30 inspirational ideas booklet by British Science Association

The different levels of CREST Awards mean there is something for everyone:

Discovery Awards are a great first introduction to project work and can be done in one day; typically undertaken by 11-to-14year-olds

10h

Bronze projects are typically undertaken by 11-to-14-year-olds

30h

Silver projects are typically undertaken by 14-to-16-year-olds

70h

Gold projects are typically undertaken by 16-to-19-year olds

CREST Star is aimed at primary school-aged students 5-to-10 years and encourages them to solve science, technology, engineering, and maths challenges through practical investigation. Even better, all the activities are available to download for free! www.crestawards.org

Register for CREST as part of the 30th anniversary and be part of the celebrations! Check www.britishscienceassociation.org for further details.

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30 inspirational ideas for CRESTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 30th The CREST Awards About the resources Key to the activities Start a club Do a project Get messy and hands-on Do it in a day Get, Set, Demo! Keep it safe Solve global challenges Get competitive Tackle the gender-gap Be inclusive Get connected: interact with researchers and industry Mix things up: include arts, culture and heritage Be dramatic Hold an assembly Communicate with others Argue it out Ask powerful questions Be a part of it: citizen science Take it outside See science everywhere Go to a festival Embrace the unknown Create new media Flip the classroom Go digital Throw a (CREST 30th birthday) party! Experiment in the kitchen Get fizzy Make a model Go bang! Testimonials

30 inspirational ideas for CREST’s 30th Since 1986, CREST has been celebrating and rewarding excellent project work in all areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across the UK. We are delighted to celebrate its 30th anniversary this academic year. Whilst it has evolved over the years, the principles of project based learning and creativity in STEM have remained the same, and are just as relevant today as they were thirty years ago.

CREST Awards Each year, over 32,000 CREST Awards are undertaken by 11-to-19-year-olds, giving them opportunities to explore real-world science, technology, engineering and maths projects in an exciting way. CREST is a UK-wide Award scheme that recognises success, and enables students to build their skills in project work. It offers educators an easy-to-run framework for curriculum enhancement and is student-led, which means that young people take ownership of their projects. Many of the activities in this booklet can count towards CREST Awards. Further CREST resources can be downloaded for free: www.crestawards.org

About the resources 30 inspirational ideas for science gathers some of the best STEM ideas we’ve seen over the last 30 years, some of which are CREST projects, some of which are just awesome ideas! This resource is supported by MARCH: Making Science Real in Schools; a project spanning Europe, bringing together seven countries and numerous institutions and educational establishments, in order to share and promote innovative content and best practices for use in science education within schools. The project identified a number of key themes of best practices which can be identified throughout this resource booklet, with a focus on the following: • Interacting with researchers • Mixing science and art • Creating new media • Using ICT • Getting hands-on • Learning outside the classroom

Key to the activities Activity – a ready-to-go activity that has all the information you need such as what you’ll need, how much time you’ll need and any health and safety considerations. Information – find out more about organisations and initiatives for you and your students to get involved with. Tips – handy hints to help you make science real in your classroom. We would like to thank all of the organisations that contributed to the creation of this resource, and to the members of the public, the teachers and students, who sent in their inspirational ideas.

Start a club Without being tied to the curriculum, a STEM club offers the opportunity to be creative, and allows both you and the students to follow your passions. Lynn Nickerson, a science teacher, has enjoyed running a STEM Club for many years. Here are her top tips:

Start simple To ensure that everyone joining the club enjoys taking part make sure that the initial sessions are based on tried and tested activities that you know will work successfully in the time available. Once they are hooked you can introduce more challenge.

Teamwork Work with others to share the load. Invite in other teachers, parents, STEM Ambassadors or local companies to help with activities or projects. Find a few keen older students to help on a regular basis. Never do anything a student can do – get them to take a register, carry the equipment, clear up, write thank you cards to visitors, write instructions on the board - so it becomes their club, not just yours.

Enthusiasm Your enthusiasm will rub off on the students, so make time to get to know them, join in with the activities and share your enjoyment of STEM.

Mishaps Cultivate an atmosphere where it is OK to fail – what is important is taking part. If something goes wrong, help students to work out why and then have another go – that’s what scientists and engineers do.

Competition Most activities can be turned into mini competitions: Which paper plane can fly the furthest? Whose slime is the stretchiest? Which group’s hydrogen pop is the loudest? Let the students work out how to measure and record the results. If your group likes being competitive there are many local and national competitions that you could enter. Low cost Activities don’t need to be expensive. You can have a best helicopter competition using scrap paper, paperclips, scissors and a stairwell. You can base activities on newspaper (building bridges), empty drinks cans (coke can racers, implosions), eggshells (what are they made of?) or conkers (making soap). If it’s sunny make a solar cooker with cardboard boxes and foil.

Unexpected Once you feel confident, introduce some more open ended activities where you don’t know what the outcome will be – now you are doing “real” science and you and the students can experience the thrill of making your own discoveries.

Be prepared Anticipate potential problems – make sure you have plenty of equipment and supplies for an activity. The students will make more mess than you think, spill things and use up all of whatever you put out. Always do a risk assessment. Surprises Have plenty of variety. Follow several weeks of

“Give them the time and the space to wonder. Give them the means to be inspired by each other and to discover and question the world around them”. Katy Hancock, science teacher

working on a group project or CREST Awards with a short one-off challenge. Take advantage of unusual weather use snow to make your own ice cream; in a heat wave run outdoor activities involving water. Try quizzes or treasure trails with a STEM theme. Just don’t be surprised when your STEM Club is successful!

Do a project Inspiring project titles

Top tips for choosing your student’s project

Here are a variety of weird and wonderful CREST project titles carried out by students over the 30 year’s of CREST. Which is your favourite? What are you most inspired by? Can your students come up with their own innovative titles? Let us know what they come up with by tweeting #CREST30.

Choosing a project topic is an important step in the CREST process. Here are some hints and tips on how to enable your students to show their creativity and independent learning:

• Can soggy crisps be made crispy again? • What components are required to produce the most effective sparkler that remains alight for the greatest duration whilst providing a consistent amount of sparks? • Can hamsters be trained to use a potty? • Build a bridge and get over it! • What do animals have that humans don’t, and does this make them more intelligent? • How does a slinky defy gravity? • Camel adaptations: designing shoes for the desert. • What materials do bubbles bounce best on? • Can a potato tell the time? • Can discussing riddles improve autistic children’s ability to comprehend? • Do octopuses have a favourite tentacle that they use more often? • Does the shape of a dog’s ear affect how good its hearing is?

