Throughout this engaging activity designed for GCSE students, learners will face intriguing challenges that revolve around wind turbines, where their problem-solving skills will be tested using equations and systematic listing techniques. By applying mathematical principles and systematic approaches, learners will uncover the secrets behind these sustainable energy marvels and gain a deeper appreciation for their significance in today’s world. It is recommended to utilise a table format for displaying the values learners substitute into the equation, along with the corresponding outcomes, indicating whether they are too large or too small. Problem Solving Students will likely employ trial and improvement or a graphical method to tackle the first question. Some may also opt to utilise a spreadsheet for their calculations. To ensure the accuracy of their solutions up to two decimal places, they are encouraged to consider using a number line, which can aid in the verification process. As for the final problem, students will need to adopt a systematic listing approach or explore other methodologies to ensure that every possible combination of gears has been thoroughly explored and tested. This activity aims to empower students to approach challenges creatively and thoughtfully by providing various problem-solving techniques and strategies. This process will sharpen their mathematical abilities and cultivate critical thinking skills, enabling them to tackle complex problems with confidence and precision. Discussion points Promote active discussion among the students regarding the diverse approaches they have employed and how they can ensure the accuracy of their answers up to two decimal places. If students have not chosen the graphical approach to solve the problem, consider demonstrating it to the class. Encourage a comparative analysis of the various methods used to address the subsequent problems and enquire about the students’ strategies to ensure they have explored all potential combinations of gears. Potential GCSE content This activity will cover using trial and improvement to solve an equation, calculations with fractions, ratios and systematic listing. Download the free activity sheet! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable so that you can tailor them to your students and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, helpful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Find out about the carbon cycle and what Land Rover BAR are doing to be as sustainable as possible This STEM activity looks at the meaning of sustainability and how the team at Land Rover BAR use material technology, design and engineering to ensure that every aspect of the team’s operation is fit for use, designed for purpose and is as sustainable as possible. Activity sheets are used to support and ensure students’ understanding of sustainability and the importance of design and technology when achieving sustainability goals within sport. This chemistry exercise covers the meaning of the term sustainability and what this means in terms of the carbon cycle. Watch our film below and hear how sustainability experts at Land Rover BAR work to make every aspect of the team’s operations sustainable. After you have watched our film, complete our worksheets to find out about the carbon cycle and what Land Rover BAR are doing to be as sustainable as possible! The engineering context Sustainable engineering is the process of designing systems in such a way that they use energy and resources sustainably. Sustainable engineers make a huge impact on society. The carbon cycle refers to the process where carbon dioxide travels from the atmosphere into the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. Most carbon is stored in rocks and sediments, while the rest can be found in the ocean, atmosphere and living organisms. Land Rover BAR Land Rover BAR is the British Challenger for the 35th America’s Cup – the oldest international sporting competition in the world. There are only six crew on the race boat, but dozens of experts are back at the team base working hard to help Land Rover BAR design the most technically advanced and innovative racing catamaran to win the America’s Cup. The Land Rover BAR team also aims to be as sustainable as possible. They monitor how they create carbon emissions that add to global warming and find ways to reduce these emissions. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Calculate the distance from a village to a potential well position In a large semi-desert area, three small villages are to share a new well. Engineers will create the well by drilling down to the water table. But where should the well be placed? Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links An engaging activity in which students will determine the best location for a well between 3 villages. 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 are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The related GeoGebra file for this activity can be view on the geoGebra website And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this fun GCSE maths activity, students will delve into the exciting world of bicycle speedometers and put their accuracy to the test. By conducting this experiment, learners will better understand how speedometers work and sharpen their mathematical and analytical skills. Download the presentation below and allow the students to read the problem and contemplate how to model the situation mathematically. Some students may need assistance comprehending terms such as “front fork.” Encourage them to ponder the meaning of “ms-1,” such as the number of meters the wheel covers in one second. Furthermore, ask them to consider how they can determine the distance the wheel covers in a single rotation, two, or even 100 rotations. Problem Solving To solve this problem, the students will need to engage in logical thinking to determine the necessary information. One possible approach is to work backwards from the information required to answer the question (as shown below). We need the distance travelled (m) and the time taken (s) to calculate the speed. Given that the time is 1 minute, equal to 60 seconds, the question becomes: How can we find the distance? The wheel covers 0.5π meters per rotation, so for n rotations, the distance will be 0.5π x n. Consequently, the speed in ms-1 can be expressed as (0.5π x n)/60. The students can determine the percentage errors using this information and the speedometer readings. These errors vary slightly for each reading. Discussion points Examine how the students approached the problem, specifically analysing their thought processes. How did they determine the necessary information and identify ways to obtain it? You can review concepts such as calculating the circumference of a circle, working with percentages, rounding numbers, and ensuring precision. Potential GCSE content This activity will cover calculating the circumference of a circle from a radius, using compound measures (speed) and converting from minutes to seconds. Download the activity sheets below! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable so that you can tailor them to your students and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, helpful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Primary classroom poster exploring the process involved in iterative design. To order your completely free posted pack, please visit the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster summarising the FIRST LEGO League Discovery programme. Download this single poster or order a full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster enabling your students to discover more about light and how it travels. Download the single poster here or order the full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster giving a closer look at exploded views and how you can draw them for yourself. Download the single poster or order a full set of posters for free form the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster looking at how radio waves help us connect to our friends and families. Download the single poster here or order the full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster summarising the FIRST LEGO League Explore programme. Download the single poster or order a full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Primary classroom poster explaining what forces are and how they act. Download this single poster or order a full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Understanding levers and forces This STEM activity aims to develop children’s understanding of levers, specifically the seesaw class lever, one of the simplest forms of machine used to change the magnitude or direction of a force. Making a small seesaw model is a fun-filled way to introduce children to the concepts of levers and forces. By making simple levers, learners will grasp how the effort applied to a lever affects the load. This hands-on project not only sparks their curiosity but also encourages active learning. We’ve created this seesaw scale activity to support the teaching of key topics within design and technology (D&T), maths, and science as part of the primary national curriculum at key stage 2 (KS2). You can use it as a one-off activity or link it with a measurement activity in food technology. Activity: Making the lever Learners will make a simple lever assembly from a binder clip, ruler, two paper cups and sticky tape. Children will also be asked to use a lever to work out the force required to move a load. Learners will compare results and explain their findings. Depending on available resources, this activity could be carried out individually or in small teams. Tools/supplies needed: Rulers Large binder clips Paper cups Sticky tape Weights such as steel nuts, small weights from science or marbles The engineering context Engineers use their understanding of how the effort applied to a lever affects the load in designing a wide range of products. From weighing scales to control pedals in cars, nutcrackers, wheelbarrows, bottle openers, and scissors, levers find their application across various industries. By understanding the seesaw lever class, learners will gain a fundamental insight into the principles that govern these everyday objects. Suggested learning outcomes Through this activity, learners will gain the ability to identify the parts of a lever and understand how the effort applied to a lever affects the load. They’ll also understand the principle of balance in a seesaw lever and how distance from the fulcrum impacts the effort needed to move a load. This will equip them with the foundational knowledge about levers, a key component in KS2 science, and provide a practical context for understanding mathematical concepts like multiplication and equality. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so that 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

Using our KS2 lesson plan and template, learners will design and make their own prayer mat for Ramadan using string, wool and colouring pencils while nurturing an understanding of the religious festival of Ramadan In 2024 Ramadan starts on Sunday 10 March and ends on Monday 8 April. It is estimated that globally 1.6 billion Muslims will take part in Ramadan and will fast from sunrise to sunset for one lunar month. In this lesson activity learners will look at what Ramadan is, what happens during Ramadan and what is important to Muslims during Ramadan. They will look at existing prayer mats and design a prayer mat using a provided template suitable for the KS2 level. We’ve created this design activity to support the teaching of key topics within design & technology (D&T), religious studies and art. This could be used as a one-off lesson activity to develop designing and sketching skills or an understanding of Ramadan. Alternatively, it could be used as a part of a wider scheme of work to develop designing and modelling skills in design & technology and engineering. Tools/supplies needed: Paper and card Drawing implements: colouring pencils or pens, pencils and rulers Scissors Optional, if available – examples of actual prayer mats For extension activities: glue sticks, string, wool, selection of materials The Engineering context All designers and engineers need to be able to produce ideas related to certain themes and follow a design brief. This ensures that the products they design will meet the needs of the end users, customers or clients. Suggested learning outcomes It is important for learners to understand all types of religious festivals as part of their religious education. This resource combines religious education with art and design and technology with the aim that the learners will be able to generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches and pattern pieces. Specifically, children will learn the main considerations and features for designing a prayer mat for Ramadan and be able to design a prayer mat that reflects Ramadan using shapes and patterns. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources 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 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.

Using our KS2 lesson plan and template, learners will design and make a charity box using card, glue sticks, split pins and decorations to count down the days of Ramadan while nurturing an understanding of this religious festival. In 2024 Ramadan starts on Sunday 10 March and ends on Monday 8 April. It is estimated that globally 1.6 billion Muslims will take part in Ramadan and will fast from sunrise to sunset for one lunar month. We’ve created this teaching resource to support the delivery of key topics within design & technology, religious studies and art. This could be used as a one-off lesson activity to develop making and designing skills or an understanding of Ramadan. Alternatively, it could be used as a part of a wider scheme of work to develop making skills for graphic products in design & technology. Learners will look at what Ramadan is, what happens during Ramadan and the importance of charity to Muslims. They will make a charity box that includes a feature to count down the days of the lunar cycle and can incorporate their own designs onto its external appearance. Tools/supplies needed: Paper and card (optional: paper plates) Drawing implement: colouring pencils or pens, pencils and rulers Scissors Glue sticks Split pins Optional: decorations such as sequins, glitter, etc. Suggested learning outcomes It is important for learners to understand all types of religious festivals as part of their religious education. This resource combines religious education with art and design and technology with the aim that the learners will be able to generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion and annotated sketches, and to use a range of materials creatively to design and make this product. Specifically, children will understand the main considerations and features for designing a charity box for Ramadan and be able to make this box considering the key features required, inclusion of the lunar countdown and how aesthetically pleasing it will be to the customer. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources 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 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.

A graphics project making Chinese zodiac animals that move! In this activity learners will learn about simple mechanisms (cams and linkages) within a graphics project. Learners will have an opportunity to use templates to help them cut out the parts for a cardboard Chinese zodiac animal. Download the activities 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. Resources required: Card tubes Wooden skewers Glue sticks/ glue Erasers Sticky tack Cardboard Brass split pin fasteners 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

Creative writing activity to use poetry skills and complete the fun activity sheet. The poem for primary school children focuses on Santa Claus and the magic of following your ambition to think about how you can use your skills and work in a job you love. When I am big, I want to be… First, read the poem, then add your own final verse/s. When you are completing the poems try and write in a similar style and use descriptive language. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your finished poems with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM. If you enjoy activities like this, why not try to write a poem about space or the ocean too.

Use a net to make a booklet, adding funny cracker jokes and designs to the pages where needed in this festive activity for kids. This activity could be a main lesson to teach learners how to use nets to make useable objects. It could also be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on understanding the use of nets in maths. The testing of the jokes could be linked with learning in English, as they involve writing and oral expression of the cracker jokes. This is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to allow learners to use Christmas themes to support the teaching of the primary National Curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within maths and design and technology. This resource focuses on the use of a net to make a small booklet of funny cracker jokes, and these could be used as an alternative to the corny jokes often found in Christmas crackers! Nets are important as they allow 3D objects to be made when folded. Making the booklet: Step 1 – Download the That’s a Cracker activity sheet. Identify the solid and dotted cutting lines. Step 2 – Add the Christmas jokes. Step 3 – ⚠ Safely cut out the booklet net using scissors. Steps 4a and 4b – Fold the booklet as directed. Step 5 – Now test out the jokes on friends! As an optional extension activity, students could create and add their own designs and jokes to the booklet pages. How long will this activity take? This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. The engineering context Engineers must regularly use mathematics knowledge and skills as part of their everyday job. They use nets to make scale models of buildings and other structures, as well as packaging for other products. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will know that graphics products can be made from nets, they will be able to add text to a graphic product, and they will be able to make a booklet from a net. Download all the Christmas cracker jokes 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your classroom highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Designing a sustainable high-tech replacement for Santa’s famous red suit In this activity, learners will design a replacement for Santa’s suit that meets a series of design criteria and incorporates at least one technology to make Santa’s work easier. This free resource will develop creativity and graphics skills in design and technology, as well as increasing understanding of how developments in technology affect our lives. A activity sheet, presentation and template are available to download for free. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this festive activity designed for secondary school students, learners will design a high-tech, environmentally friendly replacement for Santa’s sleigh. The sleigh will use a sustainable method of allowing it to fly through the air to deliver the presents. This free resource will build knowledge and skills in Design and Technology and Engineering. A activity sheet, presentation and design sheets are available to download for free. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this festive graphics project designed for primary aged kids, students will use nets to make parts from card and paper, which they will then assemble into a lantern shaped like a Christmas star. This is a free resource that encourages learners to have fun with maths. Free handouts and templates are available to download below. Oh ho ho, and please do share your creative highlights with us @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM