The natural environment – measuring leaves Trees and their leaves are an important part of our natural environment. We can use our maths and science knowledge to better understand them and hence the environment around us! In this activity each participant chooses a tree to collect six leaves from. Once the whole class has collected their leaves, return to the classroom to measure the lengths and widths of six leaves from a single tree. Place this data in a table and then calculate the mean average length and width of the leaves from the tree. As a class discuss the meaning of these values. What do they tell us about the size of the leaves on each tree sampled? Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links 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 activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners how to collect data and calculate the mean value of a data set. It could also be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on the use of maths and science to understand the natural environment. Tools/resources required Access to an outside area with trees and leaves Rulers and/or tape measures Calculators 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. 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

Gather information about local flora and fauna and create a map with coordinates showing the location of plants and animals In this engaging activity for KS2, students will work in groups to collect information about the flora and fauna in their area. They will then create a map that displays the location of these plants and animals using coordinates. 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 combines understanding of the natural world with maths skills, to create a map and guidebook of the local flora and fauna. A fun and practical exercise in which students will take real measurements of the area and use grid paper to create a scale representation. Additionally, students will incorporate digital photographs or drawings of the flora and fauna to create informational pages for the guidebook. For optimal results, it is advisable to conduct this activity in small groups. Selecting a suitable location is crucial, which could be the school grounds, nearby park, or other accessible area such as a local forest. It may be best if only one team member produces the map, and the other focus on measurement and describing the observed flora and fauna. The flora and fauna could include plants, trees, observed birds and wildlife and insects. This activity will take approximately 80-120 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Access to an appropriate outside area with flora and fauna Pencils Rulers Clipboards Digital cameras Grid sheets to map the local area Tape measures Chalk Glue sticks or sticky tape The engineering context Environmental engineers across the globe engage in the mapping of flora and fauna to monitor changes in the natural world. Their research spans a variety of areas, including the impact of deforestation in the Amazon, the effects of climate change in the Polar regions, and the consequences of flooding in Asia. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to draw a map, they will be able to plot the positions using coordinates and they will be able to create, identify, and describe flora and fauna. Additionally, they will be able to use SI units for lengths/distances and they will be able to measure an area and scale it onto a map. 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

Develop and reinforce your knowledge of the different parts of a leaf by painting and labelling a leaf print In this fun activity for kids, learners will be guided through the process of creating a visually attractive leaf print using various types of leaves and paint. This activity aims to reinforce learners’ understanding of the different parts of a leaf by labelling them. Download our free activity sheet for a step-by-step guide on how to make leaf prints! This is one of a set of free STEM resources that has been developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum, with a focus on key topics within maths and science. This particular resource is centred around creating leaf prints and developing knowledge about the main parts of a leaf. Leaves can be collected from trees in and around the school premises as available. In case it is not feasible for the learners to venture outside and collect leaves, the teacher could have a selection of leaves already picked and ready to use. It is important to avoid leaves that have completely dried out as these will not work. This activity can serve as the primary lesson or as one of several activities in a larger scheme of learning centred around using science to better understand the natural environment. There is also potential for the incorporation of art and design elements. This activity will take approximately 60 – 90 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Access to an outside area with trees and leaves Paints and paint brushes Old newspapers or other methods of protecting desks from paint A4 or A3 paper for the prints The engineering context Environmental engineers are professionals who work to develop solutions to environmental problems. They use engineering principles to identify and design solutions for a range of environmental challenges, including pollution control, waste management, and water treatment. Environmental engineers play a crucial role in protecting the environment and ensuring that human activities are conducted in a sustainable and responsible manner. They work in a range of industries, including government agencies, consulting firms and non-profit organisations. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to make a leaf print using different leaves and coloured paints, and they will be able to identify and label the main parts of a leaf. 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

