Find the height achieved by a flying object using trigonometry. In this activity learners will work out the height of a released balloon using a clinometer and trigonometry. This is one of a series of resources designed to allow learners to use the theme of the future of flight to develop their knowledge and skills in in Design and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about the practical application of trigonometry. It could also be used as part of an introduction to the use of trigonometry within engineering. You will need: Thin card Balloons Balloon pump, if required Brass split pin paper fasteners Scissors Sharp pencils and erasers Calculators Tape measure 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

How to make hydrogen from water. In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to investigate one of the potential energy sources of the future. They will discuss the problems associated with the use of oil-based fuels and how the use of hydrogen fuels could solve them. They will then produce hydrogen from water and investigate ways to make it work better. This activity could be used as a main lesson to teach about power supplies and renewable energy within a transport context. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning to teach about sustainability and environmental issues. 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

Calculating the amount of energy needed to launch a rocket into space. In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to calculate the amount of energy needed to launch a space rocket. They will discuss the meaning of the term escape velocity and then perform calculations based on the Space X and Saturn V rockets. 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

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of remote or robotic surgery 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. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will explore the impact of modern technology on science, using telemedicine and robotics as a context. 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. 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. And please do 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

This fun STEM resource focuses on making shadow puppets while nurturing an understanding of the relationship between light and shadow. We’ve created this shadow puppet experiment to support the teaching of key topics within design and technology (D&T) and science as part of the primary national curriculum at key stage 2 (KS2). This resource focuses on making shadow puppets and developing supporting knowledge about the relationship between light and shadow. This could be used as a one-off activity in D&T or science or linked with the IET primary activity ‘How does the light from a torch change with distance?’, which involves measuring how the distribution of light varies with distance from the light source. It could also be used in conjunction with learning in literacy – for example, creating puppets to perform a story being studied. Activity: Making shadow puppets Learners will make a shadow puppet using card, craft sticks and sticky tape. This not only makes learning about shadow puppets fun but also fosters creativity and storytelling skills among learners at the KS2 level. Tools/supplies needed: Card (photocopies of handouts, if used) Masking tape Craft sticks Tracing paper (for screen) Large boxes (for extension activity) Scissors Torches The Engineering Context Engineers often have to consider how light behaves when designing products for practical applications. For instance, the positioning of windows and artificial lighting in buildings, or the power and placement of lights and mirrors in vehicles, are all influenced by an understanding of light and shadow. This activity will give learners an insight into these considerations. Suggested learning outcomes Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation. Visible light is the range of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen with a human eye. Light’s brightness, or intensity, is typically measured as the power per unit area. Any object that blocks the path of light causes a shadow. This activity therefore offers a blend of scientific learning, practical skills, and creative expression, making it a comprehensive educational experience. Specifically, children will learn that blocking the path of light causes a shadow, and they’ll be able to use scissors to make a graphic product. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources 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.

Investigate how different battery voltages affect their brightness is key to understanding how series electrical circuits work. In this fun exercise for KS2, students will construct three separate lamp circuits: one powered by a single AA battery, one powered by two AA batteries and one powered by three AA batteries. Students will learn about current, voltage and how simple series circuits work. Activity: Investigating lamp brightness This resource is part of a collection of free STEM resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within science and design and technology. This resource focuses on the investigation of how different supply voltages affect the brightness of a lamp. This activity could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focusing on electricity and electrical circuits. It can be completed as individuals or in small groups, dependent on the components available. How long will this activity take? This activity will take approximately 45-75 minutes to complete. Parts and components required: Red and black crocodile clips 1.5 V AA batteries and holders with wires 4.5 V lamps and holders The engineering context Engineers need to be able to understand how basic electrical circuits work. This includes current flow and how supply voltage affects the brightness of lamps in simple series circuits. This knowledge could be used when investigating, designing, or making electrical and electronic circuits in the future. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will have an understanding of what is meant by the terms current and voltage, they will have an understanding of why the brightness of a lamp changes with the number and voltage of the batteries that it is connected to, and they will be able to construct simple series circuits using batteries, lamps and crocodile clips. Download the free Investigating lamp brightness 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

