Solving transportation issues around the world In this activity students will use what they know about community transport systems to suggest possible solutions to existing transportation problems. 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 design and technology (D&T) and engineering. Activity: Solving transportation issues around the world Students will watch our short film on transportation planning, which will be the basis for a class discussion on the potential issues that come with holding major events in cities such as the Olympic Games. Students will then work in teams to review a scenario from our Solving the transport problem worksheet, which includes various transport planning scenarios. Each team will choose a problem to solve and then present their solution to the class. Finally, students will examine the negative consequences that inevitably come with improving community transport, considering environmental and social factors. Download our activity overview for an introductory lesson plan on transportation issues for free! The engineering context Engineers must often solve transportation problems that can arise in big cities. Whether it’s designing traffic flow for megacities, building accessible infrastructure for rural areas, or integrating sustainable fuels, transportation planning equips engineers to tackle hazards, congestion, isolation, and inefficiency. Suggested learning outcomes This activity teaches students how to use community transport to solve social and environmental problems. It will also teach them how to explain the rationale behind these decisions. Download our activity sheet and other 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. You can download our classroom lesson plan for free! Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation

Research a form of transport that fulfils the needs of a community Try out this engaging STEM activity to learn all about the future of technology in the automotive industry! This exercise is suitable for KS3 and encourages the development of students’ research, communication and teamwork skills. Activity: What is the future of community transport? In this activity students will work in teams to research an existing or possible future form of community transport. They will mark their system against the agreed criteria from the starter and present their findings to the rest of the class. Students will be split into ten groups, so the full range of systems are researched. Allocate each team a different concept for community transport from the handout Tomorrow’s Choices. This handout contains ten existing and futuristic community transport systems. Each sheet contains a hyperlinked URL for further information and a table for them to mark the system against criteria. Students should write into the table the agreed criteria from the starter activity. Teams will then present their findings and provide a quick explanation as to how their transport works. As an optional extension, students could use the internet to research extra information on their transport systems. They could then use this information to produce a detailed presentation on how the transport system works. This could be a poster or a computer presentation. Teams will need access to the internet to complete this activity. If possible, put the handout on the shared system so teams can access them through their computer. This allows them to use the hyperlink to the website for research. They can type their answers into the grid directly or print out the sheet and write on them. This activity will take approximately 50 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Computers with internet access Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to use ICT to research an existing or possible future community transport and they will be able to use criteria to judge how well it fulfils social, environmental, and economic needs. 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

Analyse current transport options and compile a list of criteria that future methods of transport should fulfil In the UK around 75% of people use their car for their daily commute. However, with congestion and pollution from increased traffic, why aren’t more people using community transport? This is one of a set of free STEM resources for KS3. Can your students think about current methods of community transport and consider the advantages and disadvantages of each? Activity: In this activity, students are asked to think about current methods of community transport and the associated pros and cons. Their ideas will then be used to compile a class list of criteria that future methods of community transport should fulfil. Slide 2 of the presentation below shows an image of traffic congestion. Learners should discuss what the image conveys and how they feel about this. Take time to discuss why many people choose to drive rather than use community transport. One possible solution to reduce the amount of traffic on the road is for more people to use community transport. What do students think about this solution? Slide 3 of the presentation shows a range of current community transport methods. Students will work in pairs or small groups to discuss the pros and cons of each method. You may like to go through one type of transport as a class and then ask the students to go through the remaining individually or in groups. This feedback can be used to compile a class list of criteria that community transport needs to fulfil in the future e.g. sustainable (materials used to make the transport, the infrastructure needed as well as the fuel used), low pollution, use of renewables, low energy consumption (high energy efficiency), cheap, fast, good networks and frequent service. This is a quick and simple activity that will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to identify the pros and cons of different types of community transport and they will be able to compile a list of criteria for future community transport. Download the activity sheets 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

Calculate journey times from one country to another A costly and sometimes very long aeroplane journey is currently the only option if you intend to travel a long distance. However, what about in the future? One method that has been proposed is the vacuum tube train. The vacuum tube train may be able to reach speeds of 4,000 mph, but is it a realistic option? Activity: Use the Speed Equation to Calculate Journey Times In this fun maths activity for KS3, students will use the speed equation to calculate how long it takes to travel to destinations around the globe from the UK via today’s global transport options. They will then be introduced to a new concept in global travel: the vacuum tube train. Students will work in pairs or small groups to complete the tasks on the handouts below. Handout Journey Times A is for higher-ability students, and Journey Times B is for the less able. Students completing the handout Journey Times A may have to be informed/reminded of the speed = distance/time equation and how to use it to calculate the journey times. This activity can be used to introduce ideas about the environmental, economic, ethical and social impacts of each type of global transport. For example, comparing fuel efficiencies, the impact of infrastructure on the environment and how polluting they are. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to calculate time using the speed equation, and they will be able to identify issues surrounding global transport. The engineering context Engineering has constantly propelled human progress, and the vacuum tube train is a testament to this innovation. This cutting-edge transportation marvel utilises sealed tubes to create a low-pressure environment, drastically reducing air resistance. Maglev technology suspends the train, eradicating friction for unparalleled speed. The engineering behind the vacuum tube train merges aerodynamics, materials science, and electromagnetic systems, enabling mind-boggling velocities. As we strive for more sustainable and efficient transit solutions, this exemplifies the potential of engineering to reshape our world, revolutionising travel and underscoring the limitless possibilities when science and ingenuity converge. Download the activity sheets 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 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

Design investigations to test reaction times and ability to concentrate whilst driving In this activity students will design and carry out investigations to test reaction times and ability to concentrate. They will then try their test on older people and use their results to design a car of the future. Students will first be asked to discuss the opinion that road accidents are more likely to be caused by younger drivers. Make sure the students realise that this is an opinion and is not backed up with evidence. They could be asked how this opinion could be proved or disproved. Many different personal attributes can impact road safety, including a person’s vision, ability to concentrate, reaction times and mobility. The car of the future should be designed to help people overcome these issues. Students will carry out some tests in the classroom to give a reflection of how safe they would be as a driver. Students will work in groups of around 3-4 to plan and carry out their tests. They will gather data and state what it shows. Graphs can be drawn if there is time. For homework, students can repeat their experiment at home with older members of their family. In the following lesson, ask students to share their results with the rest of the group and discuss as a class what their results show. Are reaction times quicker in older or younger people? Which age group is less likely to get distracted? Tools/resources required Class access to computers with internet connection and headphones Paper/pens Rulers Projector Whiteboard The engineering context Understanding basic safety concepts is essential for engineers in the automotive industry. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to plan an investigation, deciding what measurements to take and what equipment to use, they will be able to choose how to present results and they will be able to use data to inform design. 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

Discuss safety issues in personal transport and analyse data to work out which form of personal transport is currently the least safe Personal transport is becoming safer as technological advancements are made and more and more safety features are designed. In this fun STEM activity students will consider what safety features are in use today. Students will first name some personal transport methods, including those they use. In pairs they can discuss any safety features of these methods, why they are important and then they will rank the transport systems in order of how safe they think they are. The ‘Safety statistics A’ handout includes a chart which shows the proportion of reported road casualties by road user type and severity in Great Britain in 2012. The students will then interpret the data and write down what it shows. They can then compare this to the ranking they did in the discussion earlier. The handout shows that car occupants and pedestrians are the most common types of road casualties. How do you think safety can by improved for car occupants and pedestrians? Ask the students to think about what safety measures already exist and then ask them to think about what features cars should have in the future. This engaging activity that is the perfect way for KS3 students to develop their critical thinking skills. How long will this activity take? Approximately 30-59 minutes to complete. The engineering context Car and road safety engineers are professionals who are responsible for designing and developing vehicles and road systems that are safe for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. They work on various aspects of vehicle and road safety, including crash testing, airbag seatbelt development, pedestrian protection, and traffic control systems. These engineers use their knowledge of physics, mechanics, and materials science to develop innovative solutions to improve vehicle and road safety. They also work closely with government agencies, automakers, and other organisations to develop and enforce safety regulations and standards. The work of car and road safety engineers is vital to ensuring the safety of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on our roads. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to interpret data from a chart, discuss the importance of safety features in personal transport and identify car and road safety features. 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

Work out how to reach destinations using a scale map In our daily life we take 21st-century technology for granted. Some could argue that we aren’t developing basic skills, as technology often does the work for us. When the technology fails, however, the absence of some necessary skills could create difficult situations. Can your students use our worksheet and presentation to work out how to reach a destination from a scale map? This activity is an engaging investigation into the uses of communications technology in the modern world. There is an opportunity to audit the students’ skills such as visualisation or map-reading to form a scale drawing. These are skills that may not have been developed due to the use of various electronic devices. As a visualisation activity, distribute the Lost Now presentation as a handout or display it using a data projector. This is an activity where the process of thinking about what the map might show is more important than the actual outcome of the sketch they would produce. The handout has text handouts that can be printed and given to the students. There is also a map using Ordnance Survey symbols that might be better displayed on a screen using a data projector. Students should complete the three activities outlined in the presentation either in groups or as individuals. Tools/resources required Ruler (a transparent ruler showing millimetres is best) Calculators Students will need Ordnance Survey symbols from the website below (either print sheets of the symbols or display them on a screen to save on copying). The engineering context Living in a highly technological world, where access to information and entertainment is at our fingertips, the Inform and Entertain Me topic is a gateway to engage and introduce students to the principles and technology that form the basis for communication devices that are used in our everyday lives. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to make informed decisions about technology for social, economic and environmental reasons, they will be able to use scale drawing and they will have an understanding of how waves are used to carry a communications signal. Download the free Reading maps and scale drawings activity sheet! 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

Learn about the technology behind satellite navigation systems and discuss the pros and cons of using them Can your students consider how a GPS system functions and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using them? This activity is suitable for KS3 and KS4 and encourages students to undertake research and produce a visual display. This activity is an engaging investigation into the uses of communication technology in the modern world. This activity is an individual activity and could be run in an ICT suite to allow students to use the internet for research. Distribute the Sat Nav handout to students. This handout gives some outline information about satellites and an un-annotated diagram. Students can cut out or copy the un-annotated diagram and add information to this to produce a visual display of how a Sat Nav system works. There are a series of questions on the Sat Nav handout. Questions 1-4 are designed to get students to undertake research on the topic of satellites and their functionalities and capabilities. This is a simple activity that will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. How does a Sat Nav system work? What we often refer to as ‘Sat Nav’ is properly called the Global Positioning System (GPS). This uses satellites that continually transmit a signal. They are like an accurate orbiting clock. The signal from at least three and up to seven satellites is received and compared by the Sat Nav device. Using some complicated maths, the Sat Nav device can work out not only where it is on the Earth’s surface, but at what altitude it is as well. The position information is compared with a map downloaded and stored by the Sat Nav device. The satellites tell you where you are, and the mapping hardware fills in the pictures of the road around you. The satellites need to have a clear path through the air to the Sat Nav device – this is normally called a clear line of ‘sight’. The engineering context Living in a highly technological world, where access to information and entertainment is at our fingertips, the Inform and Entertain Me topic is a gateway to engage and introduce students to the principles and technology that form the basis for communication devices that are used in our everyday lives. Download the free How does a Sat Nav system work? activity sheet! 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

Structured class debate on the location of a new wind farm There is much debate about the issues created by carbon emissions and how renewable energy sources can help resolve these challenges. Most people agree that renewable energy is a good thing, but many oppose to having wind turbines built near their neighbourhood. In this role-play activity, participants take on different roles to debate a proposed wind farm. In pairs, students discuss whether their character would be in favour of the proposed wind farm and prepare a two-minute talk to share their case with the group. Afterwards, divide the larger groups into ‘for’ and ‘against’ and bring together all the individual statements to form a strong, coherent case. Four people are chosen to give two reasons to support their argument. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links This activity has been written with a strong science bias. However, it can easily be taught in design and technology with either a systems and control approach or from a ‘sustainability’ angle, looking at the topic of wind farms and the future of energy production. The ‘sustainability’ perspective will provide an activity that could involve design and technology, geography and citizenship. 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. Please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation 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.

Investigate the properties of smart springs and see how they might be used as muscles in a robotic arm This fun engineering activity encourages students to investigate prosthetic materials and the properties of smart springs and see how they could be used as muscles in a robotic arm. This is a free resource aimed at secondary school students. This activity encourages students to investigate the properties of smart materials and carry out some data manipulation. Students will also explore the possible moral and ethical issues associated with people potentially choosing to replace healthy body parts with artificial prostheses because they offer higher performance. This exercise should take around an hour to complete. Resources required for class: Several desk fans should be available but kept out of sight of the students until needed. Resources required per team: Wooden ‘arm’ as shown in the diagram on the handout below. These will need to be constructed in advance of the lesson. This could be done either by the science technician or by the students themselves as part of a joint project with design and technology. 1 to 1.5 mm diameter copper or other fairly flexible metal wire. Must be stripped of insulation A smart spring made from a shape memory alloy such as nitinol Power supply, leads, crocodile clips Retort stand Ammeter Voltmeter Sets of slot masses of various sizes The engineering context The development of new materials with incredible properties is changing the way we live. From LCD TVs to super light airliners, these materials have quickly found their way into the modern technology around us. One area where modern materials have made a huge impact is in the development of prosthetic devices. Some of these devices are beginning to outperform ‘natural’ body parts. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity learners will be able to explain why a material is chosen for a use based on its properties, they will be able to describe how smart materials are used in a real life context and they will be able to use and manipulate material-related data. 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

Analyse data to find the best material for a prosthetic foot The development of new materials is having a huge impact on all of our lives. This engineering activity for kids encourages students to look at a variety of materials and find out which would be the best for ankle and foot prosthetics. Different materials will perform in a variety of different ways, and it is through the analysis of the materials that students will be able to work out which would be the best for a prosthetic foot. This fun STEM activity is designed as a main lesson exercise for secondary school students. Learners will carry out some data manipulation to find the best material from which to make a prosthetic foot. The activity offers strong opportunities for cross-curricular work with Mathematics. The class will be split into teams. Students will work as teams of engineering materials consultants and have to find the best material from which to make a prosthetic foot. Using the related handouts, which can be found below, students will plot graphs of stress against strain for seven different materials and calculate the gradient in order to find the stiffness for each material. Based on this information, students should select which of the seven materials is the most suitable for the construction of the foot. Students will present their recommendations to the rest of the class and the other teams will comment on their recommendations. What you will need: Graph paper Pen/pencil The engineering context The development of new materials with incredible properties is changing the way we live. From LCD TVs to super light airliners, these materials have quickly found their way into pretty much all of the modern technology around us. One area where modern materials have made a huge impact is in the development of prosthetic devices. Some of these devices are beginning to outperform ‘natural’ body parts. The resources within this, and the related activities, encourage students to investigate the properties of smart materials and carry out some data manipulation. Students will also explore the possible moral and ethical issues associated with people potentially choosing to replace healthy body parts with artificial prostheses because they offer higher performance. By the end of this activity students will be able to make the link between material properties and material usage. They will be able to understand how smart materials are used in a real life context and they will be able to use and manipulate material-related data.

Investigate aspects of biomedical signal processing The use of different types of signals is hugely important in all areas of healthcare. Signal processing engineers are involved in everything from extracting information from the body’s own electrical and chemical signals to using wireless signals to allow search-and-rescue robot swarms to communicate with each other. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this practical session students investigate aspects of signal processing. Working in teams, students convert an analogue brain signal into a digital format and transmit it across the classroom to another team using flashes from the LED on the Digital Communicator that they will need to build. The other team will record the digital format and rebuild the original waveform from that information. This activity can be used as a hands-on extension to the ‘Which Imaging Technique?’ activity (see Related activities section below). 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. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Select a method of medical imaging most appropriate for a particular medical condition The use of different types of signals is hugely important in all areas of healthcare. Signal processing engineers are involved in everything from extracting information from the body’s own electrical and chemical signals to using wireless signals to allow search-and-rescue robot swarms to communicate with each other. Together with related activities, this resource allows students to investigate the wide range of sophisticated imaging technology available in modern hospitals, and to explore the latest ideas in search-and-rescue robotics. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links This activity gets students to work in small teams to select a method of medical imaging which is appropriate to a particular medical condition. Students are provided with the medical records of eight patients. The different imaging techniques covered in this activity include: CAT, Gamma cameras, MRI, PET, Thermology, Ultrasound and X-rays. 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. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Balancing forces to design a boat Using knowledge of forces in an engineering design context The balancing forces to build a boat activity tasks participants to apply scientific and mathematical understanding of forces (resistance, buoyancy and thrust) and Newton’s 3 laws of motion, in an engineering and design context. Relate speed to the streamlining in boat design and the shape of a boat’s hull. Consider the balanced and unbalanced forces the boat needs to withstand for maximum efficiency. This activity will demonstrate the principles of hydrodynamics, a similar set of principles to aerodynamics but involving water. This activity is designed to be taught through science and design and technology simultaneously, as a cross-curricular project. However, it can also be tackled independently from each subject. 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 Projector/whiteboard 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 classroom learning 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

Discover the properties of the piezoelectric crystal and how it can be used to generate electricity The engineers behind the Watt Nightclub in Rotterdam turn the energy created by clubbers on the dance-floor into power for the lighting. There’s even a giant battery to monitor the energy and encourage the crowd to dance even more. Doing your bit for the environment doesn’t have to be boring! Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links An engaging activity where students will investigate a simple piezoelectric device. 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. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

How sounds travel as waves of different frequencies and wavelengths From founding communications, such as the fire beacon, to being able to communicate with space, there is no denying that developments in communication have advanced at a rapid speed. This topic presents students with communications of the past, present and future, helping them to understand the principles that form the basis for these developments. This engaging STEM activity is aimed at KS3 students and deals with how animals use sounds and how sounds change in natural phenomena. This is so a student can understand how sound waves travel. The teacher will first distribute a copy of the ‘Animal Sounds’ handout, which can be downloaded below, to each student. Make sure students understand sound is a longitudinal wave of compressions and rarefactions of the material. Soundwaves follow the laws of wave behaviour, so they are a useful introduction to wave properties. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by creating a discussion on why different animals have different hearing ranges and their experience of phenomena such as the Doppler effect. Use the handout to discuss different sounds and what they might have learned in other lessons (e.g. music) about pitch, frequency, amplitude etc. As an extension students could produce a display from low to high frequency, showing where the sound ranges used by different animals lie. Students could consider how sounds outside the normal spectrum could be used to develop new products. For example, to make ‘silent’ devices to broadcast sound or data between two points. This is a quick and simple activity that will take approximately 15 minutes. The engineering context Sounds are vibrations travelling through materials. Many animals make sounds, either for communication or for location. Sound travels at different speeds in different materials. Generally, the denser the material, the faster the sound will travel. Sound is a longitudinal wave of compressions and rarefactions of the material (a rarefaction involves particles in the material being more spread out than usual). Sound waves follow the laws of wave behaviour, so they are a useful introduction to wave properties. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will know that sound is produced by objects vibrating and they will understand that sound is a longitudinal wave. They will also know about the range of frequencies that can be heard by humans and other animals and they will understand that sound travels at different speeds in different mediums. 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 share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Investigate the salinity of different water samples Water is crucial to human life, but it can also be a killer. Drinking or cooking water contaminated with micro-organisms or chemicals is a leading cause of disease and death across the world. Poor facilities for the disposal of sewage and other waste water can quickly lead to the spread of dangerous diseases. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this practical activity students investigate the salinity of three different water samples using a multimeter. Students first calibrate their salination probe and test the salinity of their solutions. Students can be asked to suggest how errors might have appeared in their results and what could be done to minimise or eliminate them. This activity can be used as an extension to the ‘Filtering water’ 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 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. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

This is a practical exercise in which students will utilise their mathematical knowledge to solve problems and apply formulas. Specifically, they will compute the length of pipes necessary for an underfloor heating system. They will also write a brief explanation of how a sustainable underfloor heating system operates. This can be effectively taught within mathematics or within design and technology, as part of resistant materials or product design. How long will this activity take? This activity will take approximately 60-90 minutes to complete Tools/resources required Green School film Projector/Whiteboard Measuring equipment e.g. tape measures or trundle wheels Squared paper The engineering context Sustainability is a key consideration in modern engineering practices. As the world faces pressing environmental challenges such as climate change and resource depletion, engineers must design solutions that not only meet the needs of society, but also minimise their impact on the planet. Sustainable engineering involves developing systems, products and processes that are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible. This can include reducing carbon emissions, optimising energy use, minimising waste, conserving natural resources, and designing products that can be recycled or repurposed at the end of their lifecycle. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to describe the operation of a sustainable underfloor heating system and they will be able to create and apply mathematical formulae in a practical context. Download the free Maths Behind a Heating System activity sheet! 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

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