• Give students as much choice as possible in their project topic as students respond more positively to a challenge that they’ve had some part in choosing • Make sure the project gives students the opportunity to demonstrate all the CREST criteria – if students are constrained by a poor brief/idea, the project is unlikely to succeed • Whatever their level, don’t underestimate students’ ability to respond to a challenge - there is nothing worse than a restrictive project that does not allow CREST students the chance to shine • Use resources from the CREST Awards web pages (more than 100 project ideas) www.crestawards.org/resources • Use a CREST link scheme - many STEM schemes have been accredited by CREST, and can provide industrial links and frameworks for projects to suit your needs and still lead to a CREST Award for the students.

• Does time fly if you’re having fun? • Can girls find Wally faster than boys? • Could there be a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? • Can Red Bull really make you fly? • Can you taste the flavour of skittles whilst blindfolded? • How does k-pop (Korean pop music) affect the human body? • How does the internet affect a teenager’s brain? • How loud is the snap, crackle and pop? • Is there a science behind baby-holding? • “To eat or not to eat?” - the five second rule! • Is a snail just a slug with a shell?

Get messy and hands-on Cornflour ‘oobleck’ slime Fancy making a weird slimy concoction that acts like a liquid but behaves like a solid when you hit it? Most liquids behave in a predictable way (as described many years ago by Issac Newton). But some don’t follow Newton’s rules so they’re called non-Newtonian fluids. They have some very unusual properties. See for yourself by mixing up some cornflour slime, otherwise known as ‘oobleck’.

Large mixing bowl Measuring jug Cornflour (450g) Water (475ml) Spoon Clear re-sealable storage bag Food dye (optional)

Make a Lava-Lamp Learn how to make an easy lava lamp with this fun science experiment, using simple household items to create chemical reactions and funky balls of colour that move around like a real lava lamp.

What to do

1. Place 450g of cornflour into a large mixing bowl 2. Little by little, add the water and use your hands to mix it into the cornflour (If you want to make coloured slime, add a couple of drops of food dye to the water first) 3. Keep mixing until the cornflour and water have blended together and the slime is the consistency of thick honey. You may not need all the water, so add it carefully. 4.Now experiment by: a. Punching the slime and drawing back your hand quickly b. Scooping some of the slime into your hand and rolling it into a ball between your palms.

1. Pour water into the plastic bottle until it is around one quarter full 2. Pour in vegetable oil until the bottle is nearly full 3. Wait until the oil and water have separated 4. Add around a dozen drops of food colouring to the bottle 5. Watch as the food colouring falls through the oil and mixes with the water 6. Cut an Alka-Seltzer tablet into smaller pieces (around 5 or 6) and drop one of them into the bottle - when the bubbling stops, add another piece of Alka-Seltzer and continue to repeat.

Things to consider

When you’re finished, do not pour the slime down the sink as this could clog the pipes. Instead spoon the mixture into a zip-lock bag, fasten it tightly and dispose of it in a bin. Make your slime dance by placing some cornflour slime on a plastic plate over the top of speaker set to a low frequency sound. Check out this video for more of the science behind oobleck and to see how your slime can dance! http://www. sciencemuseum.org.uk/educators/classroom-resources/ videos/newtons_nemesis

The oil and water you added to the bottle separate from each other, with oil on top because it has a lower density than water. The food colouring falls through the oil and mixes with the water at the bottom. The piece of AlkaSeltzer tablet you drop in after releases small bubbles of carbon dioxide gas that rise to the top and take some of the coloured water along for the ride. The gas escapes when it reaches the top and the coloured water falls back down. The reason Alka-Seltzer fizzes in such a way is because it contains citric acid and baking soda and the two react with water to form sodium citrate and carbon dioxide gas.

Students can make individual portions of slime in plastic cups. Give each student around 30g of cornflour and use squirty water bottles for them to gradually add the water until they get the desired consistency. Investigate what happens to the slime when you leave it out over a few days/overnight. Can you make it slimy again when it’s dried out? Non-Newtonian fluids, like cornflour slime, are really good at absorbing and dissipating energy. They are often used in things like protective sportswear. You can test this by spooning some of the slime into a resealable storage bag. Stop when the bag is two-thirds full, then gently push an egg or another delicate object (eg a biscuit) into the mixture. Have your students drop the bag from a tall height (around 2-3m) and examine why the egg doesn’t break! How high can you drop it until the egg breaks?

Water

When you’ve finished all your Alka-Seltzer, you can take the experiment a step further by tightly screwing on a bottle cap and tipping the bottle back and forth, what happens then?

A clear plastic bottle Vegetable oil Food colouring Alka-Seltzer (or other tablets that fizz)

Ensure health and safety precautions are taken. 10

Do it in a day Stopping regular school routine and dedicating a whole day to a challenge or project can be immensely satisfying and inspiring for both students and teachers. A CREST ‘Discovery Day’ is a themed challenge day where students work in teams to find a solution to a problem and present their findings at the end of the day to the class. Focusing on fun, teamwork and transferrable skills, it’s ideal either for an end-of-term activity or for enriching the curriculum! Here are some days to be inspired by:

URENCO: Enrich your classroom How have classrooms changed over the last 30 years? How could they change in the future? This activity challenges students to investigate ways they could enrich their school spaces and imagine the classrooms of the future. They’ll research a variety of topics including coding, electricity, nanotechnology and ergonomics and come up with ideas of how these could be used to create ‘super’ enriched classrooms. Find out more: www.urenco.com/community-education/

Practical Action Challenge your students to think out of the box with a Practical Action Challenge Day. Why not try ‘Squashed Tomatoes’ - a fun hands-on, brains-on activity where students put their engineering skills to the test and design a method to move tomatoes down a mountainside, without them getting squashed! “I have used it with my students as a real example of cross curricular working, because the richest part of this is the fact that it’s got a meaningful real life context, and this levers initial engagement. Also students see how to use maths, science and design skills, to solve a problem”. Trainee Teacher

DIY Faraday Challenge Days The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) offer six DIY Faraday Challenge Days on varying themes where students work in teams: • Remote Operations – to design and make a prototype device that can be operated remotely to simulate a heart and kidney transplant. • Flood Defence – to design and make a prototype of a simple device, that will allow homeowners to remove water from their homes, during periods of flooding • Table Tennis Server - to design and make a prototype device that will serve table tennis balls consistently across a table tennis table. • Emergency Communications - to design and build a prototype device that will send coded messages from Town Alpha to Town Beta which has been adversely affected by extreme weather conditions. • Mission to Mars – to design and construct a rocket and transport system to deliver supplies via Earth orbit to astronauts on Mars. • Smart Cycle - to design and create a prototype Smart Beacon which will be used to communicate information to cyclists. • Coding for the Future – to design new products using the BBC micro:bit for the realworld within a chosen theme such as health, sport, travel or home and leisure. Find their sets of free printable resources and guidance notes here: www.faraday.theiet.org/stem-activity-days/diy-challenge/index.cfm

Alternatively, try ‘Beat The Flood’, a challenge that focuses on the issue of climate change and the increased risk of flooding in communities. Working as a team, pupils design and make a model of a home able to withstand the effects of flooding...then test it by standing it in water and blasting it with a hose pipe! With free online resources, teacher guidance notes and limited materials required (just a lot of tomatoes or some water), these activities are suitable for all ages (9-18 years.) It’s just not recommended for those who don’t like getting mucky. Find out more: www.practicalaction.org/education

Get, Set, Demo! Demo Day is an annual campaign that aims to inspire secondary school teachers and technicians to explore new concepts, provoke discussions and generate excitement through running science demonstrations. We’re used to the idea that students should get ‘hands on’ but educators can too!

“During a demonstration you can step out of your usual “teacher/ lecturer” boundaries a little. Create a feeling of being “in this together” and involve the students in the demo as much as possible”. Shaaron Leverment, Explorer Dome Hands On Science Outreach

Demo hints and tips • Prepare for searching questions – read around to find out as much as you can about your subject matter, even if your students don’t ask those questions you’ll have extra links and asides to throw into the mix.

Sacrifice a jelly baby in the name of science What to do Jelly babies 7g potassium chlorate Tongs Boiling tube Clamp stand Heat proof mat Safety screen

• Check and double check – standing in front of a hall of expectant students to find that batteries are flat, valves are blocked or you actually don’t really understand how a piece of kit works is the stuff of Demo Day nightmares. Rest easy by making sure you do a number of dummy runs in advance, preferably involving a colleague who will provide constructive feedback. • That’s entertainment – think of your demo as a performance that will grip your student audience from beginning to end. As part of your preparation think through what is appealing, interesting or surprising about the demo and use vocabulary, hand gestures or props to ensure no-one misses the best bits. If that all sounds a bit showbiz, don’t get hung up on perfecting your jazz hands, simply ensure that your well-practiced demo speaks for itself and that your enthusiasm shines through. • Be infectious – just as when you’re in the classroom, when you’re standing in front of a hall full of students your mood is infectious. If you’re confident and at ease with what you’re doing, then your audience will be too. Your comfort will allow them to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. • Audience participation – this is a tricky one, especially with a large assembly audience. However, involving students in a show of hands to predict what happens next, or inviting assistance can be a great way to keep students engaged. If you can’t physically involve students, use language that identifies they’re participating in the experimental journey with you. ‘Let’s see what happens next’ works much more inclusively than ‘let me show you what happens next’.

Protective safety equipment

“Students should be encouraged to practice and ‘perform’ their own science demos as a great way to reinforce their own learning, developing communication skills whilst potentially using this to achieve a CREST award. It can also be a great way for secondary aged students to go into feeder primaries and develop demos on relevant science to bring a new dimension to learning and experiencing science”. Adrian Fenton, British Science Association

1. Set up a Bunsen burner on a heat proof map, with a clamp stand holding a boiling tube above it 2. Place a safety screen in front of the apparatus 3. Put some potassium chlorate in the bottom of the boiling tube 4.Heat the boiling tube using the Bunsen burner until the potassium chlorate is molten 5. Use the tongs to place the jelly baby in the boiling tube 6. Stand back and watch the reaction unfold

Things to consider The reaction will result in a lot of noise, lilac flames and smoke! This is because the potassium chlorate rapidly oxidises the sugar in the jelly baby, producing carbon and a large amount of heat. This ignites the jelly baby, producing a sweet smell, and a lot of gas production, which hopefully creates a high pitched scream noise. Ensure health and safety precautions are taken. A face shield and gloves should be worn by the demonstrator. Students should be a minimum of two metres away and behind a safety screen. Potassium chlorate is explosive and harmful and special care must be taken when handling it. Safely dispose of the boiling tube afterwards. Check out Why Not ChemEng’s other top ten ‘flashbang’ demos that include getting messy with homemade toothpaste and setting bubbles alight: www.whynotchemeng.com/teachers/top-ten-flash-bangdemos.aspx#.VzCsQ4QrKUl

Brush up on your presenting skills: www.britishscienceassociation.org/demoday

Keep it safe Pops, bangs and crashes, whilst exciting, need to be carefully controlled. Whether you’re doing hands-on practical experiments with your students or simply doing a demo in front of the class, it’s important everyone is safe. CLEAPSS provides advice and documentation on practical procedures and health and safety considerations, and is recognised by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Education. Their resources provide ideas for exciting and engaging practical activities that fire pupils’ imaginations and then, unlike many other sources of ideas, go on to show you teachers and technicians in detail how to translate the ideas into a safe and exciting experience in the classroom. Stay safe: www.cleapss.org.uk

Solve global challenges Every day in the news we are faced with real-world problems, some of which can seem overwhelming. Young people can use STEM as a way to tackle those issues head-on, providing a context for their learning and equipping them to actively engage with the issues we are facing as a global community.

Solutions for the planet Solving big challenges needs big ideas. This competition connects businesses with schools to solve social, environmental and economic challenges. Schools sign up a whole year group, and teachers come to a days training at the beginning of the year. Big Ideas Days are run in the schools, where students look at different sustainability issues focused on water, energy and waste. Over the next few months, they are mentored by our business partners before submitting their project for the national competition. Criteria: • Students aged 11-14 • Create a solution for a challenge Find out more: www.solutionsfortheplanet.co.uk

Global Action Plan: Water Explorers Free and fully resourced, the Water Explorer programme empowers future generations through fun, interactive water-saving Missions and provides a platform for students to grow into global citizens and ambassadors for positive change. With a competition element, completing a series of challenges will help team’s climb the Water Explorer leaderboard. In addition, your student’s project work can be used to support a CREST award. Get involved: www.waterexplorer.org/

Design for a better world Organised by Practical Action, this competition offers an exciting new global design challenge for students, which encourages them to consider technologies that can aid sustainable cities, world hunger, sanitation, clean energy and climate change. Criteria: • Students aged 11-14 Find out more: www.practicalaction.org/design-for-a-better-world

Get competitive British Science Week poster competition Each year, as part of British Science Week, the poster competition sees thousands of entries from students of all ages! With all sorts of prizes to be won, there is also a special ‘Artsmark’ prize recognising creativity and culture. Entries are encouraged to use drawings, paintings, collages, pop-up pictures, geometry tools and think of other ways to be inventive. Criteria: • Teams or individuals • Work must be original and created by students • Students from reception to year 9. With a different theme each year, find out more: www.britishscienceweek.org/plan-your-activities/postercompetition

FIRST LEGO League FIRST® LEGO® League is a global science and technology challenge for teams of students, that encourages an interest in real world issues and develops their key skills. Students work together to explore a given topic and to design, build and program an autonomous LEGO robot to solve a series of missions.

The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition The Big Bang Competition (formerly The National Science + Engineering Competition) is an annual national competition for young people to showcase their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) projects and to reward and recognise their achievements. Heats take place at regional Big Bang Fairs and projects can also be entered online from July to October. Finalists are invited to showcase their projects to thousands of visitors at national finals at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair in Birmingham each March, with a chance to win a range of prizes, including the titles UK Young Engineer and UK Young Scientist of the Year. Criteria: • Projects in any area of science, technology, engineering or maths • Students in year groups 7-13 (and Scottish/NI equivalent) • Individuals or teams. Find out more: www.thebigbangbangfair.co.uk/competition

Criteria: • Students aged 9-16 • Teams of up to 10 students Find out more: www.firstlegoleague.theiet.org

From BigBangFair Flickr page 18

Tackle the gender-gap Girls are unfortunately still heavily under-represented across the STEM sector, but many initiatives are seeking to change this! Every year around 50% of the students doing CREST awards are girls - which goes to show that project work can be a great way to engage all your students. The following initiatives might also be able to lend a hand.

SeeWomen Siemens Education’s SeeWomen project places the spotlight on modern STEM female role models. With classroom-ready workshops that explore modern women’s ground breaking contributions to science, technology and engineering, students are taken on a journey into the world of STEM. Their thought-provoking activities help to build confidence and motivate girls to set their sights high. Find out more: www.siemens.co.uk/seewomen

STEMettes STEMettes share experiences of amazing women already in STEM via a series of panel events, hackathons, exhibitions, and mentoring schemes. Their ‘Student to STEMette’ programme matches young females (15+) to women working in STEM, to give them a relatable and real role model as a career ‘Sherpa’ who can offer advice for their future steps.

“Siemens’ support for SeeWomen is a positive drive to show young girls that women make great engineers and scientists. SeeWomen aims to bust the myth that STEM careers are difficult, boring and just for boys”. Maria Ferraro, Chief Financial Officer at Siemens plc

Become part of the STEMettes school programme, which gives girls the chance to meet STEM role models, learn STEM skills and see STEM in action, all on their free ‘Stem In a Day’ events. Lastly why not also sign up to their new school club initiative ‘Stemisphere’ which will include weekly inspiring STEM related activities for registered schools! Find out more: www.stemettes.org/

Sparxx Sparxx is a vast and vibrant online platform where girls can get their hands on activities and information provided by other groups and organisations, all under one roof. This relatively new initiative set up by the Women’s Engineering Society aims to provide on-going encouragement for girls who express an interest in CRESTA (Creativity, Engineering, Science, Technology and Art) and convert their interest in to the reality of a career in STEM. The website features a ‘Sparxx of the Month’ with new young female role models each month and a monthly blog written by young female engineers. Find out more: www.sparxx.org.uk

Top tips for engaging girls Do • Make the lesson as collaborative, and interactive as possible, engaging all students in activities and discussion • Use age-relevant, gender-inclusive metaphors and examples • Put things into context, give examples from everyday life, both applications and careers • Realise that many girls might be out of their comfort zone and will need to express their feelings and should be encouraged to realise they can be successful in STEM without losing their femininity.

Don’t • Plan lessons in which students only look and listen and are not allowed to touch or talk • Use examples which may exclude girls • Use scientific language too early on in the introduction of a concept • Assume students automatically understand the ‘big picture’ • Make comments that suggest it’s unusual for girls to be interested in STEM or that boys are naturally better than girls at STEM subjects.

Be inclusive Equal opportunities for students from every background Generating Genius Generating Genius is an organisation that works with high-achieving students from disadvantaged communities throughout their secondary school careers to help them get the the skills they need to acquire places at top universities. Generating Genius alumni undergraduates, in turn become mentors to course participants, feeding their experience back into the programme. Find out more: www.generatinggenius.org.uk

Special Educational Needs audiences Science activities have the following characteristics which will help pupils with SEN achieve success: • They are about first-hand experience • Knowledge and skills can be developed in small steps through practical activity, so helping concentration • Science activities can capture the imagination and may help reduce behavioural problems • Working in groups can encourage participation and interpersonal communication • Working on a variety of activities allows pupils to share their strengths and help each other. The following CREST Star activities have been adapted for special educational needs (SEN): www.britishscienceassociation.org/sen-crest-star-activities

Get connected: interact with researchers and industry Interacting with researchers gives students a chance to see that scientists and engineers are normal people, while being introduced to the wide range of possibilities in STEM careers; it’s not all hard hats and white coats! By encouraging your students to interact with individuals within the STEM sector, they can explore and challenge their views of science and scientists.

STEM Ambassadors The STEM Ambassadors network enables scientists and engineers to volunteer as role models for young people, visiting their schools to provide a personal insight into science and engineering, and also open their eyes to the career opportunities that exist. An ambassador could: • Give a careers talk • Provide technical advice or practical support to STEM projects in the classroom • Support projects in after-school STEM Clubs • Judge school STEM competitions • Help students with mock job interviews. Request an Ambassador: www.stemnet.org.uk/ambassadors

I’m A Scientist/Engineer, Get Me Out Of Here These online activities give students the opportunity to meet and interact with real scientists and engineers in X-Factor-style competitions where the students themselves are the judges. Over a two week period, students put their questions to, and have live text-based chats, with scientists and engineers working all over the UK. Students then vote for their favourite to win £500 to spend on more STEM engagement. The online nature of the activities help to give all students a voice, and encourages students to ask the questions they might not be confident asking in front of the whole class. All the resources needed are provided, including suggested lesson plans and adaptations for different ability groups. The activities run in November, March, and June every year, and are totally free for state-maintained UK schools: www.imascientist.org.uk or www.imanengineer.org.uk

Junior Science Café Similar to the adult equivalent, Café Scientifique, ‘Junior Science Café’ sees groups of students selecting a science topic that interests them and inviting an expert to their school. By inviting other students, teachers and parents, the students are responsible for every step of the organisation and delivery of the event.

Nuffield placements Nuffield Research Placements provide over 1,000 students each year with the opportunity to work alongside professional scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.

Mixing STEM up with other subjects can put the science in context and allows for a more holistic experience for students, making it more ‘real’. It also models the way many sectors and industries work outside of school.

Nancy Rothwell Award

Students in the first year of a post-16 STEM course are eligible to apply. Placements are available across the UK, in universities, commercial companies, voluntary organisations and research institutions. Students apply online, and teachers are required to provide a reference.

