Get set for the non-stop, interactive Ultimate STEM School Trip at Winchester Science Centre!

Suitable for children in KS1, KS2 and Year 7 in KS3, this all-inclusive experience lasts the whole day. All you have to do is decide which of the seven curriculum-linked workshops on offer you’d like to try, and the centre’s team will do the rest.

Blast off on an astronomical adventure in Discover Space, code your own robot in Bots, or meet the residents of the South Downs National Park in Marvellous Minibeasts, a brand new workshop for September 2023.

And that’s not all! All school visits will get a bespoke Planetarium show. Invite your pupils to take a seat and zoom through the Solar System for an experience they’ll never forget.

There will also be lots of time to explore the two floors of interactive exhibits. Climb into a massive guitar, experience the acoustics of a sonic rocket, and blast off on an out-of-this-world journey through Explorer:Space.

Stay the night

If you don’t want the fun stop, why not book a sleepover! Snooze in the crash-landed spaceship of Explorer:Space or set up camp inside the giant guitar.

A typical sleepover includes time to explore the exhibits, hot chocolate and a cookie before bed, a yummy breakfast, and a morning Planetarium show – a completely unique camping experience!

Bringing learning to you

If you can’t make it to the Science Centre, why not let the team bring some science ‘wow’ to your school with the Ultimate Stem School Takeout.

Find out how STEM can save the planet through inspiring, hands-on workshops, a fun-filled assembly, and engaging teacher resources. Launch your planet mission with an exciting pre-visit welcome pack.

You can choose one or all four of the curriculum-linked workshops. Each is delivered as a one-hour session to one class at a time.

Add on an explosive assembly filled with huge demos and your group will be treated to fascinating facts about the state of our planet. It’s perfect for KS1 and KS2 pupils. 

Winchester Science Centre can also bring the magic of the Planetarium to your school with its Mobile Planetarium experience, which lets you turn your school hall into a space port.

The state-of-the-art digital dome comes with an astronomy expert; they’ll present live Planetarium shows, play 360° fulldome films, and answer questions.

The team can’t wait to see you and your students very soon!

The post Enjoy an out-of-this-world experience with Winchester Science Centre appeared first on Teachwire.

Specimens like lilies, tulips or daffodils are particularly suitable for this activity.

I find it works well for children to lay each dissected flower part onto a large piece of paper, then to label the part and its purpose underneath.

This activity is also a great way to make real-world links to different jobs, such as botanists, who study plants, as well as helping to conserve and protect them.

So grab your favourite blooms and dig in! 

1. Sepals and petals

Begin the flower dissection by asking the children to carefully remove the sepals and petals.

Explain that the outer parts are sepals and that they protect the flower when it is developing.

Ask them to use their magnifying glass to see if they can spot any pollen on the sepals and petals.

Then ask them to give the petals a sniff. Explain that they are fragrant to attract pollinators such as bees to the flower. 

2. Stamen

Next, ask the children to carefully remove the stamen.

Explain that this contains the male reproductive parts of the flower and consist of anthers (containing pollen) and filaments (supporting stalks).

Remind them to be careful when handling the pollen because it can easily stain your clothes!

Encourage a closer look at the pollen using a magnifying glass. These tiny grains have evolved to be transported on pollinators. 

3. Pistil

The children will now be left with the pistil.

Explain that this is the female reproductive part of the plant and consists of the style (the stalk) and stigma (the sticky bit at the top).

Let the children gently touch the stigma to feel how sticky it is. This is to help it catch pollen.

Ask them to use their scissors to cut the stigma open. Can they see the gap inside it?

Then ask them to look closely at the style. Can they spot the hollow path down the middle? 

4. Style and stem

Now ask the children to locate the ovary at the base of the style, just above the plant stem.

Explain that pollen on the stigma travels down the hollow path inside the style and fertilises the ovules in the ovary. These fertilised ovules will develop into seeds.

Encourage the children to carefully cut the ovary in half lengthways using scissors and use their magnifying glass to take a closer look. 

5. Types of flower

Finally, take the children on a nature walk outside to look at different types of flowers.

Take a closer look at each flower with magnifying glasses to see which parts they have in common. What are the similarities? What are the differences?

Challenge them to find and take photos of other flowering plants that have both male and female parts in a single flower. 

Emily Hunt is an experienced primary teacher and senior leader with a passion for STEM education. She is the author of the 15-Minute STEM book series and shares STEM activities on her website HowToSTEM. Follow Emily on Twitter @HowtoSTEM 

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Hopefully not. But attempt a Google Images search for ‘engineer’ and you’ll quickly see how strong the stereotypes out there still are. It’s a similar story for the terms ‘scientist’, ‘technician’ or ‘mathematician’.

A recent report from EngineeringUK reveals that 115,000 more girls need to take maths or physics A Level to balance out the male students studying for engineering and technology degrees.

“115,000 more girls need to take maths or physics A Level to balance out the male students”

We know that the proportion of girls choosing A Level STEM subjects has remained stubbornly low for decades. So low that it would take 250 years at current rates to attain gender parity in physics alone.

So why hasn’t this changed? Does it even matter? And what, in any case, can teachers do about it?

Assertive boys / caring girls

Unfortunately, society still peddles the view that ‘science isn’t for girls’. From toy shops to boardrooms, ‘assertive boy / caring girl’ attitudes are continually reinforced by parents and the media.

This makes it tough for teachers to tackle the stereotypes.

The idea that girls simply don’t like physics or ‘hard maths’ perpetuates widespread unconscious bias. The result? Girls feel less free when choosing their A levels.

“The idea that girls simply don’t like physics or ‘hard maths’ perpetuates widespread unconscious bias”

I spoke recently to one GCSE student about participating in science lessons, to which she responded with astonishment. “I’d never put up my hand – it’s unfeminine”, she said.

Is it any wonder that teenage girls are so reluctant to pursue subjects with such a stubborn image problem?

Teenage girls are being put off pursuing careers that will lead to them becoming happy and fulfilled. Yet at the same time, diversity is increasingly good for business.

Companies are keen to employ more women in STEM because they know that a diverse workforce makes them more successful.

Women and other underrepresented groups can bring different perspectives to bear on how a company operates. They can strengthen decision-making at all levels of an organisation.

“Women and other underrepresented groups can bring different perspectives to bear”

For evidence of this, witness the flawed designs of numerous products and functions, from airbags to voice recognition software. Their shortcomings for non-male users have only been belatedly recognised and addressed within
recent years.

Moreover, given the enormous challenges we face as a society, we can’t afford to discourage any one group from contributing possible solutions. We urgently need more wind turbine engineers, epidemiologists, meteorologists and others who ‘get’ science.

STEM careers

There is some recent research that should give us hope for the future. We understand far better now what will help to fix the leaky STEM pipeline. And teachers have an important role to play.

“Teachers have an important role to play”

Historically, careers advice has tended to focus on becoming ‘a scientist’, and highlighting what it is that scientists ‘do’. This approach has proved off-putting for many who instinctively equate the term ‘scientist’ with the well-worn societal stereotype of a ‘stale, pale and male’ boffin wearing a white lab coat.

