Polymers: Physical Testing
From CIEC Promoting Science, these activities are aimed at post-16 students following courses in technology, engineering, physics or materials science. The activities described allow students to gain experience and practice experimental technique in the testing of materials' physical properties. The tests include: • Compression…
Princeton USA: Can You Really Be a Burger Addict?
This Planet Science resource highlights the problems of fast foods and obesity to students. The stimulus is an American court case where a 56 year old man with diabetes and two heart attacks sued several fast food chains claiming they were responsible for his illnesses. Some scientists believe eating fast food can become an addiction.…
Texas USA: Can Malaria be Defeated by Building Tall Towers?
This resource from Planet Science aims to give students an insight into the problems caused by the disease malaria and to come up with creative solutions to combat the disease. Malaria is a major worldwide life threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly in hot countries - it kills an African child every…
Smart Energy
Through energy use, each UK home creates around six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Much of this is the result of electricity generation. In this activity, from the Centre for Science Education and the Comino Foundation, students look into the advantages and disadvantages of the Smart Meter – an innovative device that tells…
Shadow Air Muscle 14 to 16
This publication, from the Technology Enhancement Programme (TEP), is about the Shadow Air Muscle. This is a new kind of device for producing movement and is commercially available from the Shadow Robot Company. This book covers some activities that can be carried out using the 'muscle', to design devices such as: •…
Electronics
This Nuffield Working with Science unit aimed to enable students to design circuits to meet specific needs. The plan was also to help students to realise the range of electronics problems which they can solve by taking a systems approach. Guidance for teachers and technicians appears in Teachers’ Notes F. This unit was…
Pesticides and Food
In this SATIS Revisited resource, students examine data, perform a risk assessment, and see how risks are sometimes reported in the media. This unit focuses on the consumer and considers whether or not we should be concerned about any pesticide residues that may be found on fruit and vegetables. In the first activity, Pesticides:…