Find out the science behind ice During bad winters in the UK, we use nearly 2 million tonnes of salt to melt snow and ice. But how does salt melt ice? Watch our video and join Wilf Wonders as he explains the science behind melting ice and learn interesting fun facts that you can share this Christmas! Please do share your science highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Get creative with crafts this Christmas and build a beautiful mobile inspired by the winter holidays A versatile lesson for teaching about constructing robust structures and the principles of balance. It can be incorporated into a broader curriculum on design and technology, emphasising making and assembly skills. Learners will be encouraged to collect a variety of natural materials that they can use to craft a Christmas mobile. This homemade mobile will make a great sustainable Christmas decoration for the home or classroom. This is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to allow students to use the theme of the Christmas period to develop their knowledge and skills in Design and Technology, and Engineering. The IET Education resource: Homemade Christmas decoration can be combined with this activity to create one of the hanging ornaments. The time and resources required for this activity will vary depending on the types and quantities of decorations. We recommend using one of the following suggestions to make your mobile: Fir/pine cones - Cones that have been collected previously and allowed to dry out are the best. They take paint well if dry and can look effective with decoration. Keep the hanging loops long. Small fir trees - These are simple to construct. Clay star - This will be a heavy element for the mobile. The impact of different weights on the mobile should be considered. Bolts do not have to be used if not available. Pipe cleaner star - Learners may need additional assistance with measuring the length of the pipe cleaner to split it into five. Using natural materials will give a unique, designer effect, but shop-bought decorations can be mixed in if time is short. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to understand what makes a structure strong, they will be able to understand the concept of balancing, and they will be able to make a strong, well-balanced and visually attractive Christmas mobile. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your inspiring creative crafts with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM. https://education.theiet.org/primary/teaching-resources/create-your-own-winter-mobile/

How to make a toy parachute activity. In this Christmas STEM activity, kids will use items found at home to make two parachutes and test which one is faster. They will learn about gravity, air resistance and more. Download the STEM activity sheet for free. If you’re up for an extra activity, help our present find its way back to Santa’s sleigh through the maze. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery.

In this Christmas STEM activity, kids can make their own decorations using salt dough, in any shape they like! They can even paint them and unlike normal baked goods, they will last a very long time. Baking is a great way for kids to learn about science and maths in a fun and rewarding way, so get your aprons on! Download the STEM activity sheet and watch our video for step-by-step instructions. If you’re up for an extra activity, help our ornament find its way back to the Christmas tree in our maze. And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery.

**This is a great outdoor activity for kids to learn about the change of seasons and the natural environment around them. ** The free printable activity sheets are provided for children aged 5 to 14. There is a wide variety of wildlife and plant life for kids to spot while wandering through the woodland or countryside looking for items to match the pictures. Along with the pictures, there are science questions and ideas for children to think about. This scavenger hunt helps children develop their scientific knowledge by encouraging them to observe and identify different species of plants, animals, and insects. This can help students learn about ecosystems, food chains, and animal adaptations, among other topics. It promotes gentle physical activity and fitness by encouraging children to walk while searching for items on their lists. It will give children the opportunity to learn about the science of winter, including animal adaptations, weather patterns, and seasonal changes. They are also a great way of fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration as kids work together to find and collect all the items. The science context Winter scavenger hunts can create engaging and interactive learning experiences that encourage curiosity, observation skills, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of scientific concepts. It allows children to become active participants in their own learning, igniting their passion for science and cultivating the next generation of scientific thinkers. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of the activity, kids will have gained a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the role that science plays in understanding it. The activity can also help to teach geography lessons by encouraging kids to explore different landscapes and geographical features, such as rocks and bodies of water. We have a choice of three different winter scavenger hunt games for you to download, for 3-6, 5-11 and 11-14 year olds. Each game asks a series of questions, so there is also a corresponding answer sheet to download. Make sure the participants wrap up warm! Going for a walk on or around Christmas? Please do share your pictures of what you find on your winter scavenger hunts with us on social media on Facebook and Twitter using our #SantaLovesSTEM hashtag. You can also send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery.

