Brian Cox school resources: How does washing affect the number of fibers released from a fleece?

Series 2 of the Brian Cox School Experiments are designed for students aged 11 to 14. They cover important topics and introduce teachers to a practical experiment, the commercial application of the technology featured, and the latest research being undertaken by scientists in that area. Each resource comprises three videos and a downloadable experiment that links directly to curriculum topics and is simple to carry out. Whether used in science classes, form rooms or careers sessions, these are an excellent resource to excite and engage young people with cutting-edge, real-world science.

In this experiment, Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins a teacher demonstrating a plastics and sustainability classroom activity, including set-up, demonstration and the experiment being taught with a secondary age science class.

In the second video, we visit Catherine Conway from GoUnpackaged to find out about their work designing solutions to single-use plastics, before visiting Professor Rachael Rothman at the University of Sheffield to find out about her research into sustainable processes and clean energy systems. The second and third videos have a focus on the skills required to work in these areas and offer young people an insight into which subjects or careers they may wish to pursue later in school and beyond. These resources could be a useful tool for careers advisors and form tutors to use during careers discussions. Download the accompanying resources.