In this race against the clock students work as a team to build the highest tower possible out of dried spaghetti and marshmallows. The objective of this lesson is to explore structures and investigate what methods of building can make the tallest and strongest structure. By testing their prototype buildings, students will also have the opportunity to rebuild and alter their designs to improve them, giving an insight into the real-life processes of testing, redevelopment and prototyping that engineers and scientists use.

This resource pack provides three engaging classroom activities to help students explore the skills used by engineers. The resource also features profiles of inspiring women and men who use engineering skills every day, to give students a better understanding of the broad range of careers in this field.

You can’t see around corners… or can you? In this activity from the Science Museum, carefully placed mirrors change the path light takes twice, making it possible to look over walls, around corners and even behind you – all without being seen. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how light travels in a straight line and can be reflected by a mirror - Use observation and questioning skills - See how the properties and behaviour of light have useful and relevant applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Light KS2 Science: Working Scientifically

This activity from the Science Museum provides a fun way to explore magnetism. It involves the simple task of using a magnet to guide a coin through a maze drawn on the side of a plastic bottle. There is plenty of opportunity to think about and talk about how magnetism works, and why magnets only attract certain materials. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate the magnetic properties of different materials - Use observation and questioning skills - See how magnetism has useful and relevant applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS1 Science: Forces and magnets KS1 Science: Everyday materials KS1 &2 Science: Working scientifically

The simple pinball machine in this Science Museum activity is made from a cardboard box, with ice lolly sticks as the flippers. It provides a great opportunity to explore the science of forces and motion. Game on! Learning Outcomes: - Investigate simple mechanisms and Newton’s Laws of Motion - Use observation, curiosity and creative problem solving skills - See how levers and simple mechanisms have useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS3 Science: Physics; forces KS3 Science: Working scientifically

Ever wondered what would happen to your body in space? This activity from the Science Museum will give you some idea. It shows how a marshmallow expands dramatically when normal atmospheric pressure is reduced; it’s hard to imagine a human body in its place. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how materials behave when atmospheric pressure is changed - Use observation and questioning (curiosity) skills - See how forces and atmospheric pressure have useful and relevant applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS3 Science: Physics; forces KS3 Science: Working scientifically

An animation is made up of a sequence of still images shown in rapid succession, each image slightly different from the last. This activity involves making a device called a phenakistoscope, which displays a continuously looping animation consisting of images drawn onto a spinning disc.

Students receive a sealed box that contains a chance card. Opening the box represents taking a genetic test. Students work in research groups to explore the issues surrounding genetic testing to help them make an informed choice about whether or not to open their box at the end of the activity.

Can exercise make you happy? Punk Science experiment on living volunteers to explore the brain chemicals that keep us healthy. LEARNING OUTCOME Encourage discussion and questioning around contemporary science topics.

Give your students an atom's eye view of the carbon cycle and play out how the burning of fossil fuels is affecting the atmosphere. In this activity students understand the carbon cycle, how it has been affected by our use of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution and how this underlies current worries about climate change.

The Science Museum's Punk Science duo share their top tips for making science demonstrations fun and exciting in the classroom.

Classroom discussion is a great way for students to explore the science that relates to their lives. This pdf and the films on the web link give ideas for different discussion formats that will really help you structure a lesson. All the formats are designed to encourage participation and help students feel comfortable expressing their opinions

Give your students the chance to think about how climate change could affect lives and livelihoods – even their own. This activity will help students to understand the difference between weather and climate, and consider the impact that climate change can have on their and other people’s lifestyles. The documents below explain how to run the activity and provide all the templates and materials you'll need.

Love music, but disappointed with the puny sound you get from smartphone speakers? In this activity from the Science Museum, things found around the home will boost the sound those speakers make. It’ll also make you think about how sounds are made and how they can be made louder. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate how sound vibrations can be directed to increase their amplitude (volume) - Use observation and creative problem solving skills - Understand that the way sound behaves has useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS3 Science: Physics; Sound waves KS3 Science: Working scientifically

Taking apart gadgets such as a travel alarm clock, disposable camera, headphones, propelling pencil or a TV remote control is a great way to explore beneath the surface of objects, to find out and question how something works or how it was made. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate the design, function and properties materials that are used in the engineering of everyday objects - Use observation and questioning skills - Recognise that properties of different materials is useful and applied to everything we use in our lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Properties and changes of materials KS3 Science: Working scientifically

We rely on electric circuits every day, in our homes, schools and places of work, in our portable gadgets and kitchens. In this activity from the Science Museum, a circuit drawn in pencil conducts electricity to light an LED. You’ll need to get hold of an LED and some wires and crocodile clips – all these things are available cheaply online or from high street electronics shops. Learning Outcomes: - Investigate the conductive properties of graphite - Use observation and creative problem solving skills - Understand how the conductive properties of materials have useful applications in our everyday lives. Curriculum Links: KS3 Science: Physics; Electricity KS3 Science: Working scientifically; experimental skills and investigations

Total Darkness is a web-based game which can be played for free on any browser: https://totaldarkness.sciencemuseum.org.uk Total Darkness uses digital storytelling to help children recognise how the skills they have and use everyday are useful to STEM. When developing the game, we undertook a huge amount of research to make sure it was based on SMG’s approach towards informal science learning – what we call science capital. Science capital is all about helping people see that science is a subject beyond the classroom, part of everyday life and something everyone can be part of and do. Learning outcomes: Recognise using scientific skills like asking questions, team work, finding and using evidence, communication, creative problem solving, curiosity Understand the relevance and usefulness of science skills in our everyday lives Make a personal connection with a science experience

Treasure Hunters is a game designed to help school groups explore the larger world around them, whether they are visiting one of our museums, in the classroom or at home. It encourages players to look beyond the most popular objects in the gallery and create a completely unique experience, with the chance to learn about objects they might not have noticed otherwise. Everyone can get involved and go head-to-head for badges and treasure! iPhone and iPad download here: https://apple.co/2GHUETk Android download here: http://bit.ly/SMLearn_THApp Treasure Hunters can be played anywhere, not just in a museum, but our museums do have their own specific questions. The app poses challenges to players, for example: ‘Take a picture of something you think was expensive to make’ ‘Find something designed to move really fast’ ‘Take a picture of the biggest wheel you can find’ Players competing against each other will take it in turns to find an object that fits the description and photograph it. It is not just competition, either: on some rounds, competing players will be asked to team up and do a challenge together to collect special badges. Learning outcomes Make links between museum objects and science in their everyday lives. Develop discussion and communication skills. Develop observation skills.

Museums are full of wonderful and weird objects, and sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin. Here at the Science Museum Group we’ve come up with a simple question tool, See Link Wonder, to help inspire thought and discussion about the world around us. By encouraging students to observe and talk about what they encounter in our galleries, you can strengthen those links between museum objects, curriculum science and everyday life. Not to mention develop important skills that you can use back back in your classroom. See Link Wonder is not just for teachers, it can be used anywhere and everywhere by anyone: it is an easy way of exploring and investigating the objects around us, and making everyone a little bit more curious.

This activity from the Science Museum investigates how sound travels, using a kind of gong made from a coat hanger and some string. The gong makes a surprising and intriguing sound – but only when you have your fingers in your ears. Learning Outcomes: - Experience that sound is produced by vibrations and travels better through solids than gases - Use observation and questioning skills - Understand how sound travels through different materials has useful applications in our everyday lives Curriculum Links: KS2 Science: Sound KS1 &2 Science: Working scientifically