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STEM Day

Support your learners’ careers related learning with this carousel of curriculum linked STEM activities.

KS3: Year 7 to Year 9

 

Description:

Throughout the day learners will rotate around 5 different STEM workshops, led by our team of education communicators.

 

These engaging workshops get learners to take part in interactive activities. They include:

 

  • Developing learners coding skills as they programme a Lego Boost robot around a maze (Robot programming)

  • Putting their problem solving and teamwork to work as they build the tallest hurricane proof tower with a limited budget to buy recycled materials. (Tower Tournament)

  • Combining their physics knowledge and physical skills to complete a series of challenges including a batak board, sprint challenge and radar speed kick. (Practical Physics)

  • Work in pairs to apply their maths skills in a series of Codebreaking challenges. (Codebreaking)

  • Apply their understanding of atoms, molecules, and compounds to build models of medical drugs (using Moly Mods) and learn about the drug discovery process. (Molecules to medicine)

 

Aim:

By the end of these activities’ students will

  • Understand how their skills and learning in school related to real world careers and challenges.

  • Develop teamwork, problem solving, speaking, listening creativity, and aiming high skills.

  • Recognise that STEM careers are for everyone.

 

Content:​

Robot programming

  • Short introduction to robots and how they are used in different industries including medicine, manufacturing and scientific research

  • Using tablets learners programme Lego Boost robots (built as a Vernie) around a maze in teams of 4-6.

  • Students build up their programme in sections and then at the end all teams showcase how successfully their robots navigates the maze.

  • Focus is made on how robots are only as successful as their programmer and the importance of being very accurate with their code.

Tower Tournament

  • Short introduction of structural engineering and engineering careers

  • Work in team (4-6) to design and build the tallest tower out of recycled materials

  • Buy their materials from a set budget and adapt to changing supply

  • Test their designs with a large fan (hurricane generator)

  • The session concludes with a reflective class discussion on tower performance and consideration of the science behind this. 

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 Practical physics

  • Introduction to the physics in sport and a safety briefing on each piece of equipment.

  • Learners then rotate though the activities and complete a worksheet to support them in analysing their own performance and the scientific principles underpinning this.

  • Sprint though timing gates

  • Ball kick in radar inflatable goal

  • Reaction time in batak board

  • Look at the power they can generate by using a rowing machine

  • Session finishes with a review of what they have learnt.

Codebreaking

  • Short introduction to codes and their history though to modern computing.

  • Discussion around why we use codes and examples (Ann Lister, Alan turning)

  • Series of codebreaking challenges in pairs that build on from each other (Pixel coding, cyphers, morse code, tangrams etc).

  • Discussion around careers linked to maths and coding

Molecules to medicine

  • Introduction to atoms, molecule, and compounds

  • Understand what different medicines are used for

  • In pairs build a series of molecules of medical drugs

  • Discussion around careers linked to biochemistry

  • Build a large molecule as a class whilst learning about the drug discovery process.

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Benefits:

Gatsby benchmarks:

  • Linking curriculum learning to careers (4)

 
Enrichment:

Robot programming

  • Computing: Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems

  • Computing: Understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system

  • Design and Technology: Understand developments in design and technology, its impact on individuals, society and the environment, and the responsibilities of designers, engineers and technologists

 

Tower Tournament (E)

  • Design and Technology: Develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations.

  • Design and Technology: Test, evaluate and refine their ideas and products against a specification, taking into account the views of intended users and other interested groups

  • Design and Technology: Understand developments in design and technology, its impact on individuals, society and the environment, and the responsibilities of designers, engineers and technologists

 

Practical physics

  • Science: Apply mathematical concepts and calculate results

  • Mathematics: use and derive simple equations and carry out appropriate calculations

  • Science - Describing motion: speed and the quantitative relationship between average speed, distance and time (speed = distance ÷ time)

  • Science - Forces: using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in one dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces

  • Science - Energy: comparing amounts of energy transferred (J, kJ, kW hour)

 

Codebreaking

  • Mathematics: Begin to reason deductively in geometry, number and algebra, including using geometrical constructions

  • Mathematics: Select appropriate concepts, methods and techniques to apply to unfamiliar and non-routine problems.

  • Computing: understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system; understand how data of various types (including text, sounds and pictures) can be represented and manipulated digitally, in the form of binary digits

 

Molecules to medicine (S)

  • Science - Atoms, elements, and compounds:

    • A simple (Dalton) atomic model

    • differences between atoms, elements, and compounds

    • chemical symbols and formulae for elements and compounds

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Logistics and planning:

All sessions are designed for around 30 learners. Some activities can be run with larger groups if requested.

We ask that a teacher is always present throughout the activities, to support learner engagement and manage behaviour.

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What other activities would go well with Green Drive?

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Our team of Education Communicators have a range of scientific and educational backgrounds and can deliver a great session to your learners. As well as this we can involve ambassadors if requested to further enrich the sessions.

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For a quote please email with student numbers and location.

Sessions can be adapted to suit school needs and requirements.

Fully COVID Compliant

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Email: bookings@learnbydesign.co.uk for more information.

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