Happily, however, prompted by research carried out by ASPIRES and others, we’re now seeing a greater focus on showing school students that there are many people working in STEM who are actually like them. People who look like them, possess similar traits and enjoy similar interests.

There’s also the fact that teachers tend to be the biggest influence on young people’s subject choices after parents and friends.

We can all do more throughout KS3/4 to encourage girls’ interest in becoming women in STEM, beyond the occasional encouraging remark.

Gender-neutral contexts

All students deserve excellent teachers, of course, but research shows that girls depend even more than boys on teaching quality. Their A Level choices often reflect the confidence they have in their subject teachers.

Attracting and retaining STEM teachers who can have a positive impact in this area is therefore crucial. But, needless to say, that’s harder than ever.

Ofsted’s recent science subject report highlights the ways in which students learn best. You can also download a useful tips sheet for more inclusive science teaching from Institute of Physics.

You should also ensure that your schemes of work refer to female scientists and engineers. Draw on examples from a wide variety of gender-neutral contexts.

Be careful, though – tokenistic ‘girl-friendly’ references (e.g., ‘The science of lipstick!’) will be seen as patronising.

Having your science, maths, technology and computer science departments work together as a unified ‘STEM’ team can certainly help in this area. You can potentially save time if teaching orders and methodologies are triangulated.

Unhelpful messages about women in STEM

Many schools set higher entry criteria for post-16 STEM subjects compared to others. This perpetuates the myth that you have to be especially clever to study them.

Once again, this invokes those nerdy stereotypes and potentially puts off girls who don’t identify with them.

“This invokes those nerdy stereotypes and potentially puts off girls who don’t identify with them”

Resources to try

But simply getting rid of dated stereotypes isn’t enough. We need to replace them with something better. People Like Us is an online teaching resource that uses film and interactive activities to highlight role models who overcame challenges at home or school before ultimately finding fulfilling jobs in STEM industries.

Another online option is The Infinity Game. This is a quiz-based resource that can raise awareness among students of physics-related careers they might not have previously considered.

Having opportunities to meet inspiring STEM role models, in person or virtually, can be invaluable. Cast your net as widely as possible by seeing whether you can invite any parents, governors, local university staff or alumni working in a STEM role to address or mentor your students.

I was told countless times at parents’ evenings, ‘You don’t look like a physics teacher’ or ‘Of course, I was never any good at science – ha ha!’

Neither are helpful messages for daughters to hear. Though it may well be that parents themselves need further information about the possible pathways into STEM – from technical apprenticeships, to graduate careers.

They may also need friendly guidance on what they can do to help counteract negative stereotypes.

STEM learning

Schools that are serious about addressing diversity will make gender equality a priority for the whole school. This might involve making it a standing item on every SLT agenda. Or you might appoint a school gender champion to challenge mindsets and monitor school policies.

Each department could in turn critically examine its curriculum, outcomes and language. This is something that’s just as important for boys wanting to choose drama as it is for girls wanting to choose physics.

There are some fabulous resources available to support schools in this area. The advice on best practice available to members of the WISE Campaign is well worth a look.

The Institute of Physics has taken a real lead in this space. It’s partnered with UCL, Kings College London and the University Council of Modern Languages to create the Gender Action award programme and resource library.

Don’t be daunted by the scale of the problem. Even small changes of emphasis can have a noticeable impact in schools and help girls make freer, more informed choices regarding their futures.

“Don’t be daunted by the scale of the problem”

Who knows – maybe we can help find those missing 115,000 women in STEM after all.

Christina Astin is a former physics teacher, now education consultant supporting partnerships, science and outreach. She also chairs Planet Possibility – a consortium working to improve diversity in physics. Find out more at astinconsulting.com.

Browse a selection of great activities for your STEM Club.

The post Women in STEM – Where are the missing 115,000 female students? appeared first on Teachwire.

They are designed as cross-curricular activity days covering science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

What’s involved?

The Challenge Days give six teams of six students, aged 12 to 13 years (England and Wales Year 8, Scotland S1/S2, Northern Ireland Year 9), the opportunity to research, design and make prototype solutions to real-world engineering problems.

This annual competition, with events covering the whole of the UK, sees teams competing to win a prize for their school. The top teams at the end of the season are invited to the National Finals to battle it out to be crowned the IET Faraday^® National Champions and win a cash prize of up to £1,000 for their school.

“The Challenge Days give six teams of six students, aged 12 to 13 years, the opportunity to research, design, and make prototype solutions to real-world engineering problems.”

The events will be set up and run by our team of STEM professionals at no charge to UK schools. Please note: each school can only take part once per season.

Not sure whether you’d like to take part next season? Check out our IET Faraday^® Final highlights video here.

To enter, please submit your completed application form by Friday, 26 May 2023 and successful applicants will be notified in due course.

We hope to see you at one of our IET Faraday^® Challenge Days soon.

About the IET

The IET has been inspiring young people from all walks of life for over 150 years, helping them access the amazing career opportunities available to them in engineering and technology.

As engineering and technology advances at a rapid rate and changes the world around us, it has never been more important to inspire young people into STEM. The IET, along with its partner organisations, provides support to both teachers and students, helping to develop skills which are valuable not just in the engineering sector, but across the global economy.

We offer a wide range of free curriculum-linked resources, initiatives and programmes for schools/teachers, community group leaders and parents who are teaching STEM to young people from the age of four through to 19. 

If you’d like to know more about our STEM education programmes and activities, please visit theiet.org/education or read our STEM brochure here.

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When our CEO, Stuart Bellworthy, joined our Trust of five schools in 2018, he was keen to find a focus to unite staff and students in a common purpose across the primary curriculum.

We are based in Plymouth, Britain’s ocean city. We have several marine scientists on our teaching staff, and board-level links with the Ocean Conservation Trust and leading UK marine research institutions. So, our thinking quickly turned to the ocean.  

We wanted to go further than studying the ocean within topic work, however; our vision was for marine learning and conservation to become a key driver for the curriculum. 

The ocean lends itself to cross-curricular activities in English, art, geography, science and history.

For example, this may involve understanding the water cycle in science, or exploring paintings of the sea in art. Or in history, children may look at seasides past and present and, location permitting, undertake a beach visit.  

Even in Plymouth, some of our children haven’t visited the sea. We felt a moral purpose to give them opportunities to widen their experiences and understanding. Particularly about the role of the ocean in protecting our planet’s future, and how individuals can make a difference.

So early in 2019, we embarked on creating a scheme of work. We started with content that could be embedded within the science and geography elements of the national curriculum. 

In October 2022, we launched our new scheme of work through a CPD day at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth.

Our Ocean Experts (scientists from local marine organisations) joined us and shared their knowledge through hands-on workshops. They even created a human wave machine!

Curriculum update

I co-opted another head and a lead teacher to forge the project with me.

Our task was to develop a progressive scheme with age-appropriate, scientific rigour, and engaging teaching resources, while working collaboratively with staff to build it from the ground upwards.  

We aimed to create the programme within two years.

Firstly, we set up a working group that consisted of two ‘Ocean Champions’ from each school. These were teachers with ocean or science expertise.

We invited scientists to join us from the Ocean Conservation Trust, Marine Biological Association and Plymouth Marine Laboratories, whom we termed our ‘Ocean Experts’. They would provide scientific expertise and academic review.