Run by the Royal Society of Biology, the Nancy Rothwell Award celebrates specimen drawing in schools and highlights the benefits of combining art and science. With three different age categories, for 7-11, 12-14 and 15-18 year olds, the competition encourages students to get creative and colourful in drawing plants and animals.

Find out more: www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-research-placements

Find out more: www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/awards-andcompetitions/nancy-rothwell-award

Create a themed project for students as part of their work experience

Take One Picture

Setting students a themed project as part of their work experience can be a great way to build in continuity and an on-going challenge to work towards as part of work experience, with students potentially achieving a CREST Award. Companies such as BP have embedded working towards a CREST Award in their work experience, linking students with a mentor for the week. Topics link to the departments and experiences for individual students, with titles such as ‘Where would you drill for oil?’ or ‘Which alternative fuels most effectively meet the local needs and how do they compare with oil?’

Mix things up: include arts, culture and heritage

The National Gallery’s countrywide scheme for primary schools, ‘Take One Picture’ encourages teachers to focus on one painting from the Gallery’s collection to inspire cross-curricular work in their classrooms. Teachers can attend CPD training and then take the image back for their class to use imaginatively, both as a stimulus for artwork, and for work in more unexpected curriculum areas. With a STEM focus, students can investigate the science of colour, investigate materials and examine living things. Find out more: www.takeonepicture.org

BioArtAttack Get messy in the classroom by fusing biology and art in order to create biology-themed art-attacks - anything from collages to models, sculptures or animations. This is a chance to get young people thinking about the biology that is in the world all around them, as well as explore the possibility of communicating a scientific message through an artistic output. Why not exhibit your students’ creations, and invite the community to come and take a look?

Colour-changing milk

Vegetable orchestra

Some very unusual interactions take place when you mix a little milk, food colouring, and a drop of liquid soap. Your students can do this artsy experience to uncover the scientific secrets of soap and create a beautiful explosion of colours.

Explore sound – how its produced, how it travels and how we hear different noises, by creating a ‘vegetable orchestra’. From pumpkin drums to cucumber trumpets to carrot kazoos, get creative!

Milk Dinner plate Food colouring dyes (a variety of colours works best) Cotton buds Liquid dish soap Newspapers

What to do

1. Pour enough milk in the dinner plate to completely cover the bottom to the depth of about 1/4 inch and allow the milk to settle 2. Add one drop of each of your food colouring dyes to the milk, keeping the drops close together in the centre of the plate of milk 3. Use a clean cotton swab to touch the tip of the swab into the centre of the milk and observe what happens 4. Now place a drop of liquid dish soap on another cotton bud and place the soapy end back in the middle of the milk and hold it there for 10 to 15 seconds 5. Observe the burst of colour and discuss why this happens.

1. Follow the tutorials on how to make certain instruments on www.growingsounds.sound101.org/veg.html 2. Encourage students to test out their instruments and then explore questions surrounding sound and also plant biology.

Things to consider Health and safety precautions should be adhered to when allowing students to handle modelling tools, as there is a risk of injury. Check out a Vegetable Orchestra in action: www.vegetableorchestra.org/index.php

Things to consider Milk is mostly water, but it also contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and tiny droplets of fat suspended in solution. Fats and proteins are sensitive to changes in the surrounding solution (the milk). The secret of the bursting colours is in the chemistry of that tiny drop of soap. Dish soap weakens the chemical bonds that hold the proteins and fats in solution. The molecules of fat bend, roll, twist, and contort in all directions as the soap molecules race around to join up with the fat molecules. During all of this fat molecule gymnastics, the food colouring molecules are bumped and shoved everywhere, providing an easy way to observe all the invisible activity. As the soap becomes evenly mixed with the milk, the action slows down and eventually stops. This is why milk with a higher fat content produces a better explosion of colour - there’s just more fat to combine with all of those soap molecules.

A variety of vegetables Modelling tools (knives, drills)

You could try repeating the experiment using water in place of milk. Will you get the same eruption of colour? Or test out different types of milk – which % of fat produces the best swirling of colour? This experiment can get rather messy so ensure your workspace is well protected with newspaper. Follow health and safety measures.

Investigating colourful space What colours are in your classroom? How does this place make you feel? Different colours can affect your mood in different ways.

What to do

Collage making materials – magazines, newspapers and printed images Paper, scissors and glue 5 different coloured sheets of plastic or card 5 ice cubes

1. Using paper, pens and pictures ask your students to create a collage of different colours and how these colours make them feel. Ask them to think about the following words: warm, cold, happy, sleepy, natural 2. Test which colour is the warmest using ice cubes - place five different coloured pieces of card or plastic in a sunny place and put an ice cube on each of the cards and time how long it takes for the ice cube to melt on each different colour.

Things to consider

Be dramatic The Crunch Initiative – plays and drama This Wellcome Trust resource uses a series of short drama scripts to engage young people in the issues around ‘our food, our health and our planet’. The activity can be done intensively in one day or across a half term as part of student’s regular drama/english/science lessons and clubs. The scripts have roles for everyone in the class and not only explore key topics but develop transferrable skills such as teamwork, creativity and leadership! Find out more: www.thecrunch.wellcome.ac.uk/schoolsand-colleges/secondary-plays-and-resources

Which ice cube melted the fastest? Does this mean it’s the warmest colour or the coldest? Put your colours in order from which was the warmest to which was the coldest. What can you notice about this pattern?

A stopwatch

Hold an assembly Assemblies are an important and fundamental part of the school week, bringing together students and teachers in one space. Why not host a themed assembly on a science topic? This excellent assembly from the Science Year resources published by the Association for Science Education aims to take a light-hearted look at why some science fiction ideas become reality and others do not…

What to do

Images or video clips from science fiction television shows or films Science fiction book Prepared assembly text

1. Introduce the assembly topic using the images/video clips 2. Read a short extract from a science fiction novel describing a fictional technology 3. Ask students to suggest what were predictions of the future at the time, and which of these have come true 4. Ask students to think about why certain predictions have not come true 5. Read sections from the prepared assembly text (link below) 6. Summarise by asking students what factors they think determines whether science fiction becomes reality 7. Ask them which science fiction ideas they would like to see become a reality and why.

