ARKive School Museum (Age 11-14)
Produced by ARKive, this series of activities teaches students about endangered species through the creation of an interactive museum. The ARKive School Museum presentation looks at examples of endangered species and explains the concept of an ARKive School Museum. Students then research an endangered species using the ARKive…
Shelter for the World
This resource pack introduces the concepts of shelter and shelter deprivation around the world to students in Key Stage Two. It highlights the challenges people face in their daily lives when their homes do not provide adequate shelter. It linked to the curriculum areas of design and technology, geography and PSHE and promotes thinking…
Circular Economy Introductory Kit
This card game and supporting resources, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, are designed to introduce the concept of the circular economy. Working in groups, students analyse the life cycle of a simple product, such as a bottle of water, and compare it with the cycle of growth, decay and new growth that is found in a biological…
Activity 6: Rethinking Textiles Products
This activity, for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, looks at textiles in fashion design. It provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge and understanding of a circular economy approach to developing textiles products and how textile companies are applying this approach to developing new products. It explores…
Activity 5: Biomimicry
Biomimicry involves looking at nature for inspiration to solve engineering problems and to develop innovative new designs for products and architecture. This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, investigates what is meant by linear and closed loops systems and explores products that have been developed by learning from…
Activity 4: In the Loop
This design-and-make project, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, provides hands on experience of working with materials, using CAD/CAM for design, and an opportunity for students to manufacture interesting products while addressing many circular economy concepts. The activity explores the use of materials, the principle of…
Activity 3: Rethinking the System
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, follows the format of a ‘Dragon’s Den’ competition. It aims develop student’s understanding of responsible product development and how the principles of the circular economy can be applied to current business practice. Case studies of existing products…
Activity 2: Waste = Food
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, introduces aspects of the circular economy through design-and-make tasks, focusing on food packaging for festivals. It addresses the circular economy principle that waste equals food. The activity provides students with the opportunity to consider mass food packaging waste at…
Activity 1: The Circular Economy in the Built Environment
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, concentrates on the design of buildings, their use and eco- effectiveness. Students will explore how, through applying circular economy principles, new buildings can be created that have a positive impact – buildings that do good rather than less harm. The activity is composed…
One Planet Packaging
These materials, from Waste Watch (part of Keep Britain Tidy), have been developed to make explicit links between sustainability and packaging for students following GCSE level design and technology courses. The scheme of learning includes suggested activities for five active learning sessions, supported by the learning resources,…
Mechanisms: Robot Building
From the Centre for Science Education, the RA3 project aims to bring parents together with their children and teachers to explore the worlds of science and technology. These activities use 'mechanical kangaroo' or 'mechanical horse' model robot kits. These kits allow children and parents to explore mechanisms…
Crash Site Investigation
Produced by Innovate Educate and Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, these materials challenge students to investigate the evidence from the crash site of Lancaster bomber PD259. This activity should be treated sensitively. Whilst it looks at an incident that happened over 60 years ago, it should be remembered that lives were lost during…
Communications and Radar
Produced by Innovate Educate and Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, these materials allow students to investigate circuits using communication as a context. The principles behind radar are also examined. The activities can be used individually or together in a series of sessions. The activities are: Using electric circuits to…
Can It Fly?
Produced by Innovate Educate and Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, these materials can be used to encourage children to think about what types of things can fly. There are three activities. Each activity is self-contained, and so can be run individually, or as a sequence of activities. The activities look at: Can it fly? Children…
Aviation Development
Produced by Innovate Educate and Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, these materials allow primary children to consider the science and technology behind the development of flying machines. This encourages the investigation of forces and movement as well as looking at how products can be evaluated. There are five activities and each…
Aircraft Structures
Produced by Innovate Educate and Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, these materials allow students to investigate forces, motion and the use of resistant materials to make structures. There are four activities which can be used in sequence or individually. Helium balloons and lift Students look at the development of flying machines…
Product Analysis: Impacts on People and Environment
This resource from Practical Action includes a presentation and worksheets which give Key Stage Three and Four students opportunities to understand more about the impact of existing and new products on people and the environment. The presentation is packed with useful activities to reinforce students' learning. The activities…
Sustainable Design: What Is the Role of a Designer?