We met regularly to share our progress, pitfalls, and discuss principles and timescales for the next stage of work.

We soon developed working bonds as a team. Tea, biscuits and humour were all a very important part of this process!

The team also regularly reported back to our Trust Board, to keep trustees and members informed. 

It was important to have a strong foundation for our work. So, we decided to explore in more detail the seven principles of Ocean Literacy, adopted by UNESCO.

The National Marine Educators Association in the USA had developed a framework of objectives around this, which we used as a point of reference.  

We decided that each unit of work would focus specifically on one of the ocean principles (excluding principles one and seven, which apply to every unit).

Each school in the Trust would take responsibility for designing a unit for one principle.

Primary curriculum design

We agreed to design each unit for teaching across a double-year group. This allowed schools with children in mixed-age year groups, or with curriculum projects carefully mapped out, the flexibility to match units to their own circumstances.

I created a proforma for the designs, so that everyone would follow common guidelines. Over each two-year phase, we wanted to cover five units. Some would be ‘deep dives’ – short, focused units to be compressed into a few days; and some would be cross-curricular units, delivered over a few weeks and incorporating wider curriculum subjects.   

We gave staff some release time to do this work, and attend online meetings.

The Champions used their own knowledge, carried out research, and liaised with their Ocean Expert to explore the best ways to bring learning to life.  

Staff trialled some of their ideas, checking in with pupils along the way.

For instance, Year 6 made detailed cartoon flow charts illustrating the beginning of life and the role of phytoplankton. They then went on to do further work linking this to both their literacy unit and scientific explanations.

In science, teachers also explored the use of plastics, testing literacy with investigative journalism techniques. 

We met regularly to take stock as a team, to keep us all on the same page, and make sure everyone’s workload was manageable.

Our lead teacher was given a half day per week to focus solely on writing up each unit, carrying out a residency in each school alongside the Champions, and then further fleshing out the units of work.

By Summer 2022, we had trialled several sections.  

Now in the final phase, our Ocean Experts are checking our science content and developing ‘teacher guides’ to help give staff the knowledge and confidence to teach each unit. 

On reflection

Developing a whole new scheme of work for our Ocean Conservation Curriculum from the ground up, and in the midst of a pandemic, has not been easy.

To be honest, the process has been rather messy, (but that’s fine as the creative process is like that!), and we’re not quite finished yet.

We are still working through our expert sign-off on the scientific content, and the next step will be to publish our work in a form that we can share more widely.  

Our Trust has now grown to eight schools, and the new additions are keen to embrace this work.

In the five Plymouth schools, every child will undertake at least one of the units this academic year; next year, all eight schools will be delivering the scheme of work, so all our pupils will have equality of opportunity.  

It’s too early for any hard evaluation, but already we have seen changes. We have all increased our awareness and understanding of how connected we are to our ocean, and it has galvanised our thinking on personal responsibility and sustainability.

Our children have an increased exposure to ocean studies and are acquiring a scientific approach and vocabulary from a very early age.

They too are becoming more aware of how their actions and choices can impact the future of our planet. After all, our children are our future.  

What the kids say

Mason, Y4 

“Making fossils out of slices of bread was the best thing – we pressed objects like model dinosaurs down into the bread, and then we could see next day how it had made the shape.” 

Charlie, Y6 

“I had no idea of all the places we can find plastics, and this [investigative] work has inspired me to become a journalist.” 

Amber, Y6 

“We have a responsibility to our children’s children. If we want them to be able to enjoy the ocean, we need to do something now.” 

Claire Hardisty is headteacher at Thornbury Primary School, part of Connect Academy Trust in Plymouth and Torbay, and is a driving force behind the UK’s first Ocean Conservation Curriculum for primary children. To find out more about the ocean curriculum, please visit connectacademytrust.co.uk, email admin@connectacademytrust.co.uk or call 01752 790990.  

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The good news is, you don’t need to be an expert in the vein of Albert Einstein or dedicate huge amounts of time and resources to it. Read on to find out more.

Jump to a section:

• STEM subjects
• What is STEM?
• STEM education UK strategy
• STEM Club ideas
  • Ultimate STEM Club Guide
• STEM learning
• STEM activities and projects
  • Free teacher CPD
• Women in STEM
• Best STEM education blogs
• STEM education facts
• STEM education quotes
• 5 myths about teaching STEM

STEM subjects

What does STEM stand for, you may be asking. The acronym stands for:

• science
• technology
• engineering
• mathematics

What is STEM education?

STEM education is all about connecting classroom activities and experiences to real-life opportunities. Instead of treating science, technology, engineering and mathematics as separate subjects, it’s a cross-disciplinary approach that is all about solving problems.

For instance, the problem might be that you want to create more habitats for bugs and insects on your school grounds. Pupils will then have to investigate where minibeasts like to live, and come up with a suitable solution.

It might seem strange to start preparing very young pupils for their future careers, but making real-world links is really important.

“STEM education is all about connecting classroom activities and experiences to real-life opportunities”

A STEM education introduces children to the idea that mistakes are normal and, in fact, can be seen as a positive because they help you to move on to something greater.

Still wondering “What is STEM education and why is it important?”. This video will give you a quick overview.

STEM education UK strategy

While we’re all aware of the importance of STEM learning, there’s currently no mention of it in the primary or secondary national curriculum for England.

Many schools teach it outside the curriculum via a STEM club. This doesn’t have to run all year, or even every week, and might incorporate any aspect of the subject, from gaming to growing vegetables.

Once your club is extended, you can enter pupils into national competitions or challenges.

STEM education and training strategy for Scotland

The Scottish government published its STEM Education and Training Strategy in 2017.

It aimed to expand and improve STEM education in schools by supporting a three-year £1 million fund to boost primary science learning and providing funding for CPD, among other strategies.

Read the third annual report on progress with the STEM Education and Training Strategy.

STEM Club ideas

This advice from Lynn Nickerson DPhil, STEM coordinator and science inclusion mentor at Didcot Girls’ School, will help you make sure your STEM Club ignites a spark among your students…

Start simple

Base your initial sessions on tried and tested activities. Once the students are hooked you can get more adventurous.

When you are ready, try some activities where you don’t know the outcome. Now you are doing real science and you and the kids can experience the thrill of making your own discoveries.

Some great activities to try at STEM Club are:

• Egg drop – Build a light and strong capsule to protect an egg when it’s dropped from a height.
• Fire writing – Paint a simple shape onto a paper towel using sodium nitrate (V) solution. When the writing is dry, press a glowing splint to the start of the shape to reveal its outline.
• Invisble ink – Write a message in invisible ink and reveal it using a special solution.
• Popping hydrogen – Collect some hydrogen gas in a test tube and make it ‘pop’ using a lighted splint.
• Disappearing magnesium – Use a small piece of magnesium and some dilute hydrochloric acid to make a one-minute timer.
• Sodium alginate shapes – Pour or squirt a viscous liquid into a fixing solution. It will set and form amazing shapes.
• Light-up games – Make a quiz where a light shines when you answer correctly.
• Helicopter challenge – Create a simple helicopter which will fall as slowly as possible.
• Sand and rice separator – Design and build a hand-held device to separate rice and sand.
• Tower challenge – Build the tallest tower you can that will support a 100g mass.