Try out this fun science experiment, designed for primary school students, to catch Santa as he delivers your presents by creating an electronic trap! The engineering context Engineers need to be able to understand how electrical circuits are drawn and communicated; This includes the use of circuit symbols to produce circuit diagrams and schematics. This knowledge could be used when investigating, designing or making electrical and electronic circuits in the future. What equipment will you need? A thin piece of sponge – a washing up sponge is great, but make sure it is completely dry, Scissors, Masking or sticky tape, Aluminium kitchen foil, 3 crocodile leads (you will need another 2 if you do the extension task), A 2 x AA battery pack, A 3V buzzer How to do it Step 1 - Cut a square of the thin sponge approximately 10cm x 10cm. In the centre, cut a hole approximately 4cm in diameter. ⚠ Be careful when using scissors. Always have an adult on standby in case you need help. Step 2 - Cut two pieces of aluminium foil slightly smaller than your piece of sponge. Step 3 - Using masking or sticky tape, tape one piece of aluminium foil to the top of the sponge and the other to the bottom. The tin foil pieces MUST NOT touch if the sponge is not pressed down but should once it is pressed. Step 4 - Attach one crocodile lead to the top piece of foil and one to the bottom piece. You have now built the pressure pad for your Electronic Santa Detector, but you need to put it in a circuit for something to happen. Follow the diagram in the activity sheet below to connect the components with your crocodile leads. When you gently press the centre, the buzzer should sound. Now all you need to do is leave it somewhere you think Santa will stand when he delivers your presents. Just inside your bedroom door, perhaps, or at the end of your bed with your stocking. When he steps on the pressure pad, the buzzer will sound and alert you to him being in the room. You might also want to disguise it so it is not noticeable. Santa is old and wise, and if he sees it, he will know not to step on it! Download the Make a trap to detect Santa activity sheet for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Protect Santa’s packed lunch with this fun insulator experiment This activity can function as a fun science experiment for kids in which students will observe the effects of thermal energy on change of state. What equipment will you need? Ice cubes with a small Christmas toy frozen inside (cake decorations are ideal for this or any small Christmas toy/decoration), 5 different types of material, which could include bubble wrap, plastic bag, wool, cotton, foam, tin foil etc., Small containers big enough to put wrapped ice cubes in. How to do it Step 1 - Choose which materials you think will keep his lunch cold for the longest. Step 2 - Wrap up each ice cube singly, in one material each, being careful to have the same number of layers for each material. Put each wrapped ice cube in a container. Remember, we are trying to make this a fair test, so what else do you need to keep the same? Step 3 - Decide where to put your ice cubes and how often to check them. What signs will you look for to tell you which material works best? Step 4 - Why do you think some ice cubes are melting more quickly than others? Do you think the cold from the ice cube is getting out, or the warmth from the air is getting into the ice cube? Step 5 - Which material kept your ice cube frozen for the longest? When you have decided which material is best, design a lunchbox to keep Santa’s lunch cool this Christmas Eve. What is thermal energy? Materials melt because of heat, a form of energy (thermal energy). All objects are made up of particles which are in a constant state of motion. Cold objects have less thermal energy than warm objects and the particles which make them up will be moving much more slowly. If we put a cold object next to a warm object, they will exchange thermal energy until they achieve thermal equilibrium – and become the same. We can stop or slow down this energy exchange by using a thermal insulator. Good thermal insulators have very strong bonds to hold their particles in place, stopping the particles from moving around easily and transferring energy to other particles. Download the Insulator experiment activity sheet for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Students will learn about the effects of chemical reactions while making an exploding snowman in this fun, science experiment for kids. In this activity, students will use the theme of Christmas to make a card model of a snowman and mix the bicarbonate and vinegar to see the effects of the reaction. This is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to allow learners to use the theme of the Christmas period to develop their knowledge and skills in Science and Engineering. This activity could be used as a main lesson to teach learners about chemical reactions when one or more substances are changed to a different substance. It could also be used to explain foams as liquids or solids containing gas bubbles. Small 50g containers are best for this activity. The teacher may either bring in small plastic bottles or get the learners to bring in the bottles/containers. Teachers should ensure that covers are placed on work surfaces, or trays are used to prevent spills and catch the exploding liquid. The products of the reaction are relatively safe, though caution should be taken not to get splashes in the eyes, and clothes should be protected. The exploding mixture produced can be disposed of by washing it down the sink with plenty of water. Equipment required A zip-lock bag (sandwich bag size is great to start off with) Permanent markers Baking soda White vinegar Kitchen roll The engineering context Engineers use chemical reactions to help solve a number of problems. For example, rocket engineers mix chemicals together to make a reaction that powers a space rocket. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to make an exploding snowman using bicarbonate and vinegar, and they will be able to understand that a reaction is when one or more substances are changed to a different substance. Download the Make an exploding snowman activity sheet for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

In this Christmas STEM activity for kids, students will test a simple series electrical circuit in an attempt to make Rudolph’s nose light up. This experiment will encourage students to have fun with electronics and understand circuits. What equipment will you need? Rudolph template, Stiff piece of card the same size as the template, Block of wood, 2 crocodile leads, 1.5V or D size battery, A 2.5 bulb with holder, Sticky tape, Blu-tac How to do it Step 1 Please print off the Rudolph template and stick it onto a stiff piece of card. Step 2 Make a hole (large enough to put the bulb through) where the nose would be, keeping the bulb holder at the back. Tape the bulb holder to the cardboard to hold it in place. You can paint the bulb red with a felt tip pen or add some red acetate. Sweet wrappers work well for this! Step 3 Stick the block of wood to the bottom of the card so that the Rudolph template stands up. Step 4 Attach the crocodile leads to the metal part on each side of the bulb holder. Stick the battery down on top of the piece of wood at the back with a piece of Blu-tac. You are now ready. The science behind the experiment Electricity will only flow when there is a power source within a complete circuit of conductive material with no breaks. There is no need, at this stage, to explain what electricity is or how it works, but children can begin thinking about what electricity does. Encourage the children to look around the room to find other things which work on electricity. They could cut out pictures from magazines of things which work on electricity and then sort them into those which work on mains electricity and those which work on battery power. Download the Light up Rudolph’s nose activity sheet for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

In this fun science activity for kids, students will make play dough that can insulate or conduct electricity. Make colourful dough with salt and another with sugar to find out which one will work! Through this process they will learn about conductors and insulators. Students will also learn about ionic bonding. This is a resource that encourages learners to have fun with science. An activity sheet is available to download for free. We have also included a bonus wordsearch using terminology from the activity to promote sticky learning. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM

Learn about liquid and gas in this fun science experiment to make a snow blizzard In this simple and festive activity for kids, students will create a snow blizzard in a jar! This activity can function as a fun science experiment for the young engineer at home or as a full lesson in school to think about gas and reactions. What equipment will you need? A jar, A pot for mixing paint, Water, Baby oil (enough to fill ¾ of your jar), A small amount of glitter, Bicarbonate of soda or an effervescent tablet, A small tube of white paint, Blue food colouring, A stick for stirring How to do it Step 1 – First, fill the jar until about ¾ full of baby oil. Step 2 – Mix water and a few tablespoons of white paint in the pot. Step 3 – Return to the jar of baby oil and add the glitter and blue food colouring. You can add as much of these as you like – you are creating a magical winter scene! Step 4 – Add the paint and water mixture into the jar, filling it to the top. Step 5 – Lastly, add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Adding the bicarbonate of soda will start the blizzard! The science behind the experiment Oil is less dense than water, less heavy; This means the water sinks to the bottom of the jar, and the oil floats on top, and as they don’t mix, there’s a separation between the two. When you add the bicarbonate of soda or an effervescent tablet, it reacts with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles. These stick to the water droplets. The water and gas combination is less dense than oil, making them rise to the top of the jar and create pressure in an upward direction. At the top, the gas bubbles pop and escape into the air, leaving the dense water behind to sink back to the bottom again. This reaction creates our beautiful blizzard in a jar! The engineering context Understanding the way different materials work and the properties they all hold is vital in creating and developing solutions to our world’s problems. Engineers are interested in the world around them, which is a fun and critical spark to ignite from an early age. Download the Snow blizzard in a jar activity sheets 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 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

A simple and fun science experiment about insulation, to see how blubber keeps penguins, whales, polar bears and seals warm in the North Pole. This is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to allow learners to use the theme of the festive period to develop their knowledge and skills in Design and Technology, Science, Mathematics and Engineering. In this activity, students will construct a straightforward model of a polar animal and use this to investigate how they keep themselves warm. They will understand how well a layer of blubber can insulate an animal and how the heat loss is reduced against an uninsulated animal. This is a versatile activity that could serve as a main lesson activity to teach about insulation and heat transfer. It could also be used as part of a wider scheme of learning, focusing on how animals react to the world around them. This activity could be carried out in pairs or small groups. The teacher presentation covers the main activity on slides 1 to 11, and the subsequent slides are extension work and links. Resources required An empty margarine tub A full margarine tub A large flat dish Warm water Cold water with ice A thermometer A stopwatch or smart watch timer Graph paper Pencils and differently coloured pencil crayons The engineering context Engineers must be able to investigate the natural world to understand how it works. This allows them to design solutions that benefit and learn from the environment, such as suits for divers that can keep them warm. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to understand how polar animals keep warm in very cold conditions, they will be able to understand what blubber is and how it helps polar animals to survive, and they will be able to record experiment data using tables and graphs. Download the How polar animals keep warm activity sheets 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 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. Oh ho ho please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Evaluate strength and durability of materials that Santa could use as wrapping paper This fun and festive activity is suitable for 5-11-year-olds and will take approximately 1-2 hours to complete. What equipment will you need? At least six different types of wrapping paper. You can use more if you like (try and find ones which feel and look different, such as shiny metallic paper or tissue paper.), Some tape for wrapping, A large bin liner or a Christmas sack if you have one Five bricks/ large stones of equal size. (It works best if they aren’t perfectly smooth or round.) How to do it Step 1 – Wrap up each brick or stone with a different piece of wrapping paper. These will be your ‘presents’. Step 2 – Put them all in the sack together. Step 3 – Ask an adult to act as Santa and shake the sack for 30 seconds as though carrying it around. You could sing Christmas songs while you are doing it. Step 4 – Take each ‘present’ out and look at it carefully. Record any changes in the wrapping paper on a results sheet. These are your observations. Step 5 – Put them all back into the sack and get your helper to shake them again. Step 6 – Complete step 5 another three times (if your presents survive the shaking!). Record any changes each time. Once you have determined which paper would be best, you could write a letter (or even a poem) to Santa to let him know how you tested the paper and which paper you think he should use. You can also look at packaging materials to see which protects items delivered by courier or the post the best. For full instructions, download the worksheet and lesson plan 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 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your experiment highlights with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

In this fun and festive activity, students will explore drag, thrust, gravity and lift forces to design and craft their own sleigh for Santa. Download the How does Santa’s sleigh fly? activity sheets 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 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. Oh ho ho, and please do share your sleigh designs with us @IETeducation! #SantaLovesSTEM.

Learn about simple mechanisms and make an animal that moves in this fun and creative activity for kids! Students will use templates to help them cut out the parts for a DIY cardboard animal, and they will make the parts of a simple mechanism using cams and linkages, which will be attached to a round shaft made from a skewer; This will allow the legs of the animal to move up and down slowly. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners about simple mechanisms and how the direction of motion can change from rotary to reciprocating. This is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to support the delivery of key topics within science and design and technology, which could be carried out individually or in pairs. The teacher presentation could be left on the whiteboard as a supporting guide as they do this. Learners may need assistance cutting the cardboard to ensure the cuts are accurate. As an optional extension activity, learners could add their own designs to their animal’s body and legs. Keeping the white paper template stuck to the legs allows them to be decorated as desired. Tools/resources required Card tubes Wooden skewers Glue sticks/ glue sticky tack Cardboard Brass split pin fasteners The engineering context Mechanisms are used in almost every moving product, ranging from trains and cars to washing machines and door handles that must be pushed down to open, see-saws and scissors. They either transmit motion or change it in some way, increasing or decreasing its strength, quality, or type. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to understand that a linkage and cam can create movement, they will be able to make an amazing animal from graphics materials, and they will be able to use cams and linkage to make the legs move on the amazing animal. Download the Animal graphics project activity sheet for free! All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs. 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 how to make a shadow puppet for Halloween using card, craft sticks and sticky tape This resource focuses on making shadow puppets and developing supporting knowledge about the relationship between light and shadow. 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 design and technology and science. This could be used as a one-off activity in D&T or science and is designed to be carried out individually. The ‘character’ for the puppet made by each learner could be based on personal preference or could be linked to learning in literacy – for example, a character from ‘Wind in the Willows’ if that book is being studied. If linked in this way, the activity could be carried out in small teams, with each team member making a different character from the story. Additional time could be allowed to research the character for the puppet. The shape of the puppet could be taken from the associated handout, from outlines of images found on the internet, or drawn by hand by the learners. This is an engaging and practical exercise for KS2 that will develop students’ science knowledge and encourage their creativity. How long will this activity take? This activity will take approximately 20-40 minutes to complete. It should be noted that there are options presented in the activity sheet which could extend the time needed to carry out this activity. Tools/resources required Card (photocopies of handouts, if used) Masking tape Craft sticks Tracing paper (for screen) Large boxes (for extension activity) Scissors Torches The engineering context Engineers need to understand how light behaves when designing products for many practical applications. For example, when designing buildings, they may consider the provision of windows and artificial lighting; and when designing cars, they may consider the power and position of both internal and external lights and the placement of mirrors. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity students will know that blocking the path of light causes a shadow and to be able to use scissors to make a graphic product. This resource focuses on making shadow puppets and developing supporting knowledge about the relationship between light and shadow. 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.

Investigate light and reflection by making a periscope. In this fun activity for kids, students will learn about the reflection of light in a mirror and make and use a periscope. Learners will have an opportunity to practice making a periscope from a card net. Nets are important as they allow 3D objects to be made when folded. This activity could be used as a starter or main activity to introduce light and build on experiences to explain how light travels. Alternatively, it could be used as a main lesson activity to teach learners how to use nets to make useable objects. It could also be used as one of several activities within a wider scheme of learning focusing on understanding the use of nets in maths. Activity: How to make a periscope This activity is one of a series of free STEM resources designed to allow learners to use Christmas themes to support the teaching of the primary National Curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within science, design and technology and maths. This resource explores what happens when light reflects off a mirror or other reflective surface. Download the activity sheet below for a step-by-step guide on how to make your very own Pixie Periscope! The best results are obtained using small plastic mirrors (for example, cut from silver acrylic mirror sheets or extracted from toy compacts). If aluminium foil is used, care must be taken to ensure that this is very flat and the shiny side is used for the reflection; however, the observed image’s quality is likely still significantly reduced. Resources required Small plastic mirrors (best method) - if not available use aluminium foil (note: reflection is reduced) Scissors Card Glue sticks, sticky tape Double-sided sticky tape Rulers The engineering context Engineers need to understand how light travels and is reflected off surfaces; This is vital when engineers design rear-view mirrors for cars, periscopes for submarines and giant telescopes to look at the stars. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this activity, students will be able to understand what happens when light is reflected off a mirror, and they will be able to make a periscope from a net. Download the free How to make a periscope activity sheet! 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.

Grow grass in a terrarium to use on a football pitch on the Moon In this activity learners will make use of the theme of football on the moon to make an experiment of terrarium, so that grass can be grown for a lunar football game. 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 Science, Design & Technology and Engineering. This resource focusses on making a closed terrarium with glass jars to show how grass could be grown on the moon, therefore overcoming some of the external temperature issues of growing grass in this environment. The teacher will introduce the activity and the theme of travelling to the moon, before discussing the challenge with learners. Teachers can carry out demonstrations at stages throughout the lesson to show what is required and check that all learners understand and carry actions out in the correct order. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by providing pre-measured amounts of materials and marked jars for learners to fill to. As an extension students can discuss and experiment with the effects of rotating the jars. What would happen if this didn’t take place? Students could also have a go at identifying other plants that could be grown in the terrarium for use on the moon e.g. food plants. This activity is designed to take between 35-65 minutes plus growing time and of course, caring for your terrarium. Tools/resources required Clean jam jar and lid Activated charcoal Stones Soil Grass seed 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 grow plants, grass and food? Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand the concept of living organisms surviving on the Moon; set up an experiment to grow grass in a terrarium and be able to evaluate the findings of 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 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.

Investigating how carbon dioxide affects temperature In this activity learners will discover the effects of mixing chemicals and the warming effects of the sun. They will undertake a controlled experiment to investigate how gases in the atmosphere affect the heat in an enclosed environment. This activity could be used as a main lesson activity, to introduce the concept of the earth’s atmosphere, or as part of a series of lessons investigating environmental issues, the effect of global warming and greenhouse gasses. This is one of a set of resources designed to allow learners to use practical methods to support the delivery of key topics within Design & Technology, Science, Maths and Humanities. This resource, developed with the support of National Grid ESO, in a practical experiment that investigates how the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide affects the temperature is a closed environment. National Grid ESO ensure that Great Britain has the essential energy it needs by ensuring supply meets demand every second of every day. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by providing learners with pre-prepared jars and cling film. This activity is designed to take between 50-60 minutes to complete. Tools/resources required 4 large empty jars Cling film Scissors Masking tape Permanent marker Bicarbonate of soda White vinegar Measuring cups and spoons Elastic bands Thermometers (non-contact infra-red type preferred; if using a traditional contact type one thermometer will be needed for each jar) Heat source (radiator with a flat top or a sunny window) The engineering context Many human activities result in emissions of greenhouse gases. These can have a significant effect changing the climate and weather conditions that we experience. There is a wide range of possible ways to reduce these emissions. Engineers play a huge role in such areas, developing and implementing processes and materials that produce lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions, such as sustainable methods of power generation. Engineers also have a significant social influence on our behaviours as a society when we consider the future implications of our actions and consumption. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and be able to make a reaction between 2 materials/chemicals. 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.

Using Archimedes’ principle to investigate why boats float In this activity learners will learn what is meant by density. Learners will perform an experiment to see whether modelling clay moulded into different shapes either sinks or floats. They will discuss why this happens and how the principle demonstrated allows boats to stay afloat. This is one of a series of resources produced in association with Fairfield Control Systems that are designed to allow learners to use the theme of waterways to develop their knowledge and skills in Design & Technology, Mathematics and Science. This resource focuses on understanding density and, through practical measurement, working out which materials are low and high density, and which will therefore float or sink. This activity can be simplified (particularly for less able students) by providing a mould to make the boat shape from the modelling clay or by pre-measuring the mass of modelling clay used. As an extension students could try adding small items into the modelling clay boat. How much weight can it carry before it sinks? Calculate the density of the ball and the boat shape made from modelling clay. This activity is designed to take between 40-70 minutes. Tools/resources required Bowls and trays Science beakers/Measuring jugs Weighing scales Water Modelling clay The engineering context The waterways (including their protection, maintenance and control) is an excellent context to explore opportunities that working in the engineering industry presents. For example, constructing locks, building narrowboats or making and maintaining boat lifts. Engineers often make models of working systems to test how they function. For example, a crane designer will make models of different crane designs to see which structures can provide the best support and which designs can lift the heaviest object. Suggested learning outcomes By the end of this free resource students will be able to understand how Archimedes’ principle works; that is two things are the same size, the one that is denser is heavier; and how boats use the Archimedes principle to stay afloat. 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.