Making a maze game from a bottle and a magnet Learners will draw a maze layout on a plastic bottle and use a magnet to guide objects, such as a 1p coin, around the maze. This is a fun STEM challenge that will teach students about how magnets attract certain materials and will show them how to apply this knowledge in an engaging and practical way. This resource could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focussing on magnets and magnetism. It can also be used in conjunction with other IET Education resources, developed alongside the School of Engineering at Cardiff University. Activity: Magnetic maze STEM challenge 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 science and design and technology. This resource focuses on developing understanding of magnetic materials by producing a maze game. This activity could be completed as individuals or in small groups depending on the equipment that is available. As an optional extension students could replace the coin with a ball bearing, a paper clip, a plastic coin and a small piece of wood. Which ones work well and which do not? Students could also draw different maze layouts and use different sized bottles to create a range of puzzle products! Alternatively, students could compete with their friends to see who can complete the maze the fastest by timing themselves with stopwatches. Tools/resources required Pre-made exemplar Magnets 1 pence coins (post 1992) Plastic drinks bottles Paper clips (for extension activity) Ball bearings (for extension activity) Plastic coins (for extension activity) Small pieces of wood (for extension activity) Different coloured marker pens Stopwatches (for extension activity) The engineering context Engineers need to know the properties of magnets, which materials are magnetic and which materials are non-magnetic. This knowledge could be used when identifying and creating potential solutions to future engineering problems. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this exercise students will have an understanding of what makes a material magnetic, they will be able to give examples of magnetic and non-magnetic materials and they will be able to make a maze game using a bottle and a magnet. 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

Investigating everyday products to see if they are magnetic In this activity learners will predict whether they think different products are magnetic based on the material that each product is made from. They will then test their theory by using magnets, to see whether or not each product is attracted to a magnet. This resource is a great way for KS2 students to learn all about magnets and could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focusing on magnets and magnetism. It can also be used in conjunction with the IET Education ‘Magnet Madness’ resource, developed alongside the School of Engineering at Cardiff University. 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 science and design and technology. This resource focuses on identifying whether everyday products are made from magnetic materials. This activity could be completed as individuals, in pairs or in small groups. Learners could be given all the products at once to test, or the teacher may wish to lead through one product at a time, recapping the key tasks and questions for them to consider as they go through. Discussion topics and key questions for learners can be found on the presentation below and detailed instructions on how to complete the activity can be found on the activity sheet. This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Magnets Plastic drinks cups 2 pence coins Steel door keys Aluminium drinks cans Steel paper clips Wooden toy cars The engineering context Engineers need to know the properties of magnets, which materials are magnetic and which materials are non-magnetic. This knowledge could be used when identifying and creating potential solutions to future engineering problems. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this exercise students will know which materials are magnetic and which are not, they will be able to give examples of magnetic and non-magnetic materials and they will be able to test products to see whether they are made from magnetic materials. Download the free How do magnets 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

Make a water clock to measures time In this fun activity for kids, students will learn how water can measure time using principles from ancient Greece. They will then create a Greek water clock that can be used to measure a set period. This activity will test students’ maths abilities and teach them historical facts about ancient Greece. Resources are provided for teachers. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Creating designs for novel products using magnets In this fun STEM activity students will learn about how magnets can be used to attract or repel each other. They will use their knowledge of how they work to identify and sketch design ideas for two novel products that make use of magnets and magnetism. This resource is a great way for KS2 students to learn all about magnets and could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focusing on magnets and magnetism. It can also be used in conjunction with other IET Education resources, developed alongside the School of Engineering at Cardiff University. 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 science and design and technology. This resource focuses on identifying and sketching design ideas for innovative products that make use of magnets. This activity could be completed as individuals or in small groups. This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Bar magnets with N and S poles marked Modelling materials (for extension activity) Pencils, pens and sketching equipment CAD software (for extension activity) Modelling tools and equipment (for extension activity) Magnetic forces Magnets are made from materials such as iron and nickel and they have a north pole and a south pole. When the north pole of a magnet is placed near the south pole of another magnet, they will attract each other. When two poles that are the same are placed near each other, they will repel each other. For example, north to north and south to south. The engineering context Engineers need to know the properties of magnets, which materials are magnetic and which materials are non-magnetic. This knowledge could be used when identifying and creating potential solutions to future engineering problems. For example, when developing green transport solutions. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to describe magnets as having two poles, they will understand how magnets attract or repel each other and they will be able to identify and design ideas for products that make use of magnets. Download the free Magnetic forces STEM 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

Using static electricity to make tissue paper cats ‘pounce’ onto a balloon This is one of a set of free STEM 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 focuses on making tissue paper cats ‘pounce’ and stick to a balloon through the build-up of static electricity. This activity could be used as a main activity to introduce the concept of static electricity, or as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on electricity and its uses. Learners will first cut their tissue paper into small cat shapes. They could use different coloured tissue paper to make different coloured cats for more visual interest. Learners will then blow up and tie their balloons. The balloon should be blown up fully and tied so that no air can escape. If learners struggle to do this, the teacher could complete this step in advance. Alternatively, clips could be provided to seal the balloons. Learners will rub their balloon against their jumper several times to ‘charge’ it with static electricity. Following this, they can hold their balloon just above their tissue paper cat shapes. The cats should ‘pounce’ onto the balloon and stick to it. Why do you think the cats ‘pounce’ and stick to the balloon? How close does the balloon need to be for the cats to pounce? What is causing this to happen? This activity will take approximately 30-50 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Balloons Tissue paper Scissors The engineering context Engineers use knowledge of science concepts in their everyday work to ensure they produce solutions that are safe, functional and meet the needs of their clients. A good grasp of basic concepts, such as how electricity and static electricity works, is therefore very important. Electrical engineers use their knowledge of how electricity works to develop new electrical products and systems. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will have an understanding of the causes and effects of static electricity, they will understand how to use a balloon and a jumper to create static electricity and they will know that static electricity can be used to make paper stick to a balloon. Download the Static electricity experiment 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

