Make a measuring wheel that measures distances This activity for primary school kids involves making a measuring wheel for accurately measuring in metres and centimetres. This activity combines maths and history and is inspired by the achievements of ancient Greece. It is thought that the inventor of the odometer may have been Archimedes, between 2200 and 2300 years ago. Resources are provided to support teachers in furthering their students’ maths abilities. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Position the tea party items into a square grid so that each row and column contains one of each Children’s maths games make learning fun! Download our five activities for free, and go through each one in turn to make up this fun maths lesson for 5 to 11 year olds. The aim is to position different coloured items into a square grid so that each row and column contains one of each. The purpose of this activity is to explore problem solving strategies including trial and improvement, pattern spotting and using known strategies to tackle a new problem. This lesson links to a 200-year-old maths puzzle and also to Latin Squares or Euler Squares which form the basis of popular Sudoku puzzles. There is also the opportunity to explore rotation and symmetry and to use these as problem solving strategies. 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. You can download our step-by-step instructions below as either a classroom lesson plan or PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Create biscuits in national flag colours to celebrate an international sporting event Combine science, maths and design skills to celebrate the different nations taking part in international sporing events such as the Football World Cup and the Olympics. This fun STEM activity focusses on making and decorating biscuits with flags from the different nations. Students will consider the colours and shapes used in different national flags. They will then make and use icing to colour their biscuits in national flag colours from each teams. 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. You can download our step-by-step instructions as a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation

Experiment to find out which substances effect oxidation of apples Thinking about what snack to leave out for Santa and his reindeers on Christmas Eve, our activity suggests cut-up apples but experiment with ways to prevent discolouration. Using different substances such as saltwater, lemon juice and milk, students will test their maths and science skills and learn about oxidisation, acids, alkalis 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

A dress-the-model activity to work out how many combinations of clothes are possible This is one of a set of resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within maths and science. This resource focusses on a dress-the-model activity to determine the number of wearing combinations possible with a set number of clothing items. It allows pupils to take a practical approach to applying multiplication. This activity could be carried out as individuals or in pairs. Learners can create a table showcasing the various combinations to organise their findings effectively. They may be guided through this process using the Dress-the-Model table slide as an example. This approach encourages students to analyse and present their results in a structured manner, enhancing their understanding of the activity’s outcomes. The engineering context Understanding combinations is essential in engineering, enabling engineers to optimise the production process and achieve the best cost outcomes. Regarding bicycles, which consist of numerous parts, engineers carefully determine the optimal combination of these parts to minimise production expenses while maintaining high-quality standards. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to write and calculate statements for multiplication, they will be able to solve a contextual problem using multiplication, and they will be able to understand how to determine the number of wearing combinations possible using a dress-the-model activity. 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. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation

Get ready for a street party celebration and introduce basic maths with this fun activity In this engaging STEM activity, learners will design and make a place setting for a party or celebration. They will identify the items required, measure the space needed for themselves and the items, and use this information to design and make the place setting. This challenge is perfect for 5–7-year-olds and could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about designing within a theme or practical applications of measurement. It could also be used as a part of a wider scheme of learning focusing on practical skills within graphics or graphic design. Activity: Design a place setting for a party This is one of a series of free resources designed to allow learners to use the theme of a celebration to develop their knowledge and skills in Design and Technology and Mathematics. This resource focuses on the designing and making of a place setting for a party to celebrate the event, so you can adapt to any celebration. Students will use basic maths skills for KS1 to practice with a ruler as they work out how much space is needed to sit and dine together for a party banquet. This exercise will take approximately 80 – 120 minutes and can be carried out in school or at home. Tools/resources required Paper and card Colouring pencils or pens Scissors Pencils and rulers Glue sticks Access to plates, cups and cutlery for measurement Disposable cutlery, if available Paper tablecloth (for extension activity) Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this STEM project students will be able to design from a brief, they will be able to measure dimensions and use these when designing and they will be able to create an attractive and fun place setting for a special party. 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. Download the free Design a place setting for a party 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

Describing a sports team using fractions and percentages In this fun maths activity, students will test their fractions and percentage skills by looking at football teams. Before a big competition a squad is selected and from that the final team will be chosen. In this activity we describe the squad using fractions and percentages and then select a team. Can someone else work out which team has been selected from the fractions and percentages used to describe it? The purpose of this activity is to deepen understanding of fractions and percentages as ways to describe proportion or parts of a whole. There are opportunities to look at equivalent fractions and equivalence between fractions and percentages. 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. You can download our step-by-step instructions as either a classroom lesson plan or PowerPoint presentation And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation

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

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

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

Make edible snowmen from puffed rice and marshmallow This easy STEM themed baking activity lets students use puffed rice cereal, marshmallows and decorative items to create snowmen Rice Krispie treats! Baking is engineering. It is uses science, maths and technology skills to engineer and create solutions and new tasty products. So, engineers need all these skills – precision in weighing out ingredients, the safety required in the kitchen and product design and quality engineering to test, taste and improve with each bake! 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

This Primary IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Challenge Day encourages students to consider how engineers work together to solve real-life problems. It enables students to experience the knowledge, understandings and skills engineers use within their work and the ways in which their strengths can be used to achieve an effective outcome. The students will need to work as a team to design a way of getting lighthouse keepers back to the mainland from a lighthouse based on a small island 200 metres from the nearest land. The design will need to use a zip line to carry the keeper safely across the waves which can be high during storms. The students will have access to the Faraday shop and a budget of Faraday money. They will need to plan what resources to buy and manage and record their budget. At times they may need to make decisions about affordability and effective use and should be encouraged to identify alternative, possibly cheaper, approaches to their final designs. At the end of the challenge day students will be asked to present their prototypes by demonstrating how their design could carry the lighthouse keeper safely to the mainland. Designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 8-11 years, the challenge encourages the development of students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills. This activity day can be tailored to the needs of your school and your students by adapting the PowerPoint presentation and the editable student booklet. The complete set of free downloadable materials includes: Teachers’ pack A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day . . . plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates. Student booklet Available as an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school. PowerPoint presentation A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation