In this fun STEM activity for secondary school students, learners are challenged to design and create a prototype Smart Beacon which will be used to communicate information to cyclists. When used, together with other Beacons, along a route, cyclists will be able to identify a safe cycling route which they can use. The Beacon must contain electronic components to allow it to communicate information to cyclists. This may be done by reacting to external conditions e.g., light or temperature and then sending a signal to the cyclists who pass it on their route. The aim of this challenge is to introduce students to technology which engineers use and will be using in the future. This challenge will work best if you have access to 3D printers at your school or a local venue. The use of 3D printers can be substituted for making prototypes out of cardboard, as many conceptual designs are created by engineers. However, running this challenge could be a great opportunity to make links with a local university, college or industry. Designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 12 – 13 years (year 8, and equivalent), this fun challenge encourages the development of students’ problem solving, team working and communication skills. This activity can be tailored to the needs of your school and your students by adapting the PowerPoint presentation and the editable student booklet. What’s included? The complete set of downloadable materials includes: Teachers pack A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day . . . plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates. Student booklet Available an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school. Introductory PowerPoint presentation A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation. Film clips and sound effects The engineering context More and more people are taking to cycling for competition, personal transport and leisure. The benefits of cycling are obvious; it is enjoyable, cost effective, improves fitness and is a sustainable way to travel. IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day We have provided a set of printable resources and guidelines notes giving teachers and technicians the basic ingredients to run their very own Faraday Challenge Day. This cross-curricular activity day brings science, design and technology, engineering and maths (STEM) together in an engaging way. Download all documents for free! All online resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and the student booklet and PowerPoint presentation are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Designing a football arena for the moon In this activity learners will make use of the theme of football on the moon to design a future football stadium for playing the game on the moon. They will think about the main design considerations and requirements for the stadium. They will then learn how to draw a football pitch step by step and produce annotated sketches of their idea. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of football on the moon to develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology, Graphic Design and Engineering. This resource focusses on learners designing a stadium for playing football on the moon. The teacher will introduce the theme of playing football on the moon, before introducing and discussing the design brief with learners. Learners will then have time to research and design their stadia for playing football on the moon. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by providing partially completed arena designs for weaker learners to add to and improve and/or providing card or paper cut outs of different arena elements that they could assemble to produce a finished design. As an extension learners can introduce vector illustration to their design or make a card scale model of the stadium and/or design a stadium for playing other sports on the moon, such as athletics, rugby, cricket or netball. How would the requirements of these differ from football? This activity is designed to take between 50-70 minutes. Tools/resources required Pens or pencils Coloured pencils Rulers Paper Computer and internet for research The engineering context Travelling and potentially living on the moon presents all sorts of challenges for engineers to overcome. For example, how will we breathe, how will we cope with much lower gravity, how will we play sports and keep fit, how will we develop the facilities to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives? Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand the main considerations when designing sports stadia; design a stadium for playing football on the moon; and present design ideas as annotated sketches. 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.

Designing and making a foldable goal that could be transported to and used in Lunar football matches In this activity learners will make use of the theme of football on the moon to design and make a model of a foldable goal for use in a Lunar league football game. They will consider the issues with playing football on the moon and transporting equipment to it. They will then design and make a model of a goal that could be folded into a tube for transport, then opened up and used. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of football on the moon to develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource focusses on learners designing and making a model of a foldable goal that could be transported to, and then used for a game of football on the moon. The teacher will introduce the theme of playing football on the moon and the challenges that would be faced when doing this, before explaining the design brief and task ahead to design, make and test a model goal. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by providing templates for the shape of the goals and/or pre-cutting the straws and string into required sizes. As an extension students could organise a Lunar Football League with other groups in the school; design and make a model of a space rocket to get your goals to the moon and/or design foldable equipment for other sports, such as Rugby goals or a cricket sightscreen. This activity is designed to take between 60-100 minutes. Tools/resources required Paper straws Scissors String (or wool) Ruler Pencils A bamboo skewer or similar thin rod Sticky tape A cardboard tube (E.g. the inside of a cling-film/tin foil roll) A small ball, such as a table tennis ball The engineering context Travelling and potentially living on the moon presents all sorts of challenges for engineers to overcome. For example, how will we breathe, how will we cope with much lower gravity, how will we play sports and keep fit? Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand the challenges of living and playing football on the moon; design and make a model of a foldable goal; and understand the function of different shapes of structure. 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.