Finding the density of materials by weighing items and immersing them in water 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 focuses on understanding density and, through a series of practical tests, working out which materials are low and high density. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity learners will learn about the density of materials through testing. Learners will have an opportunity to weigh and work out the volume of an object. They will use this information and their number skills to calculate the density. They will then repeat this for other objects and discuss their results as a class. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity, to teach learners how to collect data through measurement and to use number skills in a practical context. It could also be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on the use of maths and science to understand the properties of materials. 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 sheet 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 learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Growing seedlings in compostable home-made paper containers 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 focuses on plants and how they grow. Learners will make a compostable plant container, plant and grow a seed. Plants are an important part of our natural environment. We can use our science knowledge to better understand them and hence the environment around us! Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity learners will make a compostable plant box and then plant and grow a seed that can later be grown outside. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity, to teach learners how to plant seeds and care for their growth. They will also gain an understanding of what seeds need to grow i.e. sunlight, soil and water. It could be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focussing on the use of science to understand the natural environment. It could also be used to develop initial understanding of nets (making 3D forms from 2D shapes), contributing to learning in maths. It could also be used to start a discussion on the environment, as the container is biodegradable, whilst many traditional plant pots are made from polymers (which in turn are made from non-renewable oil), which take hundreds of years to decompose. 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 free activity sheet 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

This fun science activity for kids will teach students how deciduous trees change across the seasons. Students will then have the opportunity to track and record how an individual tree changes over the period of a year. In this activity learners will be shown how a deciduous tree changes across the seasons, then either as a class or individually recording how an individual tree changes over the school year. This activity is inspired by Greek mythology. A dryad is a mythical Greek creature, often associated with forests. They are said to be female nymphs who inhabit trees or woods and protect them from harm. Dryads have been featured in many stories throughout history, and they often symbolize the beauty and power of nature. This activity could be introduced as part of a main lesson activity at the start of the new year. It could then be followed up on a weekly (or periodic) basis over the year, with learners building up a record of how the identified tree within the school grounds changes over time. This could be used either to create a diary, a logbook, or it could form the basis for a classroom display. This is a long-term activity which can run for the duration of the school year. Following an initial introduction, individual learners or table groupings could be responsible for completing the diary on a weekly basis. If carried out by individuals, different learners could be allocated the responsibility each week, progressing through the class register. An appropriate tree within the school grounds needs to be identified. Ideally a tree visible from the classroom would be used. As applicable by local requirements, risk assessments may need to be carried out if the learners need to go outside the school building to carry out this activity. For continuity it is advantageous to have a set position from which the picture or observations are made. Tools/resources required Projector Copies of the How do deciduous trees change handout Digital cameras (if required) with access to suitable printing facilities The engineering context Environmental engineers are tasked with improving the quality of the natural environment around them. The more they understand about this, the better they can do their jobs. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will be able to describe how a deciduous tree changes with the seasons. 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 drums and earmuffs from different materials, to test the amount of noise they make and dampen In this engaging STEM activity learners will develop their knowledge and understanding of sound. They will learn how to make a homemade drum using different materials and test how each material affects the sound. They will learn how to make a homemade set of earmuffs using different materials and test how well each material dampens the sound. Musical instruments bring joy and entertainment to millions of people in the world every day, but do you know how they work? Let’s find out! 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 a DIY drum and set of earmuffs, using different materials to investigate their effects on sounds. This activity could be carried out as individuals or in small groups, used as a main lesson activity to develop knowledge and understanding of how sound works, or as part of a wider scheme of learning focusing on sound and musical instruments. An optional extension could be for students to decorate the drum and earmuffs to personalise them and add visual appeal. This exercise will take approximately 70 – 90 minutes. Tools/resources required Container, bowl or bucket for the drum body Different materials for the drum skin, such as plastic bags, tissue paper, normal paper and assorted fabrics Drumsticks (pieces of wood or pencils could be used instead) Strips of card Scissors Different materials for the earmuffs, such as cotton wool, cardboard, foam or polystyrene PVA glue, glue sticks and/or sticky tape The engineering context Sound engineers try to ensure that music is recorded in a way that produces good results for the listener. It is extremely important that they understand how sound is both created and dampened, and which materials work well for this. An understanding of how sound is both created and dampened is vital to the development of products for the music industry. For example, musical instruments, earphones, speakers, and portable music players. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this fun STEM project students will be able to make a drum and test the amount of noise made and a set of earmuffs that test how well they dampen sound. Finally, they will be able to investigate the effects of different materials on sound. 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.