In this resource from Practical Action, a presentation and linked activities provide design and technology teachers with opportunities to highlight the different values and beliefs that designers may hold. Students can engage in exploring their own values about the responsibilities of designers and companies too. The powerpoint…
3/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Activity sheet
Pod 5: Pupil Project
In this summative challenge from Nuffield Foundation groups of students use the knowledge, skills and understanding from earlier pods to explore a sustainability question of their choice. They need to research, analyze and present ideas in preparation for an exposition. Students assess each others ideas and plans on an ongoing basis.…
Pod 4: Climate Change
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students begin by reviewing their understanding of the carbon cycle. They investigate the link between human activity and increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and speculate on whether this is causing global warming. They compare the carbon footprints of different activities and…
Pod 3: Cars
In this Nuffield Foundation resource, students explore our relationship with cars and other forms of transport. They start by investigating some of the health and social problems associated with increasing car ownership. They move on to consider how innovative technologies could support more healthy and sustainable lifestyles. As…
Pod 1: Introduction
In this Nuffield Foundation resource, students explore the how humans have sought and used materials and energy throughout history. They learn that the current manufacturing system extracts raw materials, makes something useful and then disposes of it afterwards as waste. This take-make-dump model is not sustainable. Natural closed…
Pod 3: Game On
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students use the learning skills they have acquired in earlier pods to invent a new game of their own. They need to design and test equipment as well as establish effective rules and a fair scoring system. Groups then present and explain their new game at a sports fair where it is evaluated by…
Pod 2: In Top Gear
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students use secondary data to investigate how changes in technology have led to improved performance in cycling. They research footwear to see how materials of different properties can be combined for specific purposes and carry out a practical investigation to define the optimum design of a…
Pod 1: Up to the Mark
In this Nuffield Foundation activity students carry out an investigation into some sporting techniques to establish whether practice improves performance. They conduct research into the rationale for training schedules for different sports. Students then investigate target games to explore whether scoring systems reward skill fairly…
Introduction
This Nuffield Foundation resource opens with a team game that demonstrates the need for careful planning and collaboration. Students use their findings to construct a standard operating procedure that enables them to improve their performance through better collaboration. They are also introduced to their games learning log which…
Pod 2: Waste
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students investigate whether recycling alone can mitigate the wastefulness of current industrial processes. They categorize waste into two main categories - natural materials which can be recycled through natural systems, and processed technical materials which cannot. Students learn that in order…
Workshop 4: Key Stage Five Resources
These resources, from the James Dyson Foundation, include lesson plans, activities and a presentation to support post-16 design and technology and rngineering courses. Through these resources, students learn about design specification, how they are used in the design process and how to develop one. They learn to analyse products…
Workshop 4: Key Stage Four Resources
These resources, provided by the James Dyson Foundation, include lesson plans, activities and a presentation to support Key Stage Four design and technology and engineering courses. Through these resources, students learn about design specification, how they are used in the design process and how to develop one. They learn to analyse…
Workshop 4: Key Stage Three Resources
These resources, from the James Dyson Foundation, include lesson plans, activities and a presentation to support Key Stage Three design and technology and engineering courses. Through these resources, students learn about design specification, how they are used in the design process and how to develop one. They learn to analyse products…
Workshop 3: Key Stage Five Resources
These resources, from the James Dyson Foundation, include lesson plans, activities and a presentation to support post-16 design and technology and engineering courses. Through these resources, students will learn about design briefs, how to develop and write one and how they relate to existing products. They will also practise interpreting…
Workshop 3: Key Stage Four Resources
These resources, from the James Dyson Foundation, include lesson plans, activities and a presentation to support Key Stage Four design and technology and engineering courses. Through these resources, students will learn about design briefs, how to develop and write one and how they relate to existing products. They will also practise…