In this fun activity, students will be designing and making a pewter cast medal for a sporting event, such as the Olympics or Football World Cup. We introduce the concept of CAD design, pewter casting and how this can be used to create something for a major event. Metal casting is a manufacturing process that involves pouring molten metal into a mould to create a 3D metal part. The mould contains a hollow cavity of a desired geometrical shape, and the molten metal is allowed to cool down to form a solidified part. The term ‘casting’ also refers to the part made by the casting process, which dates back 6000 years. Students will look at designing the medal, casting the pewter and fettling, and finish the medal. Download the activity sheets for free! 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

Designing footwear for sports use Trainers are one of the most commonly worn shoes in our culture. They provide comfortable support for our feet as we go about our active lives as students, athletes, educators and engineers. The design of trainers (and all athletic shoes) is based on how they will be used and is an example of bioengineering. This activity introduces the concept of research through product analysis to support the design process. The main activity involves designing a trainer. Activity info, teachers’ notes and curriculum links In this activity, learners will use the theme of the London Marathon to respond to a design context, investigate existing products for inspiration and design a trainer. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to develop skills in designing. It could also be used to introduce the review of existing products to inspire design solutions. Tools/resources required Pens, pencils and drawing instruments Variety of trainers/shoes for comparison 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. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation

IET Faraday® DIY Challenge Day This engineering challenge for kids aims to create a device that consistently serves table tennis balls to a player so that they can practice their skills at the table tennis table. By creating this brilliant machine, a player can practice table tennis on their own while the machine serves back to them. Activity introduction The Faraday Challenge ‘Table Tennis Server’ has been designed for six teams of six students (36 students in total) aged 12 – 13 years (year 8, and equivalent). Each team will be asked to assign: a team leader; an accountant; an assessment coordinator; two scientists; two mathematicians; two design and technologists; manufacturers and designers. Each team member will need to be assigned more than one role and feed into different aspects of the day. You can adapt this set of resources for larger numbers of students if, for example, you wish to run the event for the whole year group. If this is the case, you will need to increase the number of team booklets and practical resources appropriately. We have provided a set of printable resources and guidelines notes giving teachers and technicians the basic ingredients to run their very own Faraday Challenge Day. This cross-curricular activity day brings science, design and technology, engineering and maths (STEM) together in an engaging way. The set of downloadable materials includes: Teachers pack A list of the practical materials needed, presenters’ notes highlighting key areas and reinforcing key themes throughout the day, some handy hints on how to deliver the day . . . plus printable Faradays currency and student certificates. Student booklet Available as an editable MSWord document to allow the booklet to be adapted to meets the needs of your students and your school. Introductory PowerPoint presentation A step-by-step guide for your students throughout the day, with supporting notes for the delivery of the presentation, including links to the related film clips. The engineering context Table tennis is a growing sport in the UK. Practice, as with most things, is the key to improving at the sport. The only problem is that it is hard to practice on your own. Being able to return service is often what provides the edge in terms of winning and losing. Within this challenge, students will work in teams to design and make a prototype device that will serve tennis balls consistently across a table tennis table. The server must fit securely on the edge of the table and serve at least four balls accurately and precisely in the same position, and allow the ball to be returned. Download the activity sheets for free! All online resources (including film clips!) are free to download, and the student booklet and PowerPoint presentation are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. For additional related videos, please visit the IET Education website.

Testing fitness to decide whether people should engage in computer-based sport With such a wide variety of fitness-based computer games available, this engineering activity for kids encourages children to collect data to find out if video games for fitness have the desired effect on fitness levels. Do technology games really enhance fitness? Can you increase your fitness levels by being in front of a gaming computer? Use this activity to help answer these questions while at the same time questioning the validity of data and the difficulties of carrying out a fair test. This lesson involves a series of discussions and ranking activities to develop students understanding of the link between fitness, pulse rate, respiration, and activity. This activity was designed as a science activity but would be an excellent opportunity to be taught in conjunction with PE and mathematics. Students will divide themselves into groups of 4 to 6 and have a discussion to establish what the group understands by the meaning of the word ‘fitness’ and clarify a group definition. Students should consider the following questions: what do we mean by someone’s level of fitness? What is a pulse rate? What is respiration and where does it happen? Why do we need our heart and blood? What is energy and how does it relate to activity? What you will need Projector Whiteboard The engineering context The ‘Who’s the winner’ scheme of work provides students with an opportunity to collect data which they can use as evidence to debate whether people should be encouraged to engage in computer-based sports activities. The investigation highlights how difficult it is to control all variables and therefore carry out a fair test. The students’ evaluation of the investigation will allow them the chance to question the validity of the data, question the size of the data set used and question the time span data needs to be collected over before it can be used to confirm a claim. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this engaging activity students will be able to explain what is meant by fitness, pulse rate and respiration and how they are affected by activity. They will also be able to explain how fitness relates to level of activity. 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. You can stream and download the related films for free by clicking on the appropriate link in the related resources section below. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Designing a robot that can perform the duties of an assistant referee during a football game In this activity learners will make use of the theme of football on the moon to design a robot that can perform the duties of an assistant referee during a game in the ‘Lunar League’. They will consider the challenges associated with playing football on the moon and the duties of an assistant referee. They will then produce a labelled sketch of their idea to meet a set of design criteria. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of football on the moon to develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource focusses on learners designing a robot to act as an assistant referee during a game of football on the moon. The teacher will introduce the theme of playing football on the moon and the challenges that would be faced when doing this, before explaining the task to learners and introducing the design brief. Learners will then have time to sketch their design ideas and report back to the class on their successes and failures and what they would do differently if they were to repeat the task. As an extension learners can design a logo for the Lunar League that could be shown on the side of the robot assistant referee; produce a model and prototype of the design idea, using electronics to make it functional; and/or design a robot referee for the games of football to be played on the moon. This activity is designed to take between 50-80 minutes. The engineering context Travelling and potentially living on the moon presents all sorts of challenges for engineers to overcome. For example, how will we breathe, how will we cope with much lower gravity, how will we play sports and keep fit? Engineers have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that their work is sustainable and that they do not negatively impact the environment. This includes the use of sustainable energy sources to power products. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand the challenges associated with playing football on the moon; understand the roles and responsibilities of an assistant referee in a game of football; and be able to design a robot that can perform the duties of an assistant referee for a game of football on the moon. 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.

Sketching an idea and writing a microcontroller program for the line painting robot to follow This resource focusses on robotics engineering where learners design and write a program for a robot that could mark out the pitch lines for a game of football. Students will produce a labelled sketch of their idea and write a microcontroller program for the electronic aspects of the robot. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of sports to develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology and Engineering. The teacher will introduce the theme of playing football on the moon and the challenges that would be faced when doing this, before explaining the robot design worksheet and task ahead to design and assemble their robot and then program it to complete the task assigned. This activity is designed to take between 90-140 minutes. Tools/resources required Pens, pencils and coloured pencils Crumble controller board and USB download cable Three red crocodile clips and three black crocodile clips Three AA batteries and battery pack Two Crumble motors Crumble software and computer hardware for programming The engineering context Electrical, electronic and control engineers need to have knowledge, understanding and skills associated with circuit design and assembly, and the programming of electronic control systems. Travelling and potentially living on the moon presents all sorts of challenges for engineers to overcome. For example, how will we breathe, how will we cope with much lower gravity, how will we play sports and keep fit? Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand the challenges of living and playing football on the moon; be able to produce a labelled sketch of a design for a moon based pitch marker robot and be able to write a program for the electronics of the orbit, so it can mark out the pitch. All activity sheets and supporting resources to design a robot are free online 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.

**Learn about the protection given to people in the Second World War and make a model of an Anderson shelter from card. ** Activity: Create a cardboard model of a World War 2 air raid shelter This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of the second world war to develop their knowledge and understanding in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource was inspired by the themes of the World War 2 and Flight. It supports the teaching of design and technology in context by making a model of an Anderson (air raid) shelter using graphic materials. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about The Second World War. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning focussing on structures or as a focussed practical task focussed on model making. Tools/supplies needed: Scissors Card or cardboard (cereal box) Glue sticks Masking tape (optional) Coloured pens/pencils Extension Design a suitable layout for the interior – what would be needed? How would you arrange everything? Remember a whole family would be inside! The Engineering Context Understanding about how to keep people safe inspires engineers to develop new materials, objects and structures. This develops the world we live in and improves the quality of living for all. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Design and Technology and Engineering with History , with the aim that the learners will be able to know what is meant by an Anderson Shelter and be able to follow instructions and model an idea accurately. Download our activity sheet and other teaching 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 as a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Simple sliders and levers can be used to create movement in a picture. This activity teaches participants how levers and sliders work and how they can be used to create an engaging moving picture in a card or a book. How can I teach levers and sliders? This could be used in Key Stage 1 as a stand-alone activity or as a KS1 introduction to a design and technology project, such as: a greetings card - for example, a Christmas card where Santa’s sleigh moves across the sky a story detailing a journey – for example, inspired by a book they are reading (such as ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’); alternatively, this could be a fictional journey of their own devising the development of the book could be carried out as a class activity where each table or group of pupils works together to produce one or two pages, contributing to the book produced by the full class. This could also be linked to a story-writing activity in literacy a moving display - for example, charting the different activities carried out during a day, where the slider or lever indicates the changing time. On completing either model, pupils could also apply colour to their mechanism or add details to the background. Tools/resources required Copies of the moving pictures handout, printed on card, 1 per pupil (plus spares) Plain card (for the simple slider and lever backgrounds) Split pin-type metal fasteners (1 per pupil plus spares – see image in presentation) Scissors Sticky tape Glue sticks Optional Coloured pencils Hole punches (ideally single hole punches) Pre-made models of each mechanism, for demonstration Download the activity sheets for free! 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 for this KS1 DT activity are free to download and are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. Please do share your learning highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this lesson, learners will apply the lift equation to carry out a real-world aircraft design activity. This will support their understanding of: manipulating the subject of equations; using equations; interpreting data presented in tables and graphs. The resource is designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both key stage 3 and key stage 4, including the GCSE in Engineering. This resource focuses on the application of maths in engineering. This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity, as an introductory lesson to a wider unit of work focussing on aerodynamics or as part of a scheme on aircraft design using all of the resources developed in association with Arconic. Activity: Writing flowchart programs to meet a given design brief Students will firstly view our Flying by Numbers presentation to make sure that they understand the concept of lift and the lift equation. Using the information from within this presentation, they will change the subject of the formula to make wing area and velocity the focus, and then interpreting data using the tables and graphs that have been provided. Download our activity overview and presentation for a detailed lesson plan on how to write a flowchart program to meet a given design brief. What is the lift equation? The lift formula is as follows: L = d x v2 x s x CL / 2 Where: L = lift; for level flight this equals the weight of the aircraft d = density of the air. This changes with altitude – the higher you get, the ‘thinner’ (less dense) the air is v = velocity of the aircraft s = wing area of the aircraft CL = coefficient of lift. This is read from a graph Wing area: s = 2 L / (d x v2 x CL) Velocity: v = √(2L / (d x s x CL )) The engineering context This lift equation is used by aerospace designers to determine the necessary characteristics of an aircraft so that it can fly. Suggested learning outcomes This lesson will teach students how to manipulate the subject of a formula. They’ll be able to use a formula and interpret data in tables and graphs. 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. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Understand sustainability issues in engineering and how these are applied when designing a product The resources is designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both KS3 and KS4, including the new GCSE in Engineering. This resource focuses on designing a sustainably powered aircraft for the future. In this activity, learners will design a sustainably powered aircraft of the future. They will learn about the alternatives to using petrochemicals to power aircrafts. It will build understanding of sustainability issues in engineering and how these are applied when designing a product. This activity will also encourage students to get creative as they design a sustainable, but aesthetically pleasing aircraft. This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity, as part of a wider unit of work focusing on sources of energy and sustainability issues in engineering or as part of a scheme on aircraft design using the resources developed in association with Arconic. It is intended that learners complete this activity as individuals. Some prior understanding of sustainability issues and energy generation methods may be advantageous. Tools/resources required Projector/Whiteboard Basic drawing equipment CAD software (if producing final design using CAD) The engineering context Sustainable design and the use of finite and non-finite resources is required learning as part of both the new Design and Technology and Engineering 9-1 GCSE courses. The knowledge gained can also be used when selecting sources of energy for future product and system designs. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will know that oil is a non-renewable, finite resource, they will be able to understand and apply sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals for powering aircraft and they will be able to communicate design ideas using sketches, notes and annotations. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets, worksheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

Understanding aerodynamics by making and testing an aerofoil Aerofoils are designed to allow aircraft to fly. The design of these is crucial to minimise drag and increase lift. The resource is designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both KS3 and KS4, including the new GCSE in Engineering. This resource focuses on understanding aerodynamics and making a simple aerofoil. Students will learn about the terms lift, drag, and thrust and how these apply to aircraft. This engaging activity will build knowledge of aerodynamics theory and how this can be applied. This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity, as an introductory lesson to a wider unit of work focusing on aerodynamics or as part of a scheme on aircraft design using all of the resources developed in association with Arconic. It could also be used to support our existing IET Faraday resources. This activity can be completed as individuals or in small groups. A small piece of paper (A5) would be suitable to make the aerofoil. Air could be applied by blowing or using an electric fan on a low setting. The aerofoil could also be attached to the desk with a piece of spring during the testing to prevent it from moving backwards and so that flight can be more easily observed. This could be fed through the space inside the aerofoil, and taped to the desktop at both ends, allowing some slack so that it can raise/fly. Alternatively, a wood dowel could be inserted loosely through a hole made in the top and bottom of the aerofoil. This activity will take approximately 50-60 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required Projector/Whiteboard Small pieces of paper or thin card Tape, e.g. masking tape String Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will have an understanding of the terms lift, drag and thrust, they will have an understanding of how an aerofoil works and they will be able to make and test a simple aerofoil design. Download the activity sheets for free! All activity sheets, worksheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please share your classroom learning highlights with us @IETeducation

In this activity learners will make use of the theme of World War 2 to learn about how FM radio was used by the Allied forces during the war. They will then assemble a circuit that acts as an FM radio receiver. Finally, they will test their circuit to see how well it works. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about how radio and radio systems work, and how to assemble a radio receiver circuit. It could also be used as part of wider scheme of learning focussed on electronic systems and circuits, or as part of a wider theme-based project on World War 2. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of the second world war to develop their knowledge and understanding in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource focusses on learners assembling an FM radio receiver circuit. This is a challenging activity that involves assembling a bought-in kit of parts using soldering irons. It is aimed at Year 6 pupils with good ability in Design & Technology. Tools/supplies needed: Solder FM radio kit including PCB and all required components Soldering irons Soldering iron stand and damp sponge Desk protector board Safety glasses Wire cutters Wire strippers Extension Design a casing for the radio circuit Make a model of your casing in card Design a carry case for the radio The Engineering Context Engineers need to be able to understand how electronic circuits are made and how they work, for example how to construct and investigate the function of a radio circuit. Engineers need to understand the historical context of different technological inventions, such as radio, and how they were used. This helps them to learn from mistakes made and produce improved products and systems. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Design and Technology and Engineering, with the aim that the learners will be able to understand how FM radio was used during the second world war, to be able to make and test an FM radio receiver circuit and to be able to use circuit assembly and soldering equipment safely. Download our activity sheet and other teaching 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 a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this activity learners will make use of the theme of World War 2 to learn about the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign and how it was used during the war. They will then design their own garden, considering the types of fruit and vegetables that could be grown within it. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about sustainable ingredients and how these can be grown at home. It could also be used as part of wider scheme of learning focussed on food preparation and nutrition, or as part of a wider theme-based project on World War 2. Learners could subsequently choose one of their class designs and plant the garden. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of the second world war to develop their knowledge and understanding in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource focusses on learners designing a ‘Dig for Victory’ garden. Tools/supplies needed: Squared paper Rulers Pencil/pens Coloured pencils Extension Create a table showing which fruits and vegetables will be seeds and which will be seedlings Design a poster to encourage your neighbours to ‘Dig for Victory’ The Engineering Context Food scientists need to understand how different items of food are grown to meet different nutritional needs. For example, growing on a small scale to provide food for a family. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Design and Technology with Cooking and Nutrition, with the aim that the learners will be able to be able to understand what the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign was and why it was used during WW2 and be able to design a ‘Dig for Victory’ garden where a household can grow its own food. Download our activity sheet and other teaching 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 a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

Learn about flight and making a successful paper aeroplane. Learners will make a launching mechanism to propel a paper plane further than they could throw it. Finally, they will test their launchers and observe how they work. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners basic marking out and model making skills. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning focussing on the history and development of design, technology and engineering, alongside other flight-themed IET resources. This is one of a series of resources that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of the second world war to develop their knowledge and understanding in Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource was inspired by the theme of flight. It supports the teaching of design and technology in context by making a paper aeroplane and launching device. Tools/supplies needed: Thick paper or card A4 Scissors Pencil Ruler Elastic band Paper clips Tape or stapler Extension Add decoration such as camouflage to your launcher What happens if you use a shorter or longer elastic band? Could you improve this launching device using other materials? The Engineering Context Understanding about the history of engineering and design helps engineers to learn from past successes and mistakes. For example, learning about how mechanisms are used to help create enhanced movement, such as the catapult for launching panes from carriers. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Science, Design and Technology and Engineering, with the aim that the learners will be able to make and test a paper aeroplane and launcher and be able to develop practical skills in manipulating materials skilfully. Download our activity sheet and other teaching 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 a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this activity learners will make use of the theme of Halloween to make a flapping bat decoration. They will learn about the history of Halloween and why bats are an important part of it. They will then learn how to make a simple mechanism for a flapping bat. Finally, they will test and adjust their flapping bat and observe how it works. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about basic marking out, testing and model making skills. It could also be used as part of wider scheme of learning focussed on designing and making products within a Halloween-themed context, alongside other IET Halloween themed resources. Activity: Making a flapping bat for a Halloween decoration Learners will make use of the theme of Halloween to develop their knowledge and understanding in Design & Technology and Engineering and make a flapping bat to decorate their home or classroom. Tools/supplies needed: Printed template Good quality card (corrugated or grey card) String Small change, 1p or 2p pieces, washers or small weights Scissors Sticky tape A stick to hold the bat Black paint Pencil Googly eyes (optional) Craft knife Extension Make another bat from thin painted plywood to make it more weatherproof Cut out shapes to make another type of animal - for example, birds or pterodactyls Research more about bats and how they act The Engineering Context Engineers can learn a lot from nature in terms of how to design and make products and structures. For example, how bats fly and ‘see’ in the dark – this is similar to the principles of sonar and radar. Iterative design is a key strategy for engineers to use when designing and producing ideas for products. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Design and Technology with Engineering, with the aim learners will be able to understand the origins of Halloween and how it is celebrated today; be able to make a flapping bat decoration for Halloween; be able to test and balance the bat decoration to make it work well; and understand how iterative design works and is how it is used. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. You can download our step-by-step instructions as a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

In this activity learners will make use of the theme of Halloween to make a spider’s web decoration. They will learn about the history of Halloween and why spiders and spiders’ webs are an important part of it. They will then use threads to make their own spiders web on a card backing. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach about threading and simple textiles hand-making skills. It could also be used as part of wider scheme of learning focussed on designing and making products within a Halloween-themed context, alongside other IET Halloween themed resources. **Activity: Making a spider’s web for Halloween ** Learners will make use of the theme of Halloween to learn why spider’s make webs, to explore the properties of spider’s webs and use their finding to create their own web using string or wool. **Tools/supplies needed: ** String or wool (or cotton for the extension) Scissors and/or craft knife A large piece of corrugated cardboard e.g. from the side of a box Optional Spider cut-outs Googly eyes Glue gun or superglue The Engineering Context Engineers can learn a lot from nature in terms of how to design and make products and structures. For example how spiders’ webs influence the design of suspension bridges. **Suggested learning outcomes ** This resource combines Design and Technology with Engineering, with the aim that the learners will be able to understand the origins of Halloween and how it is celebrated today, know how a spider makes its web and be able to use thread and knots to construct a spiders’ web. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. You can download our step-by-step instructions below as a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.

This resource focusses on learners working out the names of the main bones within the human body and then using their knowledge of these bones to complete the activity. In this project learners will learn about the movement of the bones in the human body. They will then make their own dancing skeleton from card. Finally, they will test their skeleton and observe how it works. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about human anatomy. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning focussing on the human body, mechanisms and movements, or designing and making products within a Halloween-themed context, alongside other IET Halloween themed resources. Activity: Making a dancing skeleton with movable arms and legs Learners will make use of the theme of Halloween to learn all about the skeleton – what it is, it’s function and importance within the human body. Tools/supplies needed: Scissors Card or cardboard Glue Paper fasteners String Drinking straws Tape Eraser or ball of sticky tack Optional: thin wood/bamboo skewers with the points removed Extension Can you add linkages to make the body move differently? Or make more than one limb move at the same time? Can you make the arms and legs bend at the elbows and knees? The Engineering Context Understanding about how something works helps engineers understand how to improve it. It can also give inspiration for other products or objects. Learning how the human body works and moves can help Engineers to transfer this into other objects, such as walking robots or prosthetic limbs. Suggested learning outcomes This resource combines Science, Design and Technology and Engineering, with the aim that the learners will be able to know what is meant by a skeleton, be able to name and locate major bones in the human body and be able to make a model of a skeleton using graphics materials. Download our activity sheet and other teaching resources All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. You can download our step-by-step instructions below as a classroom lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. Please do share your highlights with us @IETeducation.