Things to consider Assembly prepared text can be found here: www.stem.org.uk/elibrary/resource/25510

Communicate with others “FameLab Academy is an excellent opportunity for students to develop interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills in a supportive environment that focuses on developing confidence and ability”. Ben Green, science teacher

FameLab Academy Put your students’ science communication skills to the test, and take part in Cheltenham Festival’s FameLab Competition in your class!! Challenge participants to explain a scientific topic in a dynamic and engaging way to a panel of judges; focusing on content, clarity and charisma. Why not run a competition, and invite parents and the surrounding community to come and watch? This competition is currently running for Gloucestershire schools but Cheltenham Festivals is looking at expanding the project around the UK soon, so keep your eyes peeled… Find out more: www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/education/ take-part/famelab-academy

Young Scientists Journal The Young Scientists Journal is an international collaboration, run across the globe entirely by young scientists for young scientists. As the world’s only peer review science journal written and edited by 12-20 year olds, Young Scientists Journal allows students to enter into the world of scientific publishing and journalism like never before. They publish genuine original research at the forefront of science; many of their authors have conducted research as part of coursework, competitions, holiday placements or projects. It is easy for your students to contribute so encourage them to find out more: www.ysjournal.com

Argue it out

Ask powerful questions

The science curriculum calls for a greater understanding of the limitations of science and the potential ethical questions surrounding it, and debates are a perfect way to challenge students’ discussion skills around controversial scientific issues.

A powerful question or statement can spark the imagination and stimulate a discussion. This activity from the Science Museum creates questions that engage your students by linking topics they enjoy talking about directly with the content that you want to teach.

Debate kits I’m A Scientist, Get Me Out Of Here have a large selection of debate packs downloadable from their website on a huge variety of topics. Check them out here: www.debate.imascientist.org.uk/the-kits

Tips on how to host a fair debate • Get the motion right – picking a topic that is accessible to all students is really important • Give them a helping hand – whilst the debate should be student-led, they will definitely benefit from teacher involvement • Rotate the roles – this can give shy students a nudge and encouragement to take part • Warm up activities – games which involve students developing their speaking and listening skills is a good idea prior to diving into debate • Positive reinforcement – build up their confidence by setting some formal rules regarding applause and how and when individuals can interrupt a speaker.

What to do 1. Get together with fellow colleagues or others in your department, and in pairs, draw two columns on a piece of paper 2. In the left-hand column, write a list of everything that you are aware your students are interested in (as many as possible being as specific as possible) - the list could include celebrities, fashion, sports, music, local events, gadgets, etc 3. In the right-hand column, write down all the science concepts/content, related to the topic to be discussed in class (for example global warming as a topic might have carbon footprint, fossil fuels, sustainability etc as key terms) 4.Turn the list upside down, and with your eyes closed, use a pen to draw three or four lines to connect the two lists 5. Turn the paper the right way up to see what connections have been made 6. Spend 3–4 minutes to create questions or statements that link the connected items together. For example, if Man United and carbon footprint were matched together it could become: ‘Should Man United only play local teams to reduce their carbon footprint?’ 7. Take the list of powerful questions back to your students during class and see what conversations are sparked.

Things to consider A good question should be: • Personal - What are your student’s interests and how can you link them to the topic? Can you link the topic to something happening in your local area? • Current - Is the topic being reported by the media? Are your students familiar with it? • Provocative - Could your students have strong feelings about the topic?

Be a part of it: citizen science Citizen science is a great way to become more engaged and in touch with the natural world. It can increase student’s understanding of the nature of science, and develop their inquiry skills such as data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Contributions from citizen scientists also has the added benefit of really making a difference to research, by helping to gather and analyse huge amounts of data much more than would be possible for scientists alone to do.

BioBlitz A ‘BioBlitz’ is a collaborative race against the clock to survey as many plants, wildlife and insects as possible within a designated area. A BioBlitz usually comprises a group of scientists, students and members of the public working together – the mix of wildlife experts and the wider public is key to the concept. BioBlitzes should produce useful data that contributes to knowledge about site biodiversity. For most events this comes in the form of a list of species from the site that are passed on to local and/or national databases. Why not run one within your school?

Zooniverse

What to do

Zooniverse is an online platform where the public can feed into actual scientific studies without needing any specialised background, training, or expertise to participate. By getting involved, the public enable research that would not be otherwise possible, or practical. Students can help identify species from camera trap images, characterise audio calls and categorise algorithms. With their wide-ranging and ever-expanding suite of projects, covering many disciplines, there’s a place for everyone to explore, learn and have fun. Participate now: www.zooniverse.org/projects

Local experts in wildlife, plant or insect identification Species identification guides Camera Paper, pens, clipboards

1. Select a site for the BioBlitz 2. Select a date for the BioBlitz - summer tends to be best as wildlife is most abundant 3. Divide the class or school into different recording groups - for insects, birds, plants etc. 4.Identify and invite local experts in wildlife, plant or insect identification to lead the BioBlitz groups 5. Advertise the BioBlitz to the wider public 6. Consider creating checklists for each of the species groups 7. Plan a walking route for each group before the event 8. Each group will need a leader who has some expertise in the topic, a recorder who will keep a list of the species observed and one or two people who can take photos of the observed species 9. Set up a BioBlitz headquarters and designate a central meeting place where everyone participating can gather 10.Analyse your recorded species and review your results 11. Exchange BioBlitz stories, and celebrate your success.

Things to consider You may want to consider seeking sponsorship, or partner with a local Wildlife Trust, naturalist community group, or field centre. There are no set rules on how many wildlife experts should be involved; the more the merrier. Most will be happy to bring their own equipment, just remember to ask them. Download a copy of the guide and additional free resources: www.bioblitzuk.org.uk

Take it outside Learning outside of the traditional classroom set-up, heading off into the great outdoors and getting your hands dirty all stimulate interest, curiosity and passion for ‘doing’. Put down the pens and textbooks and open your students’ eyes to the science going on all around them.

Wildlife investigations Try out our CREST Star resources to set your students on a hunt for mini-beasts and more!

Animal adventure What to do 1. Talk your class through how and where they might look for mini-beasts 2.Discuss safety issues and the welfare of the creatures 3. Set your class on a mini-beast hunt to see what they can find 4.Come together as a group to help the children to look carefully at the mini-beasts and discuss how the animals are adapted for their environment.

Learning outside the classroom: hints and tips The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom offer a large range of resources developed with the support of many experts in the field. Their website is designed to support anyone working with young people aged 0–19 providing high-quality educational experiences. See their tips for planning a class trip here: • Involve pupils in planning – this has huge advantages for everyone involved. By helping plan the visit, you create emotional ownership • Use a diversity of approaches and methods based on a variety of learning styles • Maximise the amount of time spent out of the classroom. Going from school to an out-of-classroom provider should not be about going from one classroom to another • Bring out the wonder of a site and encourage a sense of place • Allow time and space for students to explore and experience. Do not fill the day with conventional structured learning. Offer ‘light and shade’ – ‘wow’ factors interspersed with space and time for solitude and reflection • Manage the energy of a group • Give context and relate the day’s agreed learning outcomes to wider issues. More tips: www.gettingpractical.org.uk/documents/ OutofClassroomlearning.pdf

Things to consider Consider whether you will collect the mini-beasts using equipment or whether you will just look at them where they are living. You might also decide to include larger animals in the hunt, such as birds. CREST Activity Card Outdoor environment with brick walls, rocks, logs, large stones, damp corners and grassy patches Magnifying glasses and/or digital microscope

Encourage your students to draw a picture, write a poem or make a model of the animals that they find. Ensure health and safety measures are taken to ensure everyone stays safe off-site, and that students stick together in groups and in sight of the teacher at all times. Consideration needs to be used when trapping and collecting species as some might sting or bite. Make sure that children wash their hands carefully after handling creatures. Make sure that stones are not too heavy and are lifted carefully.

Collecting jar and pooter or net Identification book (optional) Pens, colouring pencils and paper

Drifting dandelions What to do

CREST Activity Card Outdoor environment Dandelion seed heads Metre rule, string and tape measures Magnifying glasses Camera Wind meter (anemometer) or wind sock if available

1. Give each group of students a dandelion seed head and encourage them to look closely at the seeds 2. Let the children decide how they might measure the spread of the seeds 3. Check that the children have thought about how they are going to measure the distance the seed travels – they can use metre rules, tape measures or marks on paper around the plants 4. If you have the right equipment available, they can record wind direction and speed 5. Go outside and start by making a record of where the dandelions are growing 6. The children should choose separate spots to do their investigation - they can then see how far one dandelion can spread its seeds 7. You, or the children, could take photographs 8. Give the children time to discuss and share the outcomes of their investigations.

Things to consider Note that on very windy days the seeds might travel too far to measure. It may be easier to release one seed at a time and record where it goes.

See science everywhere Get your students to think ‘outside the box’… well the window.

What to do 1. Get students to close their eyes and imagine a view from a window (could be from their bedroom, classroom etc.) 2. Let the students spend a few minutes sketching this view on a piece of paper 3. Get them to label all the science in the picture. See who gets the longest list.

Things to consider Science is all around us, from the natural world of trees, plants and wildlife, to the man-made structures and buildings! Get students to think in an abstract and creative way to imagine where science might be involved in their sketch from their window.

Ensure health and safety measures are taken to ensure everyone stays safe off-site, and that students stick together in groups and in sight of the teacher at all times. OPAL The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network encourages people to get back in touch with nature by enabling them to explore and study their local environments. Download their lesson plans: www.opalexplorenature.org/survey-curriculum-links National Trust The National Trust is passionate about connecting the public with the natural environment and have locations across the UK where school groups are welcome to visit. Brainstorm other locations in your area where you could take your students: • • • • • • •

Parks or gardens School grounds Urban spaces Rural or city farms Woodlands Outdoor centres Wilderness areas

Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/children-and-nature 38

Go to a festival Science festivals have sprung up all over the UK and offer vibrant and varied programmes, suitable for all ages and family-friendly! The British Science Festival has been running for over 100 years and travels to a new city every year, offering a diverse range of lectures, workshops and interactive activities. Most major cities offer an annual science festival, with notable examples including Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Cambridge and Manchester. Why not organise a class trip?

Embrace the unknown Mystery objects Mystery objects are a great way to get students talking and thinking. They encourage observation and questioning skills, and can provide a hands-on introduction to a topic or discussion. They can also equip students with useful skills to prepare them for a museum visit when looking at objects, artefacts or inventions.

What to do 1. Ask students to describe the object in as much detail as possible 2. Use open questions to allow people to connect with the object using their senses, for example: What does it look like? What does it feel like? 3. Go further and ask: Is it old or new? Why do you think that? What material is it made from? What are its properties? How could the materialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s properties be linked to the objectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use? What sort of person might own/use this object? Are there any marks or designs on it? What can they tell you? Does it look functional or decorative â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or both? Why? Have you ever used something similar? Are there different parts? How are they fixed together? Is anything missing?

Create new media

Flip the classroom

Current multimedia technologies allow students and educators to interact with information in new ways, change content, and even create their own visualisations. In a constantly evolving technological world, traditional teaching methods can evolve too.

The flipped classroom mixes up the traditional format of a classroom lesson, followed by homework. Instead short video lessons are produced by teachers and then viewed by students at home before class, giving them freedom over how, when and where they learn – letting them engage with the video content in the way that suits them best. They can watch alone or with friends – and on any device they choose, from their mobile phone to their home computer. They can pause, rewind and rewatch and read around the topic. Students then come to class prepared with knowledge, questions, observations and ideas that will underpin the learning in the next stage.

Film an IntoFilm documentary Create a science documentary within your class or film your experiments with IntoFilm. This organisation provides training and resources for teachers to deliver workshops in class that encourages students to choose a scientific topic, research it, prepare a script and film and present their documentary.

The Flipped Institute has plenty of information to get you started: www.flippedinstitute.org

Find training opportunities: www.intofilm.org/training

What to do

Video camera/ webcam Editing software Laptop Any equipment needed for the lesson

1. Start by doing what you do best – explain a concept but this time capture it on video 2. Share the video with the students for them to watch the content at home, before class 3. Because the students have watched the video content at home, class time can now be spent applying that knowledge in engaging, practical, collaborative ways.

Tips for flipping the classroom • It’s best to start small - pick a class that you’re familiar with, introduce the concept to them, and flip their lessons for a few weeks - then, when you’re comfortable roll out the flipped model to other classes that you teach • It’s the students’ responsibility to watch the videos and prepare for class, so ensure there is a ‘need to know’ element, meaning that if a student hasn’t watched the video, they won’t fully be able to take part in the class activity • Ensure that there is a time and a place that students can use a computer in school to view the content (such as the library) in case they do not have internet access at home • There are no hard and fast rules when flipping, and teachers are encouraged to adapt the model to suit their own classrooms and their own students - learn as you go, change as you need to, and find out what works best for your classroom and your learners. .

Go digital Coding For students today, coding is becoming an essential skill, just like reading, writing, and numeracy. In a world becoming increasingly ‘online’ and technology-based, there are plenty of websites to get your students to grips with coding with instant and interactive programming lessons.

The Hour of Code This global movement undertaken in over 180 countries every year provides a one-hour introductory first step for anyone and everyone to learn about computer science and computer programming in a fun, accessible way. With STEM-related lessons, students could code and animate a Solar System simulation, an interactive ecological pyramid, a working analog clock, and more. Find out more: www.hourofcode.com/uk

Here is a list of some of our favourites:

Young Rewired State: Festival of Code

BBC: Make it Digital: www.bbc.co.uk/makeitdigital

Take part in the largest annual hack event in the world! The ‘Festival of Code’ is a week in the summer holiday which sees young people gather all across the UK to prototype digital solutions to real-world problems using open data.

CodeAvengers: www.codeavengers.com Tynker: www.tynker.com Code Studio: www.studio.code.org Pocket Code: www.catrobat.org/intro

Find out more: www.yrs.io/festival

Hackathons Hackathons bring teams of students together to solve a problem or idea, and collaboratively code a unique, innovative solution from scratch — these generally take shape in the form of websites, mobile apps, and robots. Various organisations support students with training, with mentors from top companies teaching students important skills and cutting edge technologies that aren’t taught in the traditional classroom setting.

Apps Many students have a smartphone and whilst it can be annoying when they get them out in class, they have the potential to aid learning in and out of the classroom. A huge number of STEM-related apps now exist that can be used during experiments, such as motion sensors, accelerometers and data collection apps, or to complement learning in a fun and technological manner! Apps For Good: www.appsforgood.org

BioInteractive BioInteractive has a mass of online resources, perfect for supporting learning within the classroom. They have a number of ‘Click & Learn’ activities, which feature animations, interactive videos and apps for mobile devices. Their ‘Virtual Labs’ are fully interactive simulations where students can perform experiments, collect data, and answer questions to assess their understanding. This online environment for creating and conducting simulated experiments creates a playground for experimentation! Check them out: www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/interactive-media

Throw a (CREST 30th birthday) party!

Experiment in the kitchen

Why not host a STEM inspired party to celebrate our 30th birthday? Let us know if you do and what you get up to by tweeting #CREST30. As the year progresses keep an eye on our twitter feed @CRESTAwards and website for news of more resources and packs to help your celebration go with a bang. These final few inspirational ideas might help get the party started.

Get your bake-on and make some quirky cakes. Baking is often thought of as an exact science: with precise measurements, temperatures and timings resulting in a tasty transformation. But what do all the ingredients do? What happens if a key ingredient is missed out?

What to do

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to measure and mix this set of ingredients four times to complete all four tests. You could bake the batches one after the other, or all at the same time: 6 tbsp flour 3 tbsp sugar 1 pinch of salt 2 or 3 pinches of baking powder 2 tbsp cooking oil 1/4 tsp vanilla 1/3 of an egg (Break egg into a cup; beat until mixed, then use approximately one third of it. Save the rest for rest of the other cakes) Baking tray and cupcake cases

1. Mix the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients in the order listed below 3. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes 4. Alter the recipe for each test: a. Mix one without the egg b. Mix another without the oil c. Mix one without baking powder 5. Leave the four batches to cool down 6. Observe the differences in size, texture and appearance, and also have a taste to see which is the best.

Things to consider How and why is each cake different? What might be the purpose of each ingredient in the cake? Eggs add structure as they go firm when heated, and add richness, colour and flavour to baked products. Oil is a fat and hence makes the cake moist and tender after baking. Baking powder releases a carbon dioxide gas when heated, causing bubbling, which makes pockets of air causing the baked goods to expand and rise. You could try the experiment again, this time doubling an ingredient instead of taking it away. Can students predict what will happen? Ensure health and safety precautions are taken when working with raw ingredients and a heated oven. Check for any food allergies prior to undertaking this activity. Do not do food related experiments in school labs if you intend to eat the results. Ensure that appropriate hygiene and cleanliness precautions are in place.

Oven

Get fizzy

Make a model

Why not link your party to some longer CREST project work? Here are some fizz-related project ideas to get you started.

Forget balloon hats and animals, and try your hand at making balloon molecules! This fun activity makes visually impressive molecule models that can be used to aid teaching.

CREST Bronze

What to do

Create your own fizzy drink using an online recipe and then compare it to a shop bought one. Some questions to think about include: • What different ingredients do the two drinks have? • How fizzy are they? How much CO2 is given off when you open each bottle? • How acidic are they? Measure the pH of the two drinks.

1. Do not blow balloons up fully as it makes it hard to model them 2. Experiment with different knots and twists in order to make different shapes and try connecting them together to make a variety of molecules 3. Study the structure with your students.

CREST Silver Traditionally fizzy drinks were made by fermentation using yeast. You can investigate the effect of using additives and varying brewing conditions on the shelf-life of fizzy drinks. Create your own fizzy drinks and then increase and decrease the quantity of yeast used each time, adjust the quantity of acidifier additives and alter the quantity of sugar added. By changing one variable at a time you can then compare: • The appearance of the drinks • How much carbon dioxide they give off when opened • How acidic are they? Measure the pH of the two drinks. • The sugar concentration • The alcohol concentration.

A lot of different coloured modelling balloons A balloon pump A lot of patience

Things to consider Have a go first so that you feel confident making some basic shapes. Show your students the basics then see what they can come up with; from DNA helices to diamond lattice structures to benzol rings, there is plenty to be created. Consider following BubblyMaths excellent tutorials on Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/makingmathsfun/ videos Ensure health and safety precautions are taken as balloons can be a choking hazard for younger students. Consider using a hand balloon pump for inflating balloons.

CREST Gold Fizzy drinks are often considered unhealthy due to their high sugar content and the amount of additives they contain. On the other hand, fruit juices are often seen as a healthy alternative, and of greater nutritional value. Choose a range of products to analyse, including a range of regular fizzy drinks and popular flavours of pure fruit juice. Research could be carried out in a wide number of areas. Students could examine caffeine content, investigate the rate of tooth decay the drinks cause, compare relative sweetness of artificial and natural sweeteners or assess the amino acids present by chromatography to see which type of drink contains the most essential amino acids.

student and teacher testimonials

Go bang! Use party poppers to model how difficult it can be to predict when sudden Earth events will be triggered, such as a volcanic eruption, a landslide or the sudden failure of rock masses leading to an earthquake.

Using CREST Award activities is a great way to engage and enthuse students in the STEM subjects. We’re looking forward to doing more projects this year!

CREST made me realise how hands on and creative science could be, which is something that’s hard to get your head around when you’re studying it in a classroom.

What to do

It’s a great opportunity to see science in action and better yet, be a part of it!

1. Set up a number of clamp stands, each with a party popper firmly clamped in place 2. Tie the party popper string to make a secure loop 3. Gently attach a mass hanger to the string loop 4.Slowly add mass weights a little at a time 5. Keep going until the popper goes off.

CREST opened my mind to how science impacts our everyday lives.

Things to consider By setting up multiple clamp stands, students can predict and compare their results to their peers. They can debate why there may be major differences in the force required, and relate it to the real world applications of predicting natural disasters. Investigate how scientists monitor, predict and prepare.

It is a fantastic platform for tapping into every student’s creativity to find innovative solutions.

Ensure health and safety precautions are taken and make sure party poppers are clamped securely and not angled in such a way such that students can be injured. Wear safety goggles.

www.britishscienceassociation.org www.crestawards.org

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