In this race against the clock students work as a team to build the highest tower possible out of dried spaghetti and marshmallows. The objective of this lesson is to explore structures and investigate what methods of building can make the tallest and strongest structure. By testing their prototype buildings, students will also have the opportunity to rebuild and alter their designs to improve them, giving an insight into the real-life processes of testing, redevelopment and prototyping that engineers and scientists use.

You can’t see around corners… or can you? In this activity from the Science Museum, carefully placed mirrors change the path light takes twice, making it possible to look over walls, around corners and even behind you – all without being seen. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how light travels in a straight line and can be reflected by a mirror - Use observation and questioning skills - See how the properties and behaviour of light have useful and relevant applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Light KS2 Science: Working Scientifically

This activity from the Science Museum provides a fun way to explore magnetism. It involves the simple task of using a magnet to guide a coin through a maze drawn on the side of a plastic bottle. There is plenty of opportunity to think about and talk about how magnetism works, and why magnets only attract certain materials. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate the magnetic properties of different materials - Use observation and questioning skills - See how magnetism has useful and relevant applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS1 Science: Forces and magnets KS1 Science: Everyday materials KS1 &2 Science: Working scientifically

The simple pinball machine in this Science Museum activity is made from a cardboard box, with ice lolly sticks as the flippers. It provides a great opportunity to explore the science of forces and motion. Game on! Learning Outcomes: - Investigate simple mechanisms and Newton’s Laws of Motion - Use observation, curiosity and creative problem solving skills - See how levers and simple mechanisms have useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS3 Science: Physics; forces KS3 Science: Working scientifically

Total Darkness is a web-based game which can be played for free on any browser: https://totaldarkness.sciencemuseum.org.uk Total Darkness uses digital storytelling to help children recognise how the skills they have and use everyday are useful to STEM. When developing the game, we undertook a huge amount of research to make sure it was based on SMG’s approach towards informal science learning – what we call science capital. Science capital is all about helping people see that science is a subject beyond the classroom, part of everyday life and something everyone can be part of and do. Learning outcomes: Recognise using scientific skills like asking questions, team work, finding and using evidence, communication, creative problem solving, curiosity Understand the relevance and usefulness of science skills in our everyday lives Make a personal connection with a science experience

Treasure Hunters is a game designed to help school groups explore the larger world around them, whether they are visiting one of our museums, in the classroom or at home. It encourages players to look beyond the most popular objects in the gallery and create a completely unique experience, with the chance to learn about objects they might not have noticed otherwise. Everyone can get involved and go head-to-head for badges and treasure! iPhone and iPad download here: https://apple.co/2GHUETk Android download here: http://bit.ly/SMLearn_THApp Treasure Hunters can be played anywhere, not just in a museum, but our museums do have their own specific questions. The app poses challenges to players, for example: ‘Take a picture of something you think was expensive to make’ ‘Find something designed to move really fast’ ‘Take a picture of the biggest wheel you can find’ Players competing against each other will take it in turns to find an object that fits the description and photograph it. It is not just competition, either: on some rounds, competing players will be asked to team up and do a challenge together to collect special badges. Learning outcomes Make links between museum objects and science in their everyday lives. Develop discussion and communication skills. Develop observation skills.

Museums are full of wonderful and weird objects, and sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin. Here at the Science Museum Group we’ve come up with a simple question tool, See Link Wonder, to help inspire thought and discussion about the world around us. By encouraging students to observe and talk about what they encounter in our galleries, you can strengthen those links between museum objects, curriculum science and everyday life. Not to mention develop important skills that you can use back back in your classroom. See Link Wonder is not just for teachers, it can be used anywhere and everywhere by anyone: it is an easy way of exploring and investigating the objects around us, and making everyone a little bit more curious.

This activity from the Science Museum investigates how sound travels, using a kind of gong made from a coat hanger and some string. The gong makes a surprising and intriguing sound – but only when you have your fingers in your ears. Learning Outcomes: - Experience that sound is produced by vibrations and travels better through solids than gases - Use observation and questioning skills - Understand how sound travels through different materials has useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Sound KS1 &2 Science: Working scientifically

Ice cream is basically droplets of fat from milk suspended in millions of tiny crystals of ice, fluffed up with tiny pockets of air. This activity from the Science Museum shows you how to make the right mixture then make it cold enough to create those ice crystals without the aid of a freezer – and reveals how salt and ice make a chilling combination. A great activity for exploring changes of state and the properties of matter. Learning outcomes: - Investigate the properties of different states of matter and how they look and behave differently - Use observation and questioning skills - Recognise how different states of matter behave have useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 & 3 Science: States of matter KS2 &3 Science: Working scientifically

This activity contains the Science Museum’s secret bubble recipe and ideas about how to create brilliant bubble blowers. There’s also lots to find out about the science of mixtures and materials and the properties of water. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how mixing water changes the way it behaves - Use observation and questioning skills - See how the behaviour of materials has useful applications in our everyday lives. Curriculum Links: KS1 Science: Everyday materials KS2 Science: Properties and changes of materials KS1 &2 Science: Working scientifically

A paper aeroplane, glider or helicopter falls to the ground much more slowly and more gracefully than a scrunched-up piece of paper – as the designs in this Science Museum activity show. It’s all thanks to the forces generated by air pressing on and moving over the surface of the paper. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how fast or slow an object moves through the air is due to aerodynamics - Use observation and questioning skills - See how aerodynamics has practical and useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Forces KS1&2 Science: Working scientifically

Shapes and patterns can be found all around us – from flowers to footballs, seashells to staircases. In this activity from the Science Museum, simple lines drawn on bottle tops or jam jar lids provide a fun way into the wonderful world of geometry. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate position, direction and movement of different shapes - Use observation, questioning and creative problem solving skills - See that patterns are used everywhere in the world around us Curriculum Links: KS1 & 2 Mathematics: Geometry KS1 & 2 Science: Working Scientifically

A downloadable booklet of fun science activities using everyday ingredients, with notes for teachers. This booklet contains step-by-step instructions for science activities and experiments that are safe and easy to do in the classroom or at home.

In this activity you can make a paper mouse hit the ceiling using forces and the power of air. The objective of this lesson is to squeeze air through a small opening which gives it enough force to move objects.