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Design, engineering and technology
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Create Chinese calligraphy
Learning how to write using traditional Chinese handwriting.
In this activity learners will use the theme of the Chinese and Lunar New Year to learn about and make use of Chinese calligraphy. They will learn about different types of ‘script’, what is meant by a Xuan, and how to write numbers using Chinese Regular script.
There are five major script types used today in China: seal script, clerical script, cursive script, running script and standard script. Regular script means the proper script type of Chinese writing and is used by all Chinese for government documents and printed books.
Download the activity sheets for free!
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download and are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
Tools/resources required
Pencils
Paintbrush
Paint
Pot of water to clean brush
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Solar powered engine
Making a model of an electric aircraft engine and calculating how long this could power an aircraft using solar energy.
Under the future of flight theme, learners will make a model of an electric aircraft engine that uses solar-powered rechargeable batteries and a motor. They will then test their circuit to see if it works and calculate how long it can run for before it needs to be recharged.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about assembling models of circuits and the use of renewable energy. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning to support focussed practical skills or about engineering career opportunities within the aviation sector.
You will need
Solar AA battery charger
2 x rechargeable AA batteries
AA batteries connector/holder
Red and black crocodile clips
Slide or toggle switch
Electric solar motor
Atlas (for extension activity determining potential journey destinations)
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Fortune cookie
Learn about cutting and folding simple 3D structures by making a fortune cookie from card.
In this activity learners will learn about cutting and folding simple 3D structures within a graphics project. Learners will use a provided template to cut out the circle for the fortune cookie.
The fortune cookie first appeared in 1890 in San Francisco, USA. They have a typical shape and contain a message on paper. It became a Chinese New Year tradition even though fortune cookies only reached China in 1989.
Download the activity sheets for free!
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download and are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
Tools/resources required
Thin, coloured Card
Scissors
Glue sticks
Paper fasteners
Decoration materials
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 do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Wearable cockpit
Use modern technologies to enhance flight.
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to design a wearable cockpit that makes use of new and modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), which have the potential to completely change how pilots interact with and control their aircraft.
Produce a specification for their design requirements and a mind map of ideas. They will then produce sketches of their initial ideas before producing a completed final design.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Cabin mood lighting
Use colour-changing LEDs for a mood lighting circuit that can help passengers to relax whilst inside an aircraft cabin.
This activity could be used as a main lesson to teach about soldering, assembling circuits and the function of components or to support learning about colour and how it changes our response to products.
You will need:
Soldering iron, stand and mat/base
Solder
Mood light circuit board
5 V power supply e.g. a USB cable
Slide switch
5 mm colour changing LED
Protective resistor for the LED
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Stop it: Design a system to slow a spaceship descent
Develop a parachute-type system to slow a landing spacecraft.
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to develop a parachute type system that will help a spacecraft to land and stop safely. They will be able to make design decisions contributing to the performance of their solution. They will then test their prototype to see how well it works.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Hydrogen power
How to make hydrogen from water.
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to investigate one of the potential energy sources of the future. They will discuss the problems associated with the use of oil-based fuels and how the use of hydrogen fuels could solve them. They will then produce hydrogen from water and investigate ways to make it work better.
This activity could be used as a main lesson to teach about power supplies and renewable energy within a transport context. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning to teach about sustainability and environmental issues.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Drop it!
Design a system to drop emergency aid pallets from an aircraft.
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to design a method or system of getting emergency aid from an aircraft to the ground safely.
They will analyse existing methods of achieving this. Then use that information to create sketches of their initial ideas, before producing a developed and completed final design.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
History of flight
Make a hanging-mobile timeline of the history of flight.
In this engaging activity, learners will produce a timeline for the history of crewed flight. Rather than the conventional linear timeline, this version is presented as a hanging mobile.
They will carry out research to identify the important technological advances and dates, then use this to create the images hung on the mobile.
This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity to develop understanding that products and technologies change over time, or to build knowledge and understanding of flight.
You will need:
Access to internet or other appropriate research facilities
Card
Pencil & pens
Scissors
Sticky tape
Cotton or string
Coat hanger
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Hero engine
**This activity introduces the concept of force and motion and energy transfer through the making of a rotary water-powered ‘hero’ engine. **
This resource focusses on a water-powered ‘hero’ rotary engine, which converts water pressure to rotary motion. Devices of this type, called aeolipiles, were described by the mathematician Hero of Alexandria around 2100 years ago. These operated on the same principle but used water that was heated to make steam, rather than just water pressure.
