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Design a pair of futuristic sunglasses
In this activity learners will sketch and annotated design for a sustainable pair of sunglasses aimed at the young professional adults of the future.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about generating design ideas or sketching, or part of a wider scheme of learning covering design processes and techniques. It could also be used as part of an introduction to sustainability issues, such as the negative impact of plastic waste on the environment.
Resources required:
A4 or A3 paper, if not using handout
Pencils, pens, coloured pencils and sketching tools
Optional, if available: 3D CAD software for extension activity
Download the activity sheets for free!
And please do share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation
Turn milk into plastic
A project to make mouldable plastic from milk
In this activity, learners will make mouldable plastic (casein) from milk and then use a mould to form a shape. It will help them to understand how plastic is made from natural resources.
In an era of escalating environmental concerns and an urgent need for sustainable materials, transforming an everyday staple like milk into a versatile and biodegradable plastic presents a compelling and innovative solution.
This activity could be used as a main lesson to teach learners about plastic, covering manufacturing processes and techniques using natural resources. It could also be used as part of an introduction to plastics and their environmental impact and help develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology, Engineering, Science and Mathematics.
This resource is part of a group for Plastic-free Month that could be carried out either in school or at home.
The engineering context
Engineers actively contribute to environmental conservation by seeking innovative methods to produce plastic. Although plastic is extremely useful, the finite nature of crude oil underscores the need for alternatives. Bioengineers are currently exploring using organic resources such as sugarcane, potatoes, and various plants to enhance the sustainability of plastic production.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to make mouldable plastic from milk, and they will understand that plastics made from natural products could be a way to protect the environment.
Download our activity sheet and related resources 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 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.
Make a paper house
In this activity learners will design, make and assemble a fold out pop-up structure that shows a self-contained, four room dwelling.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about the design of folding structures using graphic materials; alternatively, it could be used as an introduction to designing for a client, where the learners could be given a target group such as wheelchair users or a young family. This could also be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focussing on structures and Design for Living.
Resources required:
Scissors
Paper or Card
Glue
Rulers
Pens, coloured pencils or paint
Paperclips
Optional: three pre-made rooms
Optional: a pre-made assembled example
Download our activity sheet and other related resources 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 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.
Paper aeroplane design
A project to make and find out how far a paper plane can fly
In this activity learners will make a paper plane to help them understand aerodynamics in action. They will also test it to see how far it will fly and the time it stays in the air.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about modelling and prototyping, or part of a wider scheme of learning covering manufacturing processes and techniques. It could also be used as part of an introduction to aerodynamics.
Resources required:
A4 printed paper aeroplane templates
Stopwatches (to measure flight time during testing)
Download the free activity sheet below!
Download our activity sheet and other related resources 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 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.
Balloon powered cars
We see aeroplanes fly, and cars move daily, but how do they move? In this engaging KS2 activity, students will learn about a vital force called ‘thrust’ and construct their very own balloon-powered car.
Through this hands-on experience, participants will enhance their engineering skills, practical craftsmanship and their understanding of scientific principles. They will make and test their cars and discuss the force that makes it move - its thrust.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about thrust, or as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on forces. It could also be used as a D&T or Engineering activity to develop practical making skills.
Download the presentation for a step-by-step guide on how to make the balloon-powered car. The teacher could demonstrate the making shown in each step, and learners could complete each step after it has been shown. Alternatively, if learners are able, the teacher could show all steps first and then learners could make their car.
The engineering context
Comprehending thrust and its associated forces is important for automotive, aerospace, and space technology engineers. A prime illustration lies in designing high-speed racing cars, where the aim is to propel the vehicle forward with utmost velocity.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to make and test a balloon-powered car, and they will be able to understand what is meant by thrust.
Download our activity sheet and other related resources 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 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
Treasure hunt
In this activity learners will look at different methods to find position and direction on a map. They will learn how to use coordinates and bearings using angle and distance. They will work with a pirate treasure map and a series of worksheets to work out where the treasure is. Differentiated worksheets allow the learners to progress from using simple coordinates and vector coordinates to polar coordinates using bearings with angles and distances.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity, to teach learners how to use coordinates and angles. Further number skills may be used to work out map scale and distances.
Download our activity sheet and other related resources 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 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.
Halloween STEM activities – Make a sundial
In this fun Halloween STEM activity for kids, students will learn how to use the Sun to tell the time.
They will make a simple stick sundial in the school area, identify where the shadow is cast every hour and mark this with stone and chalk. The following day students can test their results to see if the sundial is accurate at telling the time.
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 the making of a simple sundial built in the school grounds. This can be used to support learning of telling the time and to understand how light creates shadows.
How long will this activity take? Approximately 20-40 minutes to complete plus follow up.
