In this fun Christmas STEM activity, students will make their own slime – the gooey slippery stuff that’s fun to pull and stretch. This experiment will dive into the science behind this sticky stuff and encourage students to have fun with science. Download the activity sheet below or watch our video for step-by-step instructions. If you’re up for an extra activity, try our snow sparkle slime word search where you look for words used in the experiment. 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 a classroom lesson plan for free. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM

Work out the density of materials This activity for primary kids gives them an opportunity to work out the density of a material using Archimedes’ principle, an ancient Greek mathematician. Combining maths and science, students will learn how to collect data through experimenting and understand the properties of materials. This activity will test students’ number 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

Use Pythagoras Theorem to measure objects In this activity for kids, students will be introduced to the concept of the Pythagoras Theorem and what it is used for. They will use this knowledge to create a string triangle in the proportion of 3:4:5 and use it to measure objects from their base. This activity will test students’ maths abilities and teach them historical facts about ancient Greece. Resources for teachers are available. And please do 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

Secondary classroom poster highlighting some of the areas in which the human body can be improved with technology. Download the single poster or order a full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

Secondary classroom poster calculating mechanical and electrical power. Order a free set of secondary posters from the IET Website.

Secondary classroom poster illustrating the concepts of current and resistance, their measurements and affecting factors. Download the single poster or order a full set from the IET Education website.

Secondary classroom poster exploring the green solutions for future travel. Download or order a full set of posters for free from the IET Education website.

An activity to compare journey times for different modes of transport In this fun activity for KS1, learners will calculate the times taken to complete the same journey using different modes of transport, allowing them to put their math skills into practical use. This activity is part of a collection of STEM resources developed to aid the teaching of the primary national curriculum. Its purpose is to assist in delivering essential topics within mathematics and science. This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity to develop basic maths skills in context. Learners will be given the “Who’s Fastest” activity sheet to complete. They will calculate the journey times for each mode of transport and rank them from fastest to slowest. After completing the calculations, the class will engage in a discussion. They will explore which mode of transport emerged as the fastest and why it held that position. Furthermore, they will consider which transport mode they would prefer to use for the given journey and explain their reasoning. By the end of this activity, the learners will have gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between distance, speed, and time while also having fun comparing different modes of transportation. The engineering context Comparing results is crucial in engineering as it aids in enhancing efficiency. Different modes of transportation have varying impacts on the environment. Consequently, a transport engineer’s task involves determining the most suitable transportation method for specific situations, such as employing trams in a city. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to solve a contextual problem using division and multiplication, and they will be able to understand how to calculate different journey times for alternative modes of transport. 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

A maths-based challenge for KS3 to calculate the journey times and carbon footprint of different methods of travel As well as testing students’ mathematical abilities, this activity highlights the issue of sustainable travel and the effects of some modes of transport on the environment. This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity to use maths skills in context, or as part of a scheme of work on sustainability, to build knowledge and understanding of climate change and ways of reducing it. Activity introduction This activity is one of a series of resources designed in conjunction with Network Rail to develop understanding and skills in key maths, science, and engineering concepts. The carbon footprint data in the presentation is derived from passenger-specific figures published by BEIS/Defra Greenhouse Gas Conversion Factors 2019. Transportation speeds are approximations based on typical values obtained from commonly used search engines. Any statistical or speed-related data used in this activity serves its sole purpose within the activity and may not accurately mirror current real-world conditions. Variability might arise due to seasonal changes, environmental conditions, or legal constraints. When utilising the activity sheet, students can construct tables for each journey, showcasing their findings (as depicted on the sheet). For air travel, a buffer of 3 hours should be allotted to account for check-in, security procedures, and boarding at airports. To add an additional layer of complexity, transit times to airports and railway stations could be incorporated. The presentation includes supplementary slides for those who prefer kilometres instead of miles. The engineering context Engineers must understand how products impact the environment; This pertains not only to modes of transportation but also encompasses the production of new items. They can use this knowledge to balance the environmental impact with the function carried out by the product. Engineers can also develop new or improved Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to solve a contextual problem using division and multiplication, and they will understand how to calculate journey times and the carbon footprint for alternative modes of transport. 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.

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.

Designing and making a vehicle to transport an egg in a race In this Easter STEM activity students will design and make a car that can safely carry an egg in a racing event and compete against other designs. This challenge is aimed at secondary school students and could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about modelling and prototyping, or as part of a wider scheme of learning covering manufacturing processes and techniques. It could also be used as part of an introduction to aerodynamics. This is one of a set of free resources designed to allow learners to use Easter themes to develop their knowledge and skills in Design and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This resource focuses on designing and making a vehicle to transport an egg in a racing event. Download our free activity sheet to see an example of how an egg racer could be made. This could be made to assist the development of workable ideas. This could be used to guide lower ability learners or for learners who produce a design idea that would otherwise not be practical to make. The final vehicles need to be placed on a slight slope for the race. For example, this could be a natural slope, or a plank or board rested on the table. As an alternative to a direct race, the evaluation could be based on the time taken to go down the ramp (which could allow the integration of maths, for example to calculate the average velocity) or determining which vehicle continues furthest along the floor after coming down the ramp. Tools/resources required Card Straws Wooden dowels or skewers with sharp points removed Wheels (wood or card) or plastic bottle tops Card tubes Masking tape Glue Glue guns if available Scissors Rules or rulers for measuring The engineering context Engineers make models and prototypes to test ideas and see how they will work. For example, they will put a model of a car in a wind tunnel to see how aerodynamic the design is. This helps to make designs that use the minimum amount of fuel. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this fun school project students will be able to design and make a vehicle to transport an egg in a race and they will have an understanding of what is mean by ‘aerodynamics’. Download the free Make a Vehicle for an Egg Race activity sheets, including a bonus crossword using the words from the activity to enhance learning. 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

Creating a working prototype of a food temperature probe This activity tasks students with using the micro:bit to develop a prototype for a food temperature probe that will warn people when their food is too cold. It’s an ideal lesson for introducing students to programming, allowing them to develop their skills, make use of programmable components and even embed intelligence into a product’s design. This is one of a series of resources to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in design and technology (DT) or computing lessons. It can be taught as a main lesson activity with Programmable systems as a starter activity, and Product integration as an extension activity. Activity: Creating a working prototype of a food temperature probe The activity starts with students being briefed on the importance of food being prepared or cooked to the correct temperature. Too cold and it could cause food poisoning, too hot and it could burn. Learners will then be asked to use this knowledge to develop a temperature monitoring system using the BBC micro:bit. The engineering context Being able to accurately monitor temperature is important within several industries including food, healthcare, electronics, energy, defence and chemical manufacturing. Engineers must therefore design systems that can not only easily monitor temperature but also automatically trigger warnings (such as alarms) or safety mechanisms (such as cooling systems) to regulate temperature. Suggested learning outcomes Learners will be able to understand a block systems diagram of the food temperature probe system. They’ll be able to successfully program the BBC micro:bit so that the system meets the design criteria, being able to choose appropriate inputs and output device for the system they’ve designed. Download our activity sheet and related teaching resources 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. Download our classroom lesson plan and presentation below. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this entrepreneurial role-play activity, students will research and create a pitch to sell a remote surgery system. This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3, supporting the teaching in design and technology (DT). Activity: Researching and pitching the technology for a remote surgery system This activity tasks students with an exciting entrepreneurial challenge. Students must role play being a senior engineer who has been tasked with creating a compelling video pitch to sell your custom remote surgery systems to the Faratron Medical Institute. The system includes a surgeon interface, a communications link, and a patient interface. The Faratron Medical Institute wants answers to critical technical concerns: Students will review a list of several technical questions from the institute and prepare a video response that addresses at least three of these questions, demonstrating technical solutions and building confidence in remote surgery system. Students can use visuals, props, or a direct presentation style. Download our activity overview for a detailed lesson plan on our entrepreneurial challenge. The engineering context Engineers often need to be able to explain how their innovations work in order to gain backing for their projects, or even to secure funding to build their designs. Entrepreneurial skills can also inspire engineers to invent new things and set up their own start-up companies – which can often lead to exciting breakthroughs in the world of technology. Suggested learning outcomes Students will learn how to use research to approach problem solving. They’ll develop their communication skills while learning about how different engineering fields converge to solve complex medical problems. Download our activity sheet and related teaching resources 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 (including video clips), 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.

Learning about how wireless technology can used for personal health care In this activity students will discover how wireless electronic systems can be used to improve health care. This topic investigates the driving technology behind body centric communications. Students will explore current health applications of wireless health care devices and learn about the possibilities for the future as well as the ethical issues surrounding these advancements. This is one of a set of resources developed to aid the class teaching of the secondary national curriculum, particularly KS3. It has been designed to support the delivery of key topics within design and technology (DT) and science. Activity: Learning about how wireless technology can used for personal health care Students will firstly work through our Pacemaker case study, where they must explain why someone with a pacemaker needs to be cautious around certain sources of radiofrequency energy. They will then draw a labelled diagram of a heart, pacemaker, and connecting wire (BCA), with annotations explaining how the pacemaker helps with heart problems. Students will then review our Body Centric Antenna (BCA) case study where a BCA increases the speed at which data can be made available to health professionals. After reading the case study, students must produce then a short leaflet that explains the potential health benefits of BCAs. Download our activity overview for an introductory lesson plan on wearable healthcare technology for free! The engineering context Body centric communications have abundant applications in personal healthcare, smart homes, personal entertainment, identification systems, space exploration and the military. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will understand that an electronic decision-making system consists of an input, a processor, and an output. They will also know that changes in physical factors will result in an energy transfer in a transducer (i.e., a transducer can be used as a sensor). Finally, they will be introduced to some of the social uses of electronic systems in health care. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources 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 class’s and your schools’ needs. You can download our classroom lesson plan for free! Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation

Design a future programmable system to meet user needs As technology progresses, programmable systems are being increasingly utilised at home and in industry. What will the programmable systems of the future be like and how will we use them? In this activity, students apply what they have learnt about the uses and designs of programmable systems to invent their own to meet a specific user need. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links An engaging activity in which students look to the future and consider what they have learnt so far about programmable systems to design their own that meets a user need. 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. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources (including film clips!) 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

Learners can make their own storytelling kit using the word cards provided and then extend their story by adding their own words and creating illustrations for their stories. Word cards can be a great way to help build learners’ vocabulary – giving them cards with words to read, understand and put into a sentence, or providing them with blank cards to add their own words and imagery to use as visual aids upon recall. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity learners will learn about sentence structure and storytelling. Learners will make their own storytelling kit using a range of word cards that use nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and conjunctions and use these to create stories. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity, to teach learners about the use of words and their spelling. It could also support verbal construction of sentences. 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. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery. Tools/resources required Glue sticks Thin card Scissors 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.

**Learn about ancient Egypt and discover how to make a snake bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery ** This activity for kids will teach students how to make a snake bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery. This activity will encourage students to design and create, as well as teach them historical facts about ancient Egypt. Resources and activity sheets are provided to help teachers support their students. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity learners will make an example of a bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery using air drying clay. There are related activities that involve making an alternative form of bracelet and necklaces. 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. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery. Downloadable content Make an Egyptian snake bracelet activity Make an Egyptian snake bracelet presentation Tools/resources required Air drying clay Sequins 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.

Learn about ancient Egypt and discover how to make a bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery This activity for kids will teach students how to make a bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery. This activity will encourage students’ creativity and teach them historical facts about ancient Egypt. Resources and activity sheets are provided to help teachers support their students. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity learners will make an example of a bracelet inspired by ancient Egyptian jewellery from easily sourced materials. There are related activities that involve making an alternative form of bracelet and necklaces. 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. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery. Downloadable content Make an Egyptian bracelet activity Make an Egyptian bracelet presentation Tools/resources required Carboard tube Paint & brush Gold paint Braid String Scissors Items for decoration 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.

Use modern technologies to enhance flight. In this activity learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to design a wearable cockpit that makes use of new and modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), which have the potential to completely change how pilots interact with and control their aircraft. Produce a specification for their design requirements and a mind map of ideas. They will then produce sketches of their initial ideas before producing a completed final design. 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