, a concern that resonates with our daily life as it’s estimated that the average UK homeowner could save up to £240 a year alone on the cost of lighting their home. This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3. This is part of our series of resources designed to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in secondary school design & technology (DT), computing and engineering lessons. It can also be used to support physics sciences lessons. Activity: Developing a prototype for an LED based automatic home lighting system In this sustainable lighting activity, students will be tasked with creating a smart lighting system that adjusts based on environmental conditions. The engineering context Engineers are often required to program devices to perform specific tasks, optimise system performance, or even create entirely new technologies. This involves understanding how to embed intelligence into products, which can range from simple household items like automatic lighting systems to more complex systems like autonomous vehicles or smart city infrastructure. By learning programming skills and understanding how to integrate them into engineering projects, students will gain an insight into how different components can work together in a system. Furthermore, resistors are essential components in electronic circuits, controlling the flow of electricity and protecting components from damage by limiting the current. Understanding Ohm’s law and resistor calculation will lay the groundwork for many aspects of electronics and electrical engineering. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students should be able to understand and apply Ohm’s Law, particularly in calculating the value of a protective resistor for an LED. The skills they acquire will extend beyond the classroom, equipping them with practical knowledge that can be applied in real-world situations. This activity will also set a solid foundation for more complex electronic theory lessons or when delving deeper into the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. Download our activity sheets for free! The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation

Students compete to make the strongest electromagnetic tool holder for a surgeons robotic arm. A practical activity where students work in teams to build their own electromagnet and use this to make an ‘arm’ with an electromagnetic gripper at one end. They are given some basic parts to start and a budget - a sum of ‘money’ or tokens with which to buy the other parts. Once their arm and gripper are complete they have 30 seconds to move as many paper clips from one pile to another as possible. The team moving the most paper clips in the allotted time is the winner. This activity makes students consider the factors involved in electromagnet strength and design. Download the activity sheets for free! And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Identify which components can be used as electronic sensors The role of smart sensors in our everyday lives is becoming increasingly fundamental. The Smart Sensor Communications topic focuses on what smart sensors are, how they are being used today and how they can be innovative in the future. In this activity, the focus is on how sensors can be used to detect changes in the environment and can be used as part of a monitoring or control system. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links An engaging starter activity introducing students to the devices that can be used as part of an electrical system to monitor changes, and showing them that the characteristics of a device can vary according to changes in the environment. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Download the free activity sheet! All activity sheets and supporting resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

What makes one set of headphones better than another? This is a fun STEM activity designed for secondary school students that will allow them to understand ergonomics and aesthetics in an authentic context and apply their findings in a creative and challenging way. These starter activities have been inspired by the ‘Sound Design’ film and focuses upon the development of earphones and headphones. Students are provided with the opportunity to analyse earphones currently on the market in a structured, detailed, and creative way. They are then encouraged to investigate the potential development of this product. Download our free activity sheet for a range of starter activities. These activities are designed to be as flexible as you need them to be – they could form the basis of the lesson or be used as starters for a series of lessons. As an extension to this activity students could complete the main activity in this series titled ‘Acoustic Engineering 2’. Tools/resources required Sound design film (below) Projector/whiteboard A range of earphones and headphones (these could be provided by the students or collected by the department over time) Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand how to analyse a product. They will also be able to identify areas for development when analysing a product and to be able to present their design considerations when deciding which areas and features to develop. All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

This fun STEM resource focuses on making shadow puppets while nurturing an understanding of the relationship between light and shadow. We’ve created this shadow puppet experiment to support the teaching of key topics within design and technology (D&T) and science as part of the primary national curriculum at key stage 2 (KS2). This resource focuses on making shadow puppets and developing supporting knowledge about the relationship between light and shadow. This could be used as a one-off activity in D&T or science or linked with the IET primary activity ‘How does the light from a torch change with distance?’, which involves measuring how the distribution of light varies with distance from the light source. It could also be used in conjunction with learning in literacy – for example, creating puppets to perform a story being studied. Activity: Making shadow puppets Learners will make a shadow puppet using card, craft sticks and sticky tape. This not only makes learning about shadow puppets fun but also fosters creativity and storytelling skills among learners at the KS2 level. Tools/supplies needed: Card (photocopies of handouts, if used) Masking tape Craft sticks Tracing paper (for screen) Large boxes (for extension activity) Scissors Torches The Engineering Context Engineers often have to consider how light behaves when designing products for practical applications. For instance, the positioning of windows and artificial lighting in buildings, or the power and placement of lights and mirrors in vehicles, are all influenced by an understanding of light and shadow. This activity will give learners an insight into these considerations. Suggested learning outcomes Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation. Visible light is the range of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen with a human eye. Light’s brightness, or intensity, is typically measured as the power per unit area. Any object that blocks the path of light causes a shadow. This activity therefore offers a blend of scientific learning, practical skills, and creative expression, making it a comprehensive educational experience. Specifically, children will learn that blocking the path of light causes a shadow, and they’ll be able to use scissors to make a graphic product. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.