Tools/resources required
Sticks
Stones/Pebbles
Chalk
The engineering context
Solar engineers design and make solar energy projects, from large-scale ones to home rooftop installations. They need to understand how the sun casts a shadow during the day to make sure their solar panels produce enough electricity.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity students will be able to make a simple stick sundial and use it to tell the time and they will have an understanding of how the shadow is created with the stick blocking the sun.
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
Measuring time - KS1 maths
In this engaging experiment, students will learn how to measure time by recording the time it takes to complete a walking race where the winner is the last person to cross the line, not the first!
This resource is part of a series created to support the primary national curriculum. Its purpose is to aid in teaching essential topics in mathematics and science.
Activity
In this particular activity, students will participate in a slow walking race and measure the time it takes to complete it. Working in small teams, they will use stopwatches to time each other and record the data. The collected results will be organised and discussed as a class, using terms such as faster, slower, and quicker.
This activity serves as a central lesson to teach students how to gather data through measurement and apply their numerical skills in a practical setting. It can also be utilised as one of several activities within a broader learning framework emphasising using mathematics and science to comprehend time measurement.
This activity is suitable for groups of 4 or more participants and can be conducted in various settings such as the classroom, hall, or outdoors.
The distance for the slow walk race can be adjusted to accommodate the available space, with a recommended length of 5 meters. It is ideal to mark the start and finish lines using tape or any suitable material within the available space.
Before starting the activity, ensure that the learners understand how to properly operate the stopwatches, including starting, stopping, and resetting functions. The teacher should provide a demonstration in advance to ensure clarity.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. Download the activity sheet below for a step-by-step lesson plan.
The engineering context
Accurate timing plays a crucial role for robotics engineers. They must determine the speed range at which two-legged robots can walk without losing balance. These engineers design robots to assist astronauts in space missions and perform demanding tasks like heavy lifting in factory settings.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to measure the time it takes to finish a race, they will be able to sort and compare time data, and they will be able to use the terms faster/slower to describe the time result of the race.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Salute - KS1 maths card game
Get ready to engage their mathematical skills in this fast-paced and interactive math card game.
This game of Salute will challenge addition abilities, help improve number recognition, and enhance critical thinking skills. It promotes quick thinking, decision-making, and collaboration, making it a perfect activity to strengthen mathematical foundations while having fun.
This activity could be used as a starter activity covering learning from the previous lesson, a plenary activity reinforcing learning that has just taken place, or as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on addition and subtraction.
The rules
Form groups of three and get ready for an engaging activity. Here’s how it works:
Players 1 and 2 each select a numbered card from a pile and hold it against their forehead, facing outward. Make sure they cannot see their own number.
Player 3 adds the two numbers together and announces the total.
Players 1 and 2 use their deduction skills to guess the numbers on their cards based on the total announced by Player 3.
Rotate the roles, with each player taking turns as Player 1, Player 2, and Player 3, and repeat the game.
This entertaining game will challenge your observation and mental calculation abilities while providing a fun opportunity to collaborate and strategise with your group members.
For added competition, a time limit could be set on how long learners have to answer each question.
The game can be played until all learners have had a go in the different roles or as many times as required.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 25-40 minutes to complete. Download our free, printable numbered cards below to begin. The numbers 1-20 are provided in line with the KS1 curriculum, but if extra challenge is required, these can be added to.
The engineering context
Engineers must regularly use mathematics knowledge and skills as part of their everyday job. For example, adding up how many parts are needed to build an aeroplane, calculating how strong a bridge needs to be or working out how much material is required to make the surgical gown for a hospital.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to read the numbers 1-20, solve addition problems using the numbers 1-20, and they will be able to add one and two-digit numbers up to 20.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Easy cookie recipe - KS1 maths: Scaling and ratios
This resource focuses on developing the understanding of ratio, fractions and scaling, by scaling up ingredients in a recipe. It could also be linked to learning in food technology, to demonstrate a practical application of maths.
In this activity, students will embark on a delicious culinary adventure as they learn to expand an easy cookie recipe to create larger batches. Scaling up a recipe requires careful calculation and understanding of ingredient proportions and ratios, making it a perfect opportunity to enhance mathematical skills while indulging in the sweet rewards of baking.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to solve a scaling-up problem involving a recipe using maths skills.
The engineering context
Food engineers are employed in food processing, machinery, packaging, and ingredient manufacturing. When a new food product, e.g., a breakfast cereal, has been developed, they may have to plan to scale up the production to make thousands of boxes of it each day.
Download the free activity sheet!
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 baking highlights with us @IETeducation
Product analysis using the 5 Ws and ACCESS (primary)
Examine and analyse existing products
This is one of a set of resources developed to support the delivery of key topics within science and design and technology (DT). This resource focusses on analysing existing products.
This could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focussing on the design process.
Activity: How to carry out a product analysis
In this activity students will learn about two techniques that are commonly used to analyse existing products – the 5 Ws and ACCESS FM. They will discuss the key terms in each of these techniques and use them to investigate familiar products. They will also complete an interactive quiz to test their knowledge.
The 5 Ws
Who: Who is the user of the product?
What: What does the product do? What materials is it made from?
Where: Where is the product used? Where was it made?
When: When is the product used?
Why: Why does the product exist? Why is it designed the way that it is?
ACCESS FM
A = Aesthetics – How does the product appeal to the five senses?
C = Cost – How much does the product cost to make or to buy?
C = Customer – Who will buy or use the product?
E = Environment – How does the product affect the environment? Is it made from recycled materials?
S = Size – What is the length, width and height of the product?
S = Safety – Is the product safe to use?
F = Function – How does the product work? What does it do?
M = Material – What materials and components have been used to make the product?
The engineering context
Understanding product analysis is vital for budding engineers. It equips them with the ability to evaluate how well products and systems perform their intended functions. By understanding why products are designed the way they are, they can devise better engineering solutions in the future.
Suggested learning outcomes
Upon completing this activity, students should understand what is meant by ‘product analysis’. They will be able to use the 5 Ws to examine existing products and apply ACCESS FM for detailed analysis. By discussing key terms and investigating familiar products, they will develop a deeper understanding of how products work and how they can be improved. This knowledge will serve as a solid foundation for their own design processes in the future.
Download our activity sheets for free!
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, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.
You can download our step-by-step instructions below as both a classroom lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation.
Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.
Practical probability
In this engaging activity, students will investigate the likelihood of selecting different fruits based on the number of each type in the bag, and they will examine the concept of probability, exploring how it relates to ‘chance’.
Through observation and careful analysis, learners will gain a solid understanding of probability and its application in real-world scenarios, developing their ability to make educated predictions, estimate outcomes and making informed decisions.
This activity is one of a set of STEM resources developed to support teaching the primary national curriculum and the delivery of key topics within maths and science. This resource focuses on probability.
This activity serves as an excellent main lesson to introduce learners to the fundamental concepts of probability. As they delve into the calculations and reasoning involved, learners will sharpen their probability skills and enhance their grasp of numerical concepts such as ratios and proportions.
By the end of this activity, participants will emerge with a strengthened ability to work out and comprehend probabilities while reinforcing their overall number skills. So, get ready to dive into probability, where every fruit-filled selection unveils a fascinating lesson in chance and uncertainty.
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete. Download our fun probability experiment worksheet below to begin.
The engineering context
Probability is important to engineers as it examines the likelihood of an event happening so that risks can be reduced. For example, a rail engineer will test the train tracks for a new high-speed train to reduce the probability of failure.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to calculate the probability of picking an item of fruit from a bag.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Tally chart activity
In this interactive and engaging activity, students will create a tally chart to collect data and discover the most popular colours in the class. Get ready to observe, count, and tally as you learn more about your classmates’ colour preferences. By the end of this activity, you will not only have a beautiful visual representation of your classes’ favourite colours, but you will also develop your data collection and analysis skills.
Activity
This activity is one of a set of free STEM resources developed to support teaching the primary national curriculum and key topics within maths and science.
In this activity, learners will produce a tally chart of favourite colours in a class. They will split into groups and go around to the other learners in the class, recording their favourite colours in their chart. They will then add up the totals and discuss their results.
This activity could be used as a main lesson to develop knowledge and understanding of recording and displaying data methods or as part of a wider scheme of learning focusing on statistics. It could also be used as a starting point for learning based on the use of colour in Design & Technology.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete.
Why do we use tally charts?
Tally charts are used to collect and organise data visually. They provide a quick and efficient way to record and count occurrences or responses. Tally charts help simplify data collection, making it easier to analyse and interpret information and identify patterns or trends.
The engineering context
Transport engineers use tally charts to record how many vehicles, and of what types, pass through road junctions or along busy roads; this helps them to plan the timings of traffic lights and identify routes where changes are needed.
Engineers need an understanding of colour when producing aesthetically pleasing solutions for clients.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to construct a tally chart to record and analyse data about their favourite colours.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Times table bingo
**In this thrilling times table bingo game, we combine the excitement of bingo with the challenge of mastering multiplication. **
Students race against the clock to quickly identify the correct number on the bingo cards as the teacher calls out different multiplication problems to solve. They need to be prepared to think fast and strategise to complete lines and patterns or even achieve a full-house victory! Whether a beginner or a times table whiz, this game is an entertaining way to reinforce time tables knowledge.
Activity
This activity is one of a series of accessible STEM resources to support teaching the primary national curriculum and key topics within maths and science.
In this activity, learners will solve a series of multiplication problems read out by the teacher. They will use these answers to play bingo, aiming to complete their given card with their responses; this will improve and reinforce learners’ multiplication skills in a fun and engaging context.