Find detailed instructions for all of Lynn’s suggested STEM Club ideas in our free guide.

Don’t do everything yourself

Don’t try to do everything yourself or running the club can become a burden. Involve technicians, colleagues, parents, older students or STEM Ambassadors.

Never do anything a student can do – they can take a register, carry equipment, write on the board and clear up. It should become their club – not just yours

Show your enthusiasm

Your enthusiasm will rub off on the students so join in with the activities, get to know the kids and enjoy STEM together.

Remember that mishaps will happen

If something goes wrong or doesn’t work, help the students to work out why and then have another go – that’s what scientists and engineers do.

Always have some spare supplies handy. Students will make more mess than you think, spill things and use up all of whatever you put out. Always do a risk assessment. Then get hands on and have fun!

How to set up a STEM Club

Roderick Hamilton, STEM school liaison officer at the Museum of Science and Industry offers advice for setting up a STEM Club at your school…

Let’s first address the common misconception around what a STEM club actually is.

Any regular activity being run outside the curriculum counts as a club. The club doesn’t necessarily have to run all year, or even every week, and the subject can incorporate any aspect of STEM education, from gardening to Minecraft.

Running a STEM club can help your students to:

• Hone their skills and confidence in the subject you teach through hands-on activities
• Broaden their horizons and explore outside the curriculum – some-11 year-olds just want to learn about relativity NOW
• Improve social skills and relationships with staff and their peers
• Develop supportive relationships across age divides
• Find a happy place, for those with difficulties relating to other students

Running a STEM club can help teachers to:

• Take pleasure in your subject area. All the great fun activities you don’t have time to do in the classroom? Do them in a club!
• Raise the profile of the department, or even the school, through taking part in national competitions or applying for funding
• Collaborate with and learn from other staff from across the school

This is all great and hardly surprising to most teachers, but practically, setting up a club needs to be easy and fuss free. Here’s some top tips for success:

Don’t go it alone

By working across departments you will not just share the planning load, but also show students that maths is a part of science, engineering a part of computing, and that these skills work in harmony in the workplace.

When St Mary’s Catholic High School in Wigan launched a new STEM club, the technology department was initially going to run the club solo. However, thanks to reaching out to the science department, it now has a co-leader who can share planning time, and another set of technician’s stores and expertise to dip into.

Make it student led

At St Anne’s RC High School in Stockport the students research STEM topics of their own choice, then present them to the club to provoke debate and discussion.

The role of the teacher is to mediate, support and challenge, rather than prepare content for each session.

Once you have a core audience for your club, see if they want to pick the content and lead on developing projects. Levenshulme High School in Manchester takes this even further and had over 80 applications for just 24 places to become ‘STEM Leaders’ in school.

This prefect-like student role sees students performing admin and preparation for STEM clubs, mentoring younger students, and generally leading on raising the profile of STEM in school.

Link up with industry

Whilst you might not find a volunteer to run your club for you, there are STEM Ambassador Volunteers nationwide who give up their time to support STEM activities. 

All Hallows RC High School in Salford invited a STEM Ambassador into their Digital Leaders club to support students coding projects.

At the same time as helping with the activities, the STEM Ambassador gave insight into real-life careers and highlighted the relevance of the students’ work.

Make use of resources

Practical Action’s STEM activities offer great real world problems for students to solve.

The James Dyson Foundation Challenge Cards are a massive hit with teachers – 44 activities in one PDF.

MerseySTEM has also created free six-week STEM club guides.

STEM learning

A play-based, or scenario-based, approach can be an effective way to teach STEM. Pupils should be enabled to lead their own investigations, following their own particular interests.

Nicola Connor, a primary teacher at Peel Primary School, suggests giving pupils the chance to investigate resources and materials before you use them in your lesson. Ask pupils what they think they are going to be learning about before formally introducing the topic. Touching, feeling and observing will all help pupils to learn.

A play-based approach to STEM learning is a great way to get children engaged, as they’ll all want their ideas to be heard.

Andy Snape, assistant head at Newcastle-under-Lyme College, suggests that playing Minecraft and building LEGO are both excellent examples of children engaging with problem-solving, hands-on activities, describing them as “having a foot in both camps of play and learning.”

STEM activities and STEM projects

A background in a STEM subject is not necessary for being a great STEM educator. All you need is a real-life question or scenario to get things started.

When trying STEM based activities in the classroom, try and keep your task input to a minimum. This gives children the chance to come to their own decisions about how to solve the problem they’re faced with.

Even though it’s hard, try and stand back and let pupils make mistakes as they work, offering additional information where necessary.

STEM activities don’t have to be lengthy science projects. Quick tasks, such as using marshmallows to build an igloo or building effective paper aeroplanes can be completed in less than 15 minutes.

Save time by linking activities to curriculum topics. For example, build a pyramid for a pharaoh out of spaghetti and marshmallows. Alternatively, do an activity in maths that also covers science objectives.

If you feel unsure about teaching STEM, ask an expert to visit your school. Museums, zoos and universities are often keen to promote the topic to children for free.

Free teacher CPD

We’ve put together four CPD packs for teachers of STEM, each packed with information, ideas and inspiration from education experts and current teachers. Download them in just one click.

• Create greater enthusiasm for STEM in your school and teach it in a coordinated way
• Hear from real secondary teachers about how they’re boosting STEM learning in their schools
• Help secondary students prepare for the careers of the future by getting them hooked on STEM subjects
• Learn how to equip your secondary pupils with the skills that STEM employers are looking for

KS2 forces STEM activities

Download a free six-week series of STEM lessons. Children will learn about six simple machines and how they transfer force from one place to another.

The download contains a PDF medium term plan, worksheets, PowerPoints and teaching notes.

KS2 Victorian Inventions resource pack

Use this free KS2 STEM resource pack to help pupils:

• Understand that inventions are all around us and that invention is a way to create solutions to problems or challenges
• Identify potential problems/areas where an invention could be useful
• Make hypotheses and evaluate their invention ideas
• Familiarise themselves with inventions from a different era such as the Victorian era and how they relate to the present

KS2 engineering worksheets

Use fast-paced, action-packed story EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner to explore a range of STEM activities. Use these free activity ideas and worksheets to draw your own robot, come up with alternative uses for everyday objects, and invent a gadget.

Minibeast habitats

Here’s an example from Jane Dowden, education innovations manager at the British Science Association, of how a STEM activity might work in practice...

The problem

We want to create more habitats (natural homes) for minibeasts in our school or local area. In this challenge you need to investigate what kinds of habitats minibeasts like to live in.

The real-world context

It’s important to protect our local environment and its biodiversity. There are wildlife habitats all around us. We can help to protect these habitats and create more of them if we know about the kinds of places minibeasts like to live.

The materials and resources

• Magnifying glasses
• Paper, pencils and clipboards for recording
• Camera to take photos of different habitats (optional)
• Pictures of minibeasts to help identify them
• Container to collect minibeasts (optional)
• Safe access to the outdoors

What to do

1. Begin by introducing the activity and the problem they need to solve, perhaps beginning with a story to set the scene
2. Discuss the areas they might look and the minibeasts they might find when they are outside
3. Give out the resources and discuss how they can use them to help their investigation. Discuss how they will keep themselves and any minibeasts safe
4. Before they begin, ask children to think about how they will record their results – this could be via note taking, drawing or photographs. Results might include what they have found as well as where they found it and a description of the habitat
5. Back in the classroom, ask the children to present their findings to the rest of the class. They can be as creative as they like with their presentations. Use the facilitation questions below throughout the activity to help children think through the problem

Questions

• Where could you look for minibeasts?
• What types of minibeasts do you expect to find there?
• How will you make sure you don’t harm them?
• Can you describe the places you found the most minibeasts?
• What kinds of habitats do minibeasts like to live in?
• Why do you think this is?
• How could you create more habitats for minibeasts?

Ensure children are supervised throughout the activity and risk assess the outdoor areas children will be investigating. Children should wash hands thoroughly after exploring outside and handling minibeasts and don’t forget to ensure any minibeasts collected are returned back where they were found.

Gingerbread man escape

Here’s another idea to try, from primary teacher and author Emily Hunt.

Explain to the children that a gingerbread man has escaped the oven and needs to cross a river to get away. Can pupils help build him a bridge?

Activities do not need to involve expensive resources. The following ideas from Emily are all cheap options:

• Make a marble run from cardboard tubes cut in half
• Create an egg parachute from carrier bags
• Make a boat from tin foil
• Create bottle rockets from plastic bottles filled with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda
• Secure lollysticks to plastic spoons to make catapults

Play-Doh elephants

Primary teacher Nicola Connor suggests the following playful way of teaching forces, thought up by Gaynor Weaver.

In pairs, ask children to one at a time create elephants from Play-Doh, but during each attempt, they must only use one force, such as twist, pull or push.

This helps pupils to see the effect a force has on an object, but also allows them to practise listening and talking.

More 15-minute ideas

Try the below ideas from Emily Hunt’s book, 15 Minute Stem, published by Crown House Publishing...

Paper plane bullseye

Fold a sheet of paper to create a plane. Place a short-range target 5m away and a long-range one 10m away.

Begin testing your plane with the short-range target, refining your design to make it land as close as possible. Then create a new plane and aim for the long-range target.

Spend time refining your plane to make it more accurate. Look at the most successful designs for each target. Why did they work best? How do the short- and long-range designs differ?

Throwing the plane creates a force that propels it forward. Real planes have engines to create thrust. Drag is a force working in the opposite direction.

The thrust has to be greater than the drag for the plane to advance. Gravity acts as a downward force on the plane.

This is balanced for a time by the wings, which experience lift (an upward force) as the air passes over them. The balance of these forces determines the journey of the plane.

Marshmallow towers

Give pupils mini marshmallows and toothpicks and ask them to build the tallest tower they can, focusing on a particular shape such as triangles, squares, rectangles or pentagons.

Use 3D shape words such as ‘cubes’, ‘cuboids’ and ‘prisms’. Triangles are inherently rigid so will probably make the most successful structure.

Investigate how triangles are used in famous architecture examples such as the Eiffel Tower.

One-shape structures

What is the tallest structure we can make using only one shape?

Decide the shape you will use (triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons) and then start the 15-minute timer.

Use mini marshmallows as joins to dig toothpicks into. Double up the toothpicks for extra strength. Measure your structure to see how tall it is.

Encourage older children to discuss their structure using 3D shape vocabulary such as cubes, cuboids, triangular pyramids and prisms.

A successful structure will probably include triangles in the design as they are inherently rigid. This means when we apply a force they don’t change their shape.

In contrast, when we apply a force to a shape such as a square, it can be deformed into a parallelogram.

Civil engineers and architects are often asked to create tall structures and must think carefully about their foundations and shape.

Find out more about how triangles are used in architecture. A famous example you could research is the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Camouflage nature walk

How do animals protect themselves from predators? Head outside for a brief nature walk. Look carefully for camouflaged animals.

Try looking at tree trunks, leaves, flowers and leaf litter. Use a magnifying glass to look at each example of camouflage. Then take a photo.

When the time is up, review the findings and count how many examples you photographed. You can also try going to a different environment (such as forest, pond, urban) to find different examples.

Looking closely at our natural environment, we can find lots of examples of animal camouflage. This helps these animals to blend into their surroundings, protecting them from predators.

Examples that you may have spotted are a grey squirrel against tree bark, a moth on a wall, or dark-coloured insects in the undergrowth.

Engineers and designers often take ideas from nature when creating new things. This is called biomimicry.

Research how the military has used camouflage inspired by nature in its clothing and in its designs for vehicles and planes.

Bridge building ideas for EYFS-KS2

Here, Laura Cross of Inventors & Makers suggests simple STEM ideas that use accessible resources and need minimal prep time.

Download accompanying worksheets for this activity.

EYFS

Resources: Pile of hardback books; small world characters or animals; two classroom chairs.

Activity:

• Place your small world characters or animals on one chair with around a 15cm gap to a second chair.
• Ask children what could help the character cross from one chair to the other. You can add a narrative to this with water/trolls below etc.
• Once you’ve discussed the idea of a bridge, ask them to use books to build a bridge. They will likely place one book across the gap and you can show the character successfully crossing.
• Next move the chairs further apart and ask them to make another bridge. This time they’ll need to overlap the books to create a bridge.
• Let children work in small groups to see who can make the widest bridge from books and extend by adding a requirement to support a certain weight or number of characters.

Engineering thinking: Pupils will be investigating and testing the type of books that work best, how best to balance the books, the need to weigh down the ends of the books, as well as measuring and counting distance and weight.

KS1

Resources: Selection of junk modelling materials such as straws, craft sticks, paper cups, cardboard; tearable tape (e.g. washi tape); scissors.

Activity:

• Start by creating a river that a bridge must cross. You could tie this in with the Three Billy Goats Gruff story to add a cross-curricular element. Make your imaginary river from a piece of material, sheets of A4 or some exercise books. Make your river around 20-40cm wide.
• In small groups, give pupils a selection of junk modelling resources to build a bridge to cross their river. You might demonstrate how they can join the materials with tape, but don’t give any bridge ideas yet.
• Give pupils time to build, sharing good models with the rest of the class and building on ideas where necessary. This works best when you don’t give any ideas to start with so each group thinks of their own bridge design. You’ll be surprised at their creativity!
• If pupils build their bridge successfully, tell them it also needs to support a minimum weight, made up of a number of coins/counters/ bricks etc. Give them extra time to improve their bridge to add strength.
• Give pupils the KS1 engineering bridges worksheet to record their bridge design and materials used.

Engineering thinking: Pupils will plan, design, build and test structures making constant improvements and iterations to solve problems that arise.

KS2

Resources: Sheets of A4 paper, piles of chapter books, glue sticks, small weights such as coins, counters or blocks.

Activity:

• Create two piles of books of the same height, at least 5cm high. Measure a 15cm gap between the books and demonstrate to pupils they need to create a paper bridge to cross the gap.
• Place one sheet of A4 paper as a bridge and then add your small weights one by one to the centre of the bridge to see how many it can support before buckling. Don’t hold or weigh down the ends of the bridge, to show it won’t support much this first time.
• Next tell pupils in small groups they must make a bridge to support the most weight they can using only two sheets of A4 paper. They can fold and/or glue their paper in any way they like. Give them time to investigate different ways of folding the paper, sharing good models and suggesting ideas where necessary. They can use the KS2 paper bridges worksheet to record their designs and the weight each bridge supported.
• If necessary, after a few minutes suggest that folding the edges of the bridge up like a handrail on each side will work well and they can investigate different heights for the fold.
• Give a set period of time to see which group can build the strongest bridge and then share and discuss the results.

Engineering thinking: Pupils will investigate by planning, designing and testing different bridge constructions and thinking about how the same material can be used in different ways to impact its strength.

Women in STEM

From a young age, children develop perceptions about certain jobs. Introducing STEM jobs to pupils is a great way to dispel gender stereotypes and widen children’s career aspirations.

Studies have found that it is a lack of confidence, not ability, that can discourage young women from taking STEM subjects. As a result, the percentage of women in the UK STEM workforce is low, at only 15%.

The good news is that in 2022, overall STEM entries by girls overtook boys slightly (50.1% female vs 49.9% male). More girls than boys collectively studied biology, physics and chemistry at A-level.

Educational writer John Bolton is calling on teachers to be role models and provide plenty of opportunities for girls to see women in STEM. He suggests talking about:

• computer scientist Margaret Hamilton
• mathematician Ada Lovelace
• computer scientist Grace Hopper

Other women in STEM that you can talk to pupils about include:

• Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who discovered the first radio pulsars
• businesswoman Martha Lane-Fox
• YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki

Amy Ryan, head of science at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace, set up a STEM club for female students at her school. The girls were tasked with STEM challenges such as creating a simple water distiller, a female-friendly backpack and washable sanitary products.

One participant said that she was “starting to learn and embrace lots of new skills I never thought I had in me.” Find out more about STEMgirls club.

Learn how to start a STEM club for girls, identify girls with STEM potential and encourage girls to participate in STEM and coding with this free CPD pack.

Best STEM education blogs

• Visit the Vivify STEM blog for STEM activity ideas, distance learning activities and teaching tips.
• Education Scotland’s STEM blog provides information about the latest news, events and resources to support STEM learning. 
• The Scientix blog features stories from science educators across Europe.
• Head to the All About STEM news page for updates about awards, competitions, events and more.

STEM education facts

If you’re looking for STEM education fun facts to share with pupils or colleagues, take a look at the below statistics:

• By 2024, around 2.5 million jobs requiring science, engineering, technology and research skills will need filling (Tomorrow’s Engineers programme)
• Engineering accounts for 25% of gross value added for the UK economy (Royal Academy of Engineering)
• 32% of primary pupils agree that they worry about science lessons being “too hard” (2019 survey conducted by the Wellcome Trust)

STEM education quotes

“Creativity is the secret sauce to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). It is a STEM virtue.”

Ainissa G. Ramirez, PhD, former engineering professor at Yale University

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.”

Bernard Baruch, American financier

“The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge.”

Seymour Papert, South African mathematician and computer scientist

5 myths about teaching STEM

Primary school teacher and author Emily Hunt sets out some misconceptions about teaching STEM, and why they shouldn’t hold you back…

Think of some of the fastest growing industries in the world today: renewable energy, biotechnology and software engineering.

The necessary skills for these jobs all come under the banner of STEM. Does our education system lag behind the rapid economic developments across the world?

STEM education is an inspiring way of connecting educational experiences to real-life opportunities.

Instead of teaching science, technology, engineering and maths as separate subjects, STEM is a cross-disciplinary approach with problem solving at its heart.

While we are increasingly aware of its importance, with no National Curriculum for STEM education, how do we implement it in the primary classroom?

Here are some of the most common myths about STEM education, busted!

Myth 1 | You need to be an expert to teach STEM

As a primary school teacher, we’re expected to be the jack of all trades, transitioning seamlessly between subjects as the school day goes on. Adding STEM education to the mix? Surely that’s a step too far!

While a background in a STEM subject will certainly give you an advantage in terms of confidence and subject knowledge, it is by no means a requirement for being a good STEM teacher. All you need is a real-life hook or question and you’re off!

Take this example: the gingerbread man has escaped from the oven and has come across a river. Can you build a bridge to help him cross it before he is caught?

STEM activities such as this do not require lengthy inputs or overly scaffolded resources. My advice is always to keep the task input to a minimum, allowing the children to explore the resources and reach their own decisions about how to solve the task.

Then challenge yourself to stand back and let the children make mistakes on their way to solving the problem, supporting where needed with additional instructions.

If you’re in need of activity inspiration, there are a growing number of books and online resources available. The STEM Learning Centre website (stem.org.uk) offers a range of activities and ideas aimed at the primary age range.

If you still feel a lack of confidence about tackling STEM, why not invite an expert in to visit your class? Consider reaching out to local places such as universities, zoos, museums and the STEM Ambassadors scheme – their 30,000 or so ambassadors volunteer their time and expertise to promote STEM to young people.

My past communications with them have resulted in a visit from a zookeeper, a boat-building demo on the school playground and a palaeontologist-led excavation activity, all completely free!

Myth 2 | STEM education is a big time commitment

With the demands currently placed upon the primary school timetable, I can barely squeeze in the time to chat to my class about their weekend, let alone fit in a weekly STEM education lesson!

The good news is that STEM education doesn’t need to be an additional burden on our already overstretched timetables. Indeed, I would argue that high-quality STEM education can be delivered in as little as 15 minutes.

Quick, engaging STEM activities are a great way to inspire and increase student motivation with the task at hand. Speedy challenges could include building an igloo out of marshmallows, creating a paper aeroplane to hit a target or making a miniature raft out of natural materials.

Making careful use of the cross-disciplinary approach can even cut down on workload and allow for greater flexibility. For example, using a maths slot to deliver a STEM activity could also cover your science objectives for the week. Linking activities to curriculum topics is another way to save time.

For instance, if you are teaching about the Egyptians, challenge your class to build a pyramid for Pharaoh using just spaghetti and marshmallows. You could set the additional challenge of specifying a pyramid height.

Myth 3 | STEM lessons are expensive to resource

School budget? With the current funding shortfall we practically have to justify orders for classroom stationery, let alone computers and expensive kits!

It may surprise you to know that some of the most effective STEM activities can be resourced from things you will already have in the classroom.

Take the challenge of building a newspaper tower: all you need is newspaper and tape! Granted, there are some fairly pricey educational kits on the market for STEM lessons.

However, plenty of exciting STEM activities can be resourced from the contents of your recycle bin. Here are just a few examples:

• Cardboard tubes cut in half make a fantastic marble run when stuck to a vertical surface.
• Carrier bags make a perfect parachute for an egg.
• Silver foil can be repurposed to create a tin foil cargo boat.
• A plastic bottle filled with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda makes an excellent bottle rocket.
• Lollysticks can be secured to a plastic spoon to make a catapult.

Myth 4 | STEM education is a job for secondary schools

At primary school level, we’re busy establishing the basic building blocks of maths and science. Children are far too young to be thinking about their future careers. Surely secondary schools can bring in the STEM stuff.

We’re all familiar with the stereotypes associated with STEM, namely the misconceptions of these subjects as ‘boring’ and ‘nerdy’ or the idea that they are ‘boy subjects’. The sooner we challenge this, the better.

While it may initially seem daft to begin preparing children for their future careers from as young as five, the importance of making real-world links from an early age is not to be underestimated.

Research shows that the perceptions children have about certain jobs and careers are formed at a young age and that gender stereotyping exists from the age of seven.

By introducing children to relevant STEM careers early on we can challenge these perceptions and stereotypes and widen their career aspirations.

Myth 5 | STEM is purely about science, technology, engineering and mathematics

What about those children that just aren’t interested in these subjects? How will lessons in STEM education be relevant to their future careers and aspirations?

STEM activities are designed to encourage curiosity and creativity, along with a wide range of other important soft skills that are crucial to success in STEM and in other careers. Problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, communication, confidence, spatial awareness… the list goes on.

Likewise, the cross-disciplinary approach to STEM education can easily be extended beyond these subjects. Using a book as a stimulus for a STEM task is an effective way to make links with your English curriculum.

Many STEM activities are innately creative and artistic, making links with art. The context of your STEM activity could also be linked to a humanities topic or even a PE lesson.

Another fantastic justification for teaching STEM is the opportunities it brings us to develop a classroom environment in which mistakes made along the way are seen as positives.

When a child makes a mistake, encourage them to be kind to themselves and to realise that mistakes are normal, inevitable and important milestones along the way to something greater.

Even more STEM education ideas

If you want to improve your pupils’ STEM education, Google programme ‘CS First’ is a free computer science curriculum that anyone can teach. It’s designed for pupils aged 9-14 and will help children to collaborate on projects.

The Horizons in STEM higher education conference is an annual event that aims to help STEM teachers make connections, innovate and share pedagogy.

If you’re looking for publications on STEM education, the International Journal of STEM Education is a great place to start. Inside you’ll find lots of scholarly articles on STEM education, written by STEM graduates, researchers and professors, all of which have undergone peer review.

If you’re looking for STEM resources for your classroom, the Sillbird STEM 12 in 1 Education Solar Robot can be assembled into 12 different robots which can move on land or in water.

The post STEM education – Downloads, activities and ideas for teachers appeared first on Teachwire.

A school STEM Club is a fantastic way to enthuse pupils in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths.

STEM Clubs let both young people and adults enjoy STEM education activities for their own sake, without being tied to the curriculum. You don’t need a lot of extra equipment or resources to run a successful STEM Club.

Great ideas for summer STEM Clubs

We’ve included a selection of STEM Club ideas in this download that will increase STEM engagement among your students.

They’ve been created by Lynn Nickerson DPhil, STEM coordinator and science inclusion mentor at Didcot Girls’ School.

The activities:

• Are low-cost
• Use readily available supplies
• Can easily be adapted for use with groups of different numbers, ages and abilities

You don’t need major expertise in STEM to be able to use them, either.

In the download we explain the goal of each activity, the equipment you’ll need, what students need to do and ideas for extending the tasks.

Don’t forget to try out each activity yourself before running it with your STEM Club. This will enable you to be aware of any potential problems and give you a feel for the time and equipment needed.

An example of a fantastic STEM activity designed to boost pupils’ knowledge of STEM included in this pack is a fun pH rainbow activity. Students have to use dilute acid, alkali, water and universal indicator to make a set of solutions of every colour of the rainbow.

How these STEM workshop activities work

We’ve designed these STEM Club activities to be demonstrated by you, the teacher, at the start of your session. You can create written instructions if you wish, although these may be a barrier for some students.

Emphasise that in STEM Club everyone can have a go without worrying about making mistakes. If something doesn’t work, help students find out why and then they can try again. That’s when they are being most like a real scientist or engineer.

Doing science at school safely

We’ve designed these activities for use in STEM Clubs under the supervision of a responsible adult.

Before running an activity, always risk assess it for the particular group of young people involved and the context you’re delivering it in.

Some activities use chemicals which are low hazard when used in the amounts and at the concentrations indicated.

Prepare and dispose of any chemicals according to your setting’s guidelines.

Everyone should wear eye protection when using chemicals. Tie back long hair, remove or tuck in loose clothing and stand up. Wipe up any spills immediately and make sure everyone washes their hands at the end of the activity.

STEM posters

Inside this download we’ve also included two STEM posters that you can print out, fill in and display around school to promote your STEM Club. There’s a colour version and a greyscale version to choose from.

The post STEM Club – 11 tried & tested extra-curricular science activities, challenges and projects appeared first on Teachwire.

30 Second Briefing

The Science Museum Group Academy offers research-informed training and resources for teachers, museum staff, STEM professionals and others involved in STEM communication and learning. Its sessions are available free for UK primary and secondary teachers, and can take place either in-person or online.

1. Experience in STEM engagement

The Science Museum Group (SMG) has delivered STEM engagement training for over 25 years.

Drawing on its research and experience of engaging audiences in STEM subjects across five museums, as well as its outreach activities and events beyond the museum doors, the SMG Academy is well equipped to deliver training and supporting resources to help you engage students in the study of STEM.

All of its courses are founded on its approach to learning and engagement, and are shaped by evidence gathered from audience and academic research.

2. Free sessions for UK educators

Whether you choose to attend in person at one of the group’s museums or participate in an online session, you can access inspiring and supportive CPD – all for free, thanks to the funding the Academy receives.

This includes all materials needed for the sessions – even lunch, if you’re attending one of the full-day, in-person sessions.

3. Upcoming courses in 2023

The in-person ‘Science Engagement’ course is due to take place on multiple dates at the Science Museum (London) and the Science and Industry Museum (Manchester). Participants will get to try new techniques and discuss ideas for planning inspiring STEM experiences with their students.

Also new for 2023 is the ‘Exploration and Discovery Clubs’ session, at which those taking part will learn how to run an engaging discovery club.

The online session ‘Creating Engaging Learning Experiences’, meanwhile, will take place in March, where the group will be sharing top tips for creating engaging lessons. Book your place online at sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/academy.

“Wherever you are, you’ll be able to access some of the best CPD the sector has to offer.”

4. Online or in-person

The group’s training is available to all teachers in the UK. There are dedicated training hubs at the museums in London, York, Bradford, Shildon (County Durham) and Manchester, in addition to other locations and venues across the country.

There are also shorter online courses available aimed at teachers, so that wherever you are, you’ll be able to access some of the best CPD the sector has to offer.

5. Online resources

The SMG’s offer for schools additionally includes a wide range of high quality free resources. These have been developed using insights from its work across a wide range of projects and activities with different audiences, and are designed to support learning and engagement in the classroom and beyond.

They can be downloaded for free at sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/resources.

For more information, email smgacademy@sciencemuseum.ac.uk or visit sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/academy.

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But alongside their place in RE, art, DT, etc, these crafts can also be a valuable source of STEM learning.  

For example, a great question to pose to young people might be: “Do Christmas decorations on a bird feeder make it more or less attractive to birds, or would it make no difference?”

This encourages learners in our classrooms to think more forensically about:

• the feeder’s design and construction
• the properties of materials used
• the relationship between nature and science
• the process of forming and testing hypotheses
• the dissemination of outcomes.  

Critical thinking in science

As Neil Atkin, the international award-winning physics teacher explains: “Our young people live in an increasingly polarised world of information and misinformation.

“Developing scientific literacy, where they learn to question their own and others’ ideas and look for evidence, is essential. 

“As we know, science is not just a body of facts, but a process that searches for truth. An individual scientist is no more or less trustworthy than any other person, but the process of science is about developing a consensus.  

“When research scientists publish their findings they have to convince other sceptical scientists that the evidence they are presenting is reliable and valid.

“This demands much greater attention to challenging our own findings first and exploring different possibilities and sources of evidence.”  

Having observed Neil teaching physics, one of the many phenomenal features of his practice is that he constantly encourages students to challenge him.

He reminds us all to demand “Where is the evidence?” when presented with any fact, finding or claim.

Scientific literacy

Where there is an absence of evidence, there must instead be questions, ideas and healthy challenge. And this applies just as much to media literacy and digital literacy as it does to science activities.  

Importantly, this focus on searching for evidence encourages us all to be more open in what ‘might’ be possible. It encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

As Neil explains: “Teaching science should be an exploration of a real issue, an opportunity to find out something new, that potentially no one else knows yet.

“This challenges our students to provide and share evidence for their findings that will convince others about what they found. It gives them real purpose, a real audience and makes classroom science relevant to their wider lives.” 

Fortunately, this kind of science doesn’t have to be limited to specialist teaching.

Simple activities are available to us all to weave into a range of other lessons. This is where the festive bird feeders come in.

This activity can also be easily extended into a fully integrated STEM lesson. 

Science activities – bird feeder project

The problem

The annual RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch has shown the massive decline in the number of garden birds.

With winter approaching and an increasingly unpredictable climate, in this activity, pupils can make an immediate, real impact on their own school site, garden or local community area.  

The scientific question

“Do Christmas decorations on a bird feeder make it more or less attractive to birds, or would it make no difference at all?” 

The task

Using everyday discarded materials (see the Brilliant Rubbish Science website for great examples and ideas), invite students to design and make two bird feeders. Ideally from plastic bottles.

These could be made in class or at home, individually, in pairs, or in groups. There are lots of opportunities for meaningful, social learning.

The two feeders must be identical in every respect other than one has Christmas decorations on it.  

The experiment

Learners have to find out which feeder (if any) birds prefer over a chosen timeframe. They should also provide evidence that will convince others that their findings are valid. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that they need to carry out structured written recording (although they might wish to).

You might also want to tie this in with mathematical data handling or spreadsheet formulas, etc.  

The outcome

Invite learners to share their findings with others. See how many people they can convince of their conclusion, on the basis of real evidence.

They should be able to use their results to find the best way of increasing the number of healthy garden birds in their local area.  

The social impact

Through dialogue and evidence, you are empowering children to solve real-world problems through their own ideas.  

With the festive season therefore approaching – whether you use this simple bird feeder idea or another – Neil has a simple message. That is, to think about how simple activities, using discarded everyday materials, can become catalysts for problem-solving science.

Most importantly, it champions our young people to constantly ask, “Where is the evidence?” for every claim, fact or idea to which they are introduced. This will bring a greater level of critical thinking and critical application to both pupils and teachers alike.  

Named by Education Business as one of the 50 most influential people in education (2022), Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith is an award winning teacher and leader and now education consultant with a passion for supporting those who work with children and young people.  

Neil Atkin, the physics teacher featured above is an award-winning science and edtech teacher who has may have taught in more schools worldwide than any other individual teacher. Follow Neil on Twitter @natkin

The post Science activities for kids – bird feeders that improve critical thinking appeared first on Teachwire.

The Learning Programme, available to all secondary schools and colleges across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – 10 projects bringing together scientists, technicians, engineers, mathematicians and artists in creative collaboration. 

Unique learning experiences

Throughout the course of the year, 1.7 million young people took part as UNBOXED Learning toured the country in a roadshow, delivered in-person workshops, created online learning experiences and gave them the opportunity to visit an UNBOXED project. 

Each learning experience is designed to engage young people in immersive, real-world learning, open their minds to careers combining STEM and the arts, and inspire them in using their creativity to affect more positive futures. 

Adel Al-Salloum, who heads up the UNBOXED Learning Programme, said: “The learning programme presented inspired and inquiry-driven opportunities to unlock learning, fuel curiosity and develop new skills in relation to STEM and the arts. It’s been a joy to witness what happens when young people have the space to engage creatively with real-world experiences.” 

Here are some of the highlights from the 10 projects: 

• About Us – a spectacular multimedia show exploring 13.8 billion years of history, inviting school pupils aged 4–18 to write a poem and/or create an animation project on the theme of ‘connectivity and the universe’. The team is now creating a series of free educational videos for GCSE students inspired by poems commissioned for About Us, with each video exploring a different aspect of the project. 
• Our Place in Space – a scale model of the solar system, over more than 8km, that young people will soon be able to visit at Ulster Transport Museum. It has just launched a Minecraft Education Adventure, enabling pupils to journey through the solar system, stopping off at each of the planets and exploring historical events back on Earth. 
• Dandelion – a ground-breaking programme involving growing cube – metre-squared vertical farms designed especially for the project. Almost 90,000 children from 468 schools got their hands dirty and got growing this year. 
• SEE MONSTER – a North Sea rig transformed into an art installation. It welcomed hundreds of children on board and continues to welcome those who couldn’t make it to Weston-super-Mare through its 360 tour and learning resources. 
• GALWAD has resources for schools on its website and has delivered a full week of live lessons that invited pupils to consider a question central to their story: ‘If we can’t imagine a positive future, how are we going to build one?’ 

One particularly innovative project is Dreamachine’s Life’s Big Questions, an interactive series of five questions that can be answered by classes in one part of the UK and compared to the answers of classes in other parts. These intriguing questions – including ‘Can I believe everything I see?’, ‘How do I know time is passing?’ and ‘Are people the same all over the world?’ – explore how the brain and senses work together to help you understand the world.

Teachers can find Life’s Big Questions and other resources at Dreamachine schools. 

“What drew me to the UNBOXED Learning Programme was how its various projects, and the resources available, showcase what can happen when creativity and STEAM are combined.”

Lauren Wallace, Physics teacher and STEAM Lead from Bishopbriggs Academy

Lauren Wallace, Physics teacher and STEAM Lead from Bishopbriggs Academy, took part in the UNBOXED Learning Programme and sees cross-disciplinary collaboration between science, technology, engineering, arts and maths as an integral part of her students’ development. 

“What drew me to the UNBOXED Learning Programme was how its various projects, and the resources available, showcase what can happen when creativity and STEAM are combined,” she said. “The variety of the UNBOXED programme offers teachers a chance to add excitement, real-world learning and innovation into lessons to inspire students.

“To thrive professionally in a future workforce, students must develop an appreciation of how all the STEAM subjects can interact to produce new innovations – and vitally, must also recognise the fundamental need for creativity in order to make this happen.” 

Secondary school teachers across the UK can find the full suite of UNBOXED Learning resources, perfect for inspiring students on the power of combining STEM and the Arts, at Tes Teaching Resources or by searching for “UNBOXED Learning” on TES. 

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