You will need:
Empty plastic one litre bottles
String or thread
Sticky tack
Drinking straws
Felt tipped pens
Scissors
Rulers
Sharp point, such as a bradawl, large needle or metal skewer
Stopwatch (for extension activity).
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 do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Personal transport system
Design a personal transport system for the future.
Engineers are always looking to improve existing transport systems to make them better, more efficient, and widely available to everyone. As new propulsion methods are made smaller, and materials get lighter and stronger, personal transportation systems will be developed.
In this activity, learners will design a futuristic personal transport system. The transport will use a chosen method of propulsion to allow it to fly, carrying an individual or a group of people. Learners will communicate design ideas using sketches, notes, and annotations.
You will need:
Projector/whiteboard
Sketching equipment
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Luggage of the future
Designing a new way of carrying things.
This resource focusses on designing a new item of luggage that travellers can use to store and carry their belongings. Learners will create a list of design criteria for the luggage, apply mathematical knowledge in measuring the objects that need to be carried, then design the luggage itself.
What you will need
Pencils
Rulers
Tape measures (if available)
A3 and A4 paper as required
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Aircraft chic
Create a presentation suggesting how a company could re-use aircraft or parts of aircraft.
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to create a presentation for the board of the company suggesting how they could re-use aircraft, or parts of aircraft, being retired from their fleet. They will research the different parts of an aircraft and existing products that make use of their old parts. They will use this information to create ideas for their own products.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
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Keep the path clear
Looking at ways to keep birds away from airport runways.
Bird strikes can be extremely dangerous and cause a lot of damage to aircrafts. In this activity learners will come up with ideas to prevent bird strikes. Learners will develop their analytical and researching skills, and then be able to apply these to the given design situation.
You will need:
Pens
Pencils
Rulers
Projector/interactive whiteboard or computers for watching the video
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Pop-up airport
Providing disaster support for a famine hit country.
In this activity learners will design a pop-up airport to allow the delivery of food supplies to people in famine affected, remote areas. They will consider the requirements of the airport and how it can be made quickly using readily available resources. They will then produce a sketch of their idea ready for implementation.
You will need:
Access to word processing or desktop publishing software (if using ICT)
Paper
Card
Pencil and pens
Ruler
Tape and/or glue
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Which materials for an aircraft?
Measuring the density of materials to choose which to use in an aircraft.
In this activity learners will discover the density of materials through testing. Learners will have an opportunity to weigh and work out the volume of an object. They will use this information and their number skills to calculate the density. They will then repeat this for other objects and discuss their results as a class.
You will need:
Range of different materials to test
Bowls and trays
Science beakers/Measuring jugs
Weighing scales
Water
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Heat shield
Evaluating materials for a heat shield to prevent a piece of chocolate from melting
The Solar Orbiter has to get very close to the Sun’s surface to observe how it works. It needs a heat shield, so its systems do not get too hot and melt.
This fun activity make use of the theme of the future of flight to design, make and test a heat shield to prevent a piece of chocolate from melting. Test different materials to see which protects the chocolate the best and discuss their results.
You will need:
Polystyrene cups
Scissors
Materials for heat shields (e.g. milk bottle plastic, cardboard, metal foil, metal mesh)
Chocolate pieces
Hairdryer
Stopwatch or timer
Additional equipment that could be used:
Thermometer
Ruler
Heat mats to place polystyrene cups on
Oven gloves/cloths/tongs
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Paper chain fun
Consider colour sequences and measurements while making paper chains for Christmas
Paper chains are super easy to make and a great way to decorate a room or Christmas Tree. In this Christmas STEM activity, students are going to try to make the longest chain possible with three pieces of paper. Students will consider the different sequences that are all around them, whilst thinking about colour patterns and number sequences.
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 do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Make Rudolph shaped cookies in class
In this fun Christmas STEM baking activity, students will make Rudolph cookies, with his famous red nose. Combing maths and science, this activity will teach students precision measuring, different imperial measurements, chemical changes and more.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM
![IETEducation](https://d2w4qhtqw2dbsq.cloudfront.net/profile_live/3108890/small.jpg)
Air traffic control communications
In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to learn about the importance of clear communication for air traffic controllers.
They will work together in groups to follow instructions to make a range of shapes using different cards.
You will need:
Scissors (to cut out shape cards).
Shape cards.
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.
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation