The generation of energy with solar power plants in the desert is a highly controversial issue. In this activity students consider the questions: Which arguments do the opponents and the proponents put forward? To what extent do solar power plants have the potential to contribute to meeting Europe’s energy needs?...

Design Club is a social enterprise set up to help children become design thinkers. We create industry-standard resources to help people run design thinking clubs and workshops for 9-13 year olds.

This set of resources contains everything you need to run a Design Club taster project: worksheets, a delivery...

In this ARKive activity, students research and design their own conservation programme to learn about the importance of biodiversity as well as the economic benefits and services ecosystems provide. Using examples of successful conservation programmes within the UK Overseas Territories, students learn about the...

Aerospace engineers need to take into account the heat generated when the space craft move through the atmosphere at extreme speeds, both during launch and at re-entry, as without proper thermal protection the space craft could be destroyed. Insulating blankets, foams and tiles are used to protect the spacecraft....

Water pushes upwards with a force called ‘upthrust’. (You can feel this if you try to push a light object such as a balloon or aeroboard under water). The shape of a ‘boat’ affects the weight (passengers/cargo) it can hold. The more water that the boat displaces the more it will float and therefore the more weight...

Many different personal attributes can impact on road safety including a person's vision, ability to concentrate, reaction times and mobility. The car of the future should be designed to help people overcome these issues.

Students will design a jet pack that can be worn by either the players or referee during a football game on the Moon. They will consider how a jet pack works and the different parts of a jet pack. They will then sketch an idea for a wearable jet pack with consideration for how it will fit, the weight of the jet...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), requires students to design a magnetic tool holder for a robot surgeon.

It is intended that students will:
• Appreciate the potential of...

In this challenge, students are asked to consider the impact of people suffering from heart conditions, both to the individual and to wider society. They then generate ideas for using programmable systems to improve people’s health, and to monitor themselves. A video introduces the idea of a heart rate monitor, and...

In this project, students will develop an automatic ‘ball boy’ for tennis or cricket practice. They could also decide to make the robot for something entirely different - the scope is endless, and it’s up to them what you do! 

In this resource, students design a new glove for use in a sport of their choice. Students may find it helpful to talk with local people who partake in their chosen sport. The P.E. Department may be able to suggest suitable contacts.

A selection of tests, activities and factsheets are available for the...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), introduces students to how we see communications developing to help others.

The resource is designed so that students will:

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), sets students the challenge of designing and building a water treatment system to produce a clean sample of water. They will need to think about what equipment they would need, what stages the...

In this resource designed by the IET, students design and make a pewter cast medal for the men's football World Cup. The resource introduces 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...

This resource gives students a brief overview of the different options available when building a parachute for the CanSat Competition. Students will learn about the underlying physics of parachutes and their design and how to control the speed of their CanSat. 

Learning objectives:

• Understand...