Controlled Assessments and Sustainability Issues
From Practical Action, this resource is intended to help students to think about how they can include sustainability throughout their tasks, from specifications, through to evaluation by using an eco-design tool.
Effects of Climate Change - Images
A number of images from Practical Action showing the effects of climate change and climate change adaptation. The images can be freely used by students and/or incorporated into teaching resources by teachers. The following text describes each of the photographs: • Drought in Kenya means there is little water left for herds…
Portable Power
These materials, from Practical Action, encourage students to look at the use of batteries and the development of more sustainable power sources for portable devices. The development of portable and hand held electronic devices over the last 20 years has gone hand in hand with the development of batteries, creating new problems…
Belief Circles
From Practical Action and the Royal Academy of Engineering, this short starter activity helps students to think about their own values and those of their peers in relation to the sustainability of engineering. The activity encourages an awareness of the impact of engineering on the environment and sustainability. It also helps…
Bottle It - Re-use or Recycle?
From Practical Action, these activities help students explore sustainable development and the difference between re-use and recycle. The resources look at re-use (using a product or component for another purpose without any processing) and recycle (processing a waste material or component and using it in a new product).
Climate Change in Africa
From Practical Action, this video clip shows the dramatic and devastating effects of drought. It tells how a three year drought can be seen as a sign of climate change.
Micro-hydro in Nepal
Produced by Practical Action, this case study looks at a village in Nepal that generates hydroelectricity using water diverted from one of the fast-flowing rivers of the Himalayas. With a particular emphasis on the electronics aspects of electricity production, this two-page leaflet is helpful for GCSE Physics or Electronics students.
Climate Change Leaflet
Produced by Practical Action, this leaflet looks at the effects of climate change on poor communities and what actions are being taken to tackle it.
Renewable Energy in Sri Lanka
From Practical Action, this video shows how a people centred approach to technology provides energy access in Sri Lanka. The clip shows how a community has used a wind turbine to supply renewable electricity.
Floating Garden Challenge
This challenge, from Practical Action, requires students to design and build a model structure that will enable farmers to grow crops even in an area that may become flooded. A floating garden, built on a base of aquatic weeds, is a cheap and sustainable way of allowing people to grow vegetables. The resource can be adapted to…
Climate Change - Who Is in Control?
Produced by Practical Action, this role play activity activity helps students explore who should take responsibility for reducing the effects of climate change. Students use role play involving different perspectives to promote discussion and debate. Designed to take place over two to three lessons, the lesson plans give an overview…
Design Abacus
From Practical Action, this resource is an eco-tool used to compare the sustainability of two products or design ideas.
Where's the Impact?
From Practical Action, this resource looks at life-cycle analysis and how it is used to work out the environmental impact of different products.
5/5- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Activity sheet
Winners and Losers
This resource, produced by Practical Action, helps students think about who the winners and losers are when making product choices.
Energy
Produced by Practical Action, these materials contain ideas and support for students undertaking a CREST award. There are stimulus materials that help students look at an issue of sustainable development. This project looks at the issues around providing sustainable energy in poor communities. It encourages students to investigate…
Preparing for Flooding
From Practical Action, these materials can be used to highlight how people are able to prepare for regular or unexpected flooding. They illustrate how the use of simple technologies are helping people in developing countries, such as floating gardens, aqua-cages for contained fish and flood resistant housing.
Transport
Produced by Practical Action, these materials contain ideas and support for students undertaking a CREST award. There are stimulus materials that help students look at an issue of sustainable development. These materials look at sustainable transport. In Nepal, the building of ropeways that allow people and farmers' products…
Line-ups
This resource, from Practical Action, helps students to evaluate the environmental, economic and social impacts of everyday products.
Water
Produced by Practical Action, these materials contain ideas and support for students undertaking a CREST award. There are stimulus materials that help students look at an issue of sustainable development. These materials look at provision clean and reliable drinking water. It looks at sustainable systems such as rainwater harvesting,…
Let's Negotiate
From Practical Action, this resource encourages students to look at how design specifications are balanced when developing new products.
Food
Produced by Practical Action, these materials contain ideas and support for students undertaking a CREST award. There are stimulus materials that help students look at an issue of sustainable development. These materials look at the production of food. This includes: • Irrigation • Composting • Donkey ploughs…
Squashed Tomato Challenge
This Practical Action resource presents a fun hands-on and brains-on challenge for Key Stages Two to Five. The problem: In Nepal many farmers living on the mountainside grow fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes. To earn a living they need to sell these at the local market. The problem is getting to market involves a long,…
- 3/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Activity sheet
Shelter
Produced by Practical Action, these materials contain ideas and support for students undertaking a CREST award. There are stimulus materials that help students look at an issue of sustainable development. These materials look at the provision of sustainable housing. They describe different construction methods, such as mud, clay,…
Case Study: Ewan Bloomfield - Energy Consultant
In this case study, Ewan Bloomfield explains how he came to be an energy consultant. He describes what attracted him to the job, his education history and what gives him job satisfaction. He then talks about seeing how his work affects people's lives, especially when working within developing countries across the world. He…
Case Study: Olivia Comberti - Digital Design Consultant
In this case study, Olivia Comberti explains how she came to be a digital design consultant. She describes her ambitions when younger, her education history and the role models who inspired her. She then talks about seeing how her work affects people's lives, especially when working within developing countries across the world. She…
Case Study: Ella Sprung - Editorial and Production Assistant
In this case study, Ella Sprung, explains how she came to work as an engineer. She describes her ambitions when younger, her education history and the role models who inspired her. She then talks about seeing how her work affects people's lives, especially when working within developing countries across the world. She is now…
Wind Power Challenge
From Practical Action, this challenge asks students to design a simple wind turbine capable of lifting a cup off the floor to bench height. The winning team will be the one producing a machine that lifts the most weight. The resource includes an instruction sheet, wind turbine images, links to videos and downloadable certificates.
Six R's
This resource from Practical Action helps students look at the 6Rs, their definitions and products which illustrate the 6Rs in action. These are: rethink, reuse, recycle, repair, reduce and refuse. Students look at the definitions carefully again and rank each of the Rs in terms of which contributes most and which least to making…
Renewable Energy Posters
From Practical Action, these posters show examples of how renewable energy sources are used in developing nations. They show how mp3 players can be powered by solar photoelectric cells, small-scale hydroelectric in Kenya, a wind turbine and biogas digested in Nepal.
Moja Island
Produced by Practical Action, Moja island is a 1-2 hour activity which will reinforce students' understanding of renewable energy sources. Students consider the variety of different options available to communities living on Moja Island and select the most appropriate technology. Renewable energy fact cards, a map of the island,…
100 Small Things to Make a Difference
This brightly illustrated poster, from Practical Action, encourages students to think carefully about the effects of waste on the environment. It gives lots of ideas for ways to reduce the harmful effects of waste, showing that everyone can make a difference, and includes links to useful websites. It separates the issue into the…
Hydroelectricity in Kenya
From Practical Action, this video clip illustrates renewable energy in action. It shows how a small hydro-electric generator has been installed in a village in Kenya to supply renewable energy.
- 3/5
- Publication year: 2000 - 2009
- Video