Learners could play in small teams, pairs or as individuals. Students who win each round of the game could win a prize as a reward and an incentive to other learners.
This multiplication bingo game could be used as a starter activity covering learning from a previous lesson, a plenary exercise reinforcing learning that has just occurred, or as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on multiplication and division.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 25-40 minutes to complete. Download the free handouts below for step-by-step guides and printable bingo cards.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to multiply numbers together using the 2-, 5- and 10-times tables, they will be able to solve multiplication problems using mental arithmetic, and they will be able to use correct mathematical statements and terminology relating to multiplication problems.
The engineering context
Engineers must use mathematics knowledge and skills regularly as part of their job. For example, calculating the strength of a material, the speed of a vehicle, the sizes of products or quantities of parts needed.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Create a map of local flora and fauna
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
Magic Square puzzles
This engaging magic square puzzle activity for KS1 delves into the realm of number arrangements and challenges students to uncover the magic hidden within these intriguing square grids.
This activity is one of a set of free STEM resources developed to support teaching the primary national curriculum and key topics within maths and science. This resource focuses on developing the ability to add numbers using Magic Square grids.
This activity could be used as a starter or main activity to introduce maths problem solving using addition. Learners could complete it in pairs or small groups. Although this activity is designed to be carried out in a playground (which has the advantages of scale and allows chalk to be removed), it could equally be done on paper in a classroom.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 35-60 minutes to complete. Download the worksheets below for a handy step-by-step guide and lesson plan.
What are magic squares?
Magic squares are intriguing mathematical arrangements of numbers within a square grid, where the sum of the numbers in each row, column, and diagonal is the same. Each number is unique within the square, and the challenge lies in finding the right arrangement to achieve the magical property. Magic squares have a long history dating back to ancient times and have captivated mathematicians and enthusiasts alike. They possess symmetrical and symmetrically complementary patterns, adding to their aesthetic appeal. Magic squares can vary in size, from 3x3 grids to larger ones, presenting a wide range of complexity and opportunities for exploration within recreational mathematics.
The engineering context
Engineers need to solve several puzzling problems when designing products. For example, chemical engineers must determine the amount and combination of ingredients required to create tasty and effective toothpaste.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to solve Magic Square problems using addition, they will be able to add small numbers by mental arithmetic, and they will be able to create Magic Square grids of varying sizes and difficulty.
Download the free activity sheet!
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
Mathematical measuring - lengths of leaves
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
Make a leaf print
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
Animal diet card game (KS1)
Card matching activity with animals and foodstuffs
Herbivore, carnivore or omnivore? Play this fun and interactive game that will teach you all about the diets of different animals!
This STEM game is great for primary school children to teach them about the world and the creatures living in it. It’s simple to assemble and all instructions can be found in the free, printable activity sheet below.
This activity could be used as a main activity to develop knowledge and understanding of the terms herbivore, carnivore and omnivore, as well as giving examples of animals included in each category.
**Activity: **
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 what is meant by carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. It involves identifying what animals eat and sorting them into groups.
This activity could be carried out individually, in pairs or in small groups.
The cards for the game can be found in the teacher presentation below. Print and cut the cards out from the presentation. 1 set of 20 sorting cards should be given to each individual, pair or group. Sorting labels of herbivore, carnivore and omnivore could be provided if appropriate.
The cards have coloured borders representing their grouping – red for carnivore, green for herbivore and blue for omnivore. These could be omitted by printing the cards in black and white.
Tools/resources required
Animal diet card game cards
Drawing paper
Coloured pencils
The Engineering Context
Food engineers are responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient processing, packaging and delivery of food to every store shelf in the world. It is a vital job to help safely feed all of humanity and the animals that we look after.
Suggested Learning Outcomes
By the end of this activity students will be able to identify and name a variety of common animals, they will be able to identify and sort animals into categories of what they eat and they will be able to sort animals into herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
Download the Animal diet game 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
How to work out scale
Scaling activity to change the size of items
In this activity learners will change the scale of items, by doubling or halving the size and drawing them to a new scale. Learners will be shown that multiplication and division are useful methods to change the scale of an item.
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 the use of multiplication and division in the context of scaling an item to either double or half its size.
This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners how to work out scale or to reinforce understanding of multiplication and division. It could be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on the use of maths to understand ratio and proportion. It could also support the development of drawing skills in art.
The engineering context
Structural engineers collaborate with architects to design various structures, such as houses, hospitals, office blocks, bridges, oil rigs, ships, and aircraft. They create scaled-down drawings for each of these structures.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will know how multiplication and division can be used to work out scale, they will be able to scale drawings back to their original size by either scaling up or scaling down, and they will be able to solve simple problems in scaling contexts, i.e. two times larger and two times smaller.
Download the activity sheets for free!
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, 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