Making a cradle using magnets that repel each other Newton’s cradle uses swinging spheres to show how the conservation of momentum and the conservation of energy works. The device was named after Sir Isaac Newton and designed by French scientist Edme Mariotte. 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 science and design and technology. This resource focuses on producing a magnetic Newton’s cradle that uses magnets which repel each other instead of the usual metal spheres. This is a great way for students to learn all about magnets and could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focusing on magnets and magnetism. It can also be used in conjunction with other IET Education resources, developed alongside the School of Engineering at Cardiff University. This activity will take approximately 65-90 minutes. Tools/resources required Circular magnets with holes in the middle (with N and S poles) 150 mm lengths of dowel 75 mm lengths dowel 100 – 120 mm long pieces of string (6 per unit being built) Masking tape Example of a ‘regular’ Newton’s cradle. Scissors Hot glue guns, if appropriate Magnetic forces Magnets are made from materials such as iron and nickel and they have a north pole and a south pole. When the north pole of a magnet is placed near the south pole of another magnet, they will attract each other. When two poles that are the same are placed near each other, they will repel each other. For example, north to north and south to south. The engineering context Engineers need to know the properties of magnets, which materials are magnetic and which materials are non-magnetic. This knowledge could be used when identifying and creating potential solutions to future engineering problems. For example, when developing green transport solutions. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to describe magnets as having two poles – north and south, they will understand that magnets either attract or repel each other and they will be able to make and test a ‘magnetic’ Newton’s cradle. Download the free How to make a magnetic Newton’s cradle 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

Carry out an experiment to measure how the light from a torch changes with the distance from a lamp In this activity learners will carry out an experiment to measure how the light from a torch changes with the distance from the lamp. They will record their results in a table and plot a graph. Activity: How Does the Light from a Torch Change with Distance? 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 science, design and technology, and maths (in this case, mainly science). This resource focuses on the investigation of how the light from a torch (flashlight) changes with distance. This activity is designed to be carried out in small groups. It is recommended that the teacher carry out the activity in advance of the lesson, to determine whether the distances suggested give sufficient (or excessive) spread of the light image, as this will be determined by the design of the torch used. It is recommended that new batteries are used in the torch, as the light intensity may be affected by the amount of charge remaining in the batteries. This could be used as a one-off activity in science or linked to maths learning about tables and graphs. This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Graph paper Masking tape Tape measures Torches/flashlights (with new batteries) Pencils (for extension) laser pointer (for extension) cut-out templates of simple shapes (e.g. square, triangle, circle), mounted on craft sticks The engineering context Engineers need to understand how light behaves when designing products for many practical applications. For example, when designing buildings, they may consider the provision of windows and artificial lighting; and when designing cars, they may consider the power and position of both internal and external lights and the placement of mirrors. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to carry out a scientific experiment and they will understand that the distribution of light from a torch changes with distance. 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 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

Create a water mill to produce electricity and power an LED In this exciting activity for primary students, kids will understand what is meant by, and the need for, renewable energy. They will make and test a water mill that produces enough electricity to light an LED and learn how water wheels work. This engineering activity will show students how electricity can be generated using the power of moving water and teach students facts about how the ancient Greeks have affected modern life. Resources for teachers are provided. And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this simple STEM activity for kids learners will investigate how a balloon can be used as a simple speaker. They will blow up the balloon, tap it and listen to how to sounds travel through it. They will then discuss the outcome of their experiment and explain why the balloon speaker works in the way that it does. This activity could be used as a starter activity to introduce the concept of sound and how it travels, or as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on sound. Activity: Balloon speakers This is one of a set of free 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 focuses on using a balloon as a simple speaker to amplify sound. What happens when you tap the balloon? What can you hear and feel? Why do you think this is happening? This is a quick and easy STEM activity that will take approximately 15 – 20 minutes. The engineering context Engineers must understand how speakers work in order to successfully design products that use them, such as phones, music players and TVs. Sound engineers must understand how sound can be amplified and transmitted from one place to another. For example, at a concert. Understanding how speakers work is a very important part of this. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this exercise students will know that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium in the ear. They will also be able to use a balloon as a simple speaker and explain how it works. Lastly, they will understand how pushing air closely together affects the volume of sound travelling through it. Download the Balloon speakers 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. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation