30 Second Briefing

1. Cut (almost) any material

There’s no other machine that cuts as wide a variety of materials as a waterjet cutter, so the Wazer brings an incredible amount of manufacturing freedom to schools.

Capable of cutting everything from stone, glass, plastic, metal, carbon fibre, and composites to softer materials such as rubber and foam, the machine expands the range of materials that a typical laser or router can accommodate.

In terms of technical specifications, the Wazer can cut stainless steel to 4.5mm, mild steel to 6mm, carbon fibre to 6mm, porcelain to 9mm, aluminium to 12mm, and glass to 19mm.

The flexibility this provides means that teachers and students are almost entirely unrestricted when it comes to project work.

2. Bring industry capability to the classroom

The Wazer is truly a revolution. Until now, waterjet cutting machines were reserved exclusively for large-scale manufacturers due to their power and size.

The Wazer has brought this industrial capability to the classroom, meeting schools’ requirements from both a space and budgetary perspective: it fits with ease inside classrooms, and prices start from just £7,999.

3. Teach students key skills

Equipping pupils with the real-world knowledge and skills they need to progress in the modern workplace, the Wazer is invaluable in setting students on the path to successful careers in everything from product design to mechanical engineering.

Pupils are able to use their existing CAD (computer-aided design) software to create DXF files (a type of vector), while the Wazer’s own CAM (computer-aided machining) software, WAM, makes creating cut paths simple – the CNC (computer-numerical-controlled) program is simply transferred by SD card to be cut by the Wazer.

4. Ease of use

User-friendly by design, the Wazer is a machine that students and teachers alike love to use.

A step-by-step process guide teaches everything from how to install through to how to cut, and each element has been developed for speed and ease – while its fast-clean nature means that there is minimal set-up and shutdown time required, so class after class can be up and running within minutes.

5. Get creative

Our young people have truly astounding ideas, and so much of what they can conceive is hampered by the tools they have access to. The Wazer unleashes the potential of our future innovators by providing them with the ability to make the most creative of concepts a physical reality.

To request a free sample of a Wazer-cut product, email info@denford.co.uk or call 01484 728 000. You can learn more online here.

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Linking famous inventors and inventions of the past with problems that need solving in pupils’ own lives creates a stimulating, engaging context in which the children can generate new ideas.

Learning to refine their thinking also helps pupils develop their own resilience and problem-solving skills.

Meanwhile, pitching their inventions provides a motivating real-life application for this lesson.

KS1 DT national curriculum

The national curriculum for DT in England states that when designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

• Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
• Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas. For example, through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology

Make

• Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing
• Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate

• Explore and evaluate a range of existing products
• Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria

What they’ll learn

• To generate, develop and communicate their ideas through drawing and modelling
• How to create designs and mock-ups
• To select from a wide range of materials according to their properties
• To understand how some inventors and inventions have changed the world

Abby Ball worked as a primary school teacher across both Key Stages for 16 years. She currently lives in Somerset with her husband Tim and their cat, Otta. Follow Abby on Twitter @abbyballwrites and see more of her work at abbyball.substack.com

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In this lesson you can get pupils doing some fun fireworks-themed making, while also learning about several scientific concepts – perfect for lessons on forces – and incorporating D&T skills, too.  

You won’t need many materials for this activity, and can use the printable resources and image provided in the download link to make the activity even easier to set up. Fire away! 

What they’ll learn

• How a firework works 
• How the force of thrust works 
• That air resistance slows down the speed of flight 
• How gravity pulls things towards the ground 
• That air can be used as propulsion or thrust 
• To design and make their own fireworks following instructions 

Laura Cross runs Inventors & Makers, bringing STEM to primary pupils via in-person or online workshops and after-school clubs you can set up in your own school. Use code TEACHPRIMARY to get 10% off STEM workshops or clubs for your school. 

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It’s suitable for pupils in Years 2–4 and is based on the bestselling Grimwood adventures – Grimwood and Grimwood: Let the Fur Fly!, written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen.

Split into five lessons based on both books in the series, the activities in the pack explore themes and ideas including:

• Moving Home
• Making Friends
• Feeling Safe
• Understanding Trust
• Standing Up for What is Right

Each lesson has clear objectives and outcomes, with curriculum links to literacy, art, design & technology, science, drama, geography, PSHE and group reading.

With story predictions, reading group questions, mapping, empathy exploration, environmental awareness, drama and design challenges and more, the pack cleverly explores:

• Emotions
• Similarities and differences
• Understanding others
• Fighting for what you believe in

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Get set for a non-stop interactive school trip. Pack a bag for a totally unique sleepover experience. Prepare to blast off on an out-of-this-world at-school activity. Experiences for schools and groups are out-of-this-world with Winchester Science Centre.

We’re on a mission to spark curiosity in STEM (science, technology engineering and maths) in all children. We want to work together with you to fire up your student’s passion for STEM. And there’s loads for you to choose from…

Join us at the Science Centre for the hugely popular Ultimate STEM School Trip.

Suitable for children in KS1, KS2 and KS3, this all-inclusive experience lasts the whole day. All you have to do is decide which of our six curriculum-linked workshops you’d like to do, and we’ll do all the rest.

Will you blast off on an astronomical adventure to discover the secrets of the stars in Discover Space? How about coding your own robot to walk its very own robot catwalk? Or what about a loud and interactive sound workshop where students will explore how we hear and process sound?

And that’s not all! All school visits will get their very own bespoke Planetarium show, suited to your group. Take a seat and zoom through the Solar System for an experience you’ll never forget.

The massive 360-degree screen is all around you, making you feel like you’re flying through space. You’ll find out fantastic space facts, learn all about the planets up above us and discover secrets of the stars.

There’s lots of time to explore the two floors of interactive exhibits too. Climb into a massive guitar and feel it vibrate when people pluck the strings. Experience the acoustics of a sonic rocket. Get right inside a giant ear and see how it works. Blast off on an out-of-this-world journey through Explorer:Space.

There are exhibits for meteorites and stardust fact finding. Learn about robots and coding. You can even find out what atmospheric pressure does when you blast off into space.

If you don’t want the fun stop, stay over! We’ve got a special sleepover experience waiting for you.

Get sleepy in among the awesome exhibits. Snooze in the crash-landed spaceship of Explorer:Space. Set up camp in the out-of-this-world sonic rocket or get cosy 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. It’s a completely unique camping experience and you’ll never forget it!

Can’t make it to the Science Centre? Don’t worry. We’ve got lots of in-school activities to excite and wow your students.

We can bring the magic of the Planetarium to your school with our mobile Planetarium experience. 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.

Or how about the Ultimate STEM School Takeout? Let us bring the scientific method to life with fun interactive workshops and full or partial school assemblies filled with explosive wow moments.

And did you know that we have digital activities available to download for use in the classroom? Take on a Curiosity Challenge, get up and moving with some Active Science or follow the step-by-step video instructions from one of our expert science communicators in a Let’s Try It experiment. Explore the learning hub on our website for activities that everyone can get involved with.

Find out more about school experiences with Winchester Science Centre on our website or get in touch with our education team at education@winchestersciencecentre.org. We can’t wait to see you and your students very soon!

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At the last session, they tested out the performance of their Scalextric cars on a tight and twisty test track. After some exciting races, they recorded a wide range of parameters for each car, including the motor position and layout, gearing, key dimensions, lap times, and how each car coped with the track’s layout.

Today, the pupils will be using the data captured at that previous session to inform what will be their first design. At the same time, they’ll be needing to ensure throughout that their designs comply with a set of competition rules that they’ve been studying at home.

Designing in 3D

Students Tony and Alice open a web browser and log into Onshape – an online CAD platform that’s free to access for schools. Tony proceeds to open the starter assembly from their team’s digital workspace, before choosing the preferred motor layout and changing the design’s dimensions according to the measurements of the track, wheelbase, and slot guide position. The assembly updates in seconds, allowing him to then start creating the chassis of what will be their car.

Alice then opens the same assembly on her phone, seeing instantly the design elements Tony has configured, and begins modelling the car body that will enclose the components in a strong, light and streamlined shape.

Elsewhere in the group, Rhi is busy using graphic design software to produce information packs aimed at generating interest among local businesses in sponsoring her team. Once the sponsors are finalised, Rhi will set about designing graphics for team’s uniforms, as well as transfers containing logos and other graphics for the car, once its shape and design is finalised.

Nicole and Tom, meanwhile, are planning out the digital manufacture of their car with the aid of a virtual workpiece, which will be machined on a computer-controlled router in order to form the mould they’ll use to vacuum-form the car’s body.

Having researched the mechanical properties and sustainability characteristics of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Polylactic Acid (PLA) polymers, Tom now loads PLA into the 3D printer, ready to purge the previous material.

His first print will aim to test that everything’s working properly, while also producing standard shapes that his team can use for impact and tensile strength tests. As the weeks go on, the students carefully follow and iterate upon their designs, testing as they go, in an effort to improve their car’s performance at each stage.

The above describes a typical scene in schools that have opted to run the Scalextric4Schools Challenge (S4S) as an after-school STEM club project.

Applied knowledge

S4S was borne out of a KS3 project originally developed by Edgecliff High School in Staffordshire in partnership with Hornby, commercial owner of the Scalextric brand. Brokered by the 3D modelling software supplier PTC, S4S was first launched in 2009 as both a KS3 learning project and an inter-school competition.

Hornby’s contribution included giving students access to its designers and engineers, examples of commercial slot car designs and supplying cost-price components and track, as well as various competition circuits and prizes.

Students taking part in S4S got to design, make and race their own slot cars, following the same processes used by professional product designers and engineers. The project called on students to demonstrate a scientific understanding of materials, control systems and motion, and apply their knowledge to the development of fast and efficient racing cars. Students also had to apply maths skills to quantify their car’s virtual performance and physical motion on the track.

The result of all this testing then guided the students as they sought to improve their designs over a number of iterations – while also having plenty of fun, racing the cars they had created against each other.

I was working for PTC at the time, and helped develop the rules for the competition while also authoring accompanying guides to the software, design and manufacturing processes involved. The S4S Challenge ran for several years, with the finals eventually finding a home at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. Teams from across England and Scotland took part initially, later with schools from Russia also taking part. Spin-off challenges were latterly run in Australia and Dubai.

Sadly, 2014 was the last year in which I worked for PTC, and the final year in which the competition was held in its original form. Fast forward to late 2021, and a Facebook group set up around the original challenge initiative suddenly burst into life. By Christmas 2021 it had attracted hundreds of new members – albeit mostly D&T teachers. The original curriculum guides can now be found there, alongside a wealth of new resources submitted by others and some lively discussions.

Virtual testing

With schools now routinely using externally produced resources to support their lessons, there are fewer barriers than ever for teachers who are keen on helping their students to tackle ambitious design challenges.

As can be seen by our previous success with S4S and the continued interest in the project, schools have it in their power to offer their students rich, yet highly cost effective STEM learning experiences.

PTC’s Onshape remains available in a free, browser-based version accessible by schools on almost any digital device, including mobiles. With no software installation required, classes don’t even have to run the security gauntlet of their school’s computer networks.

Moreover, many more schools now possess the kind of desktop manufacturing equipment – such as CNC routers and 3D printers – needed for projects like S4S to be properly realised. When taught well, D&T can offer pupils highly engaging and memorable STEM experiences – not ones based on single-subject tasks, but far-reaching, multidisciplinary projects that are relevant to their interests and suitably challenging.

Technological advances since the initial run of S4S challenges mean that students can now use analysis software to test the performance of their virtual designs in simulated wind tunnels; explore the heat build-up in small electric motors; use kinematic and dynamic motion simulation to measure gearing, acceleration and cornering; and Finite element analysis to identify areas where chassis material can be removed without compromising strength.

This virtual testing can result in even greater improvements before committing to physical manufacture, further testing and improvement – the very same processes that design and engineering professionals will follow every day.

Tim Brotherhood is a STEM ambassador and former head of D&T, now working as an education programme manager for a global software company

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We’ve even mapped FIRST® LEGO® League to the national curriculums within the UK and Ireland. This is to support teachers with their planning and shows just how versatile the programme is in covering so many learning areas.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) are proud to be the delivery partners for FIRST® LEGO® League across the UK and Ireland.

We are committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and technicians, and FIRST® LEGO® League is a fantastic way to do this.

The programme is split into three divisions, by age range and each of these inspire students to experiment and grow their critical thinking through hands-on theme-based challenges which change from season to season.

This year’s theme is CARGO CONNECT℠ and is all about exploring how cargo is transported to different destinations around the world.

Teams are tasked with designing a solution to making transporting cargo more efficient and making sure they have lots of fun in the process!

FIRST® LEGO® League Discover (4-6 years)

FIRST® LEGO® League Discover is for 4–6-year olds. This playful introductory STEM programme ignites children’s natural curiosity and builds their habits of learning with hands-on activities in the classroom and at home using LEGO® Duplo bricks.

Learn more about FIRST® LEGO® League Discover class pack for your classroom here.

FIRST® LEGO® League Explore (6-9 years)

In FIRST® LEGO® League Explore, a programme for 6-9 years old, children team up and focus on the fundamentals of engineering as they explore real-world problems, learn to design and code, and create unique solutions made with LEGO® bricks, followed by teams presenting back their findings.

It makes children feel proud of what they have achieved – encouraging them to continue engaging with STEM.

FIRST® LEGO® League Explore can be delivered in two ways: you can sign up to attend one of our festivals or deliver it in class – it’s completely flexible! Find out how to get involved here.

FIRST® LEGO League Challenge (9-16 years)

Friendly competition is at the heart of FIRST® LEGO League Challenge as teams of young people between the ages of 9-14 work together to explore a given topic and to design, build and program an autonomous LEGO® robot to solve a series of missions.

This programme helps encourage an interest in real-world themes and develop key skills that are crucial for pupils’ future careers.

FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge can be delivered in two ways: FIRST® LEGO® League Class packs or tournament regional events.

Challenge Class Pack is an ‘in house’ version of the international STEM programme. It gives you the opportunity, resources and guidance to run and deliver the programme within curriculum time or with a larger group of children.

Find out how to register your class here.

At a FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge tournament, you will have a day packed with lots of fun and we promise that you’ll come away inspired.

Teams come together to showcase their amazing work they’ve produced over the course of the programme.

There will be a 30-minute judging session where the team will meet with a panel of friendly judges and present to them their innovation project, as well as their robot design and coding. Find a tournament near you here.

To find out more information about the exciting STEM programmes in FIRST® LEGO® League and to get your school involved in the fun, click here.

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75% of Bletchley’s workforce at the time was made up of young women, who were variously employed as codebreakers, messengers and archivists, as well as some who worked on Turing’s Bombe machine. After learning about their stressful work, long shifts and formidable puzzle solving prowess, I knew their stories could be inspirational to young girls of today – particularly those interested in science and maths.

Seizing chances

The young women working at Bletchley were, like the character of Ellen in my book, The Secrets Act, recruited from universities and excelled in maths and sciences. Being a girl in the 1940s who loved STEM subjects wasn’t easy, or considered the ‘norm’. Joining Bletchley was a therefore a tremendous opportunity for these young women, who would otherwise have been denied holding such positions within the field.

With many of the men those positions were typically reserved for away at war, these girls were able to seize chances they could otherwise have never previously dreamed of.

As I read their personal accounts and listened to interviews, it became clear just how mixed their emotions were regarding the war as a result. Many feared for the lives of their brothers, partners or relatives, of course – but some actually wished for the war to continue, so that they could carry on working in such an exciting place.

Having worked in the tech industry myself since graduating from university, I can sympathise to some extent. It must have been amazing to enter a world where there was suddenly no glass ceiling; where they could love maths, science and technology, and explore them alongside other young women who were just like them.

It’s just as important that children, and girls especially, get to develop the confidence to explore STEM subjects now. When writing The Secrets Act, I wanted today’s kids to identify with others their age who not only loved maths, ciphers, and codes, but could also use their skills to help win a war.

Interdependent processes

When delivering presentations concerning the book’s themes to schools, I’ll introduce students to the world of Bletchley Park. I’ll highlight those young women, the work they were required to do and its place in our collective history.

After a short reading from the book, I’ll then talk about the craft of writing, and my approaches to writing and researching. If there’s time, we’ll do a short, character- based writing exercise, and then we’ll play with ciphers. I’ll unpack the difference between codes and ciphers, explain how each are used and work through some examples.

The kids love trying their hand at the puzzles portrayed in the book, and feel a huge sense of accomplishment upon finding solutions alongside their classmates.

And yet, we still see fewer girls taking up STEM subjects, both here and around the world. Using YA books, like The Secrets Act and others dealing with STEM subjects can help teachers introduce topics such as ciphers and codes in an engaging way that cuts across history and English. A teacher could potentially use the characters and narrative of The Secrets Act to discuss the Enigma code – how it was created and subsequently broken, and how Bletchley Park staff first approached the problem of an ‘unbreakable code.’

The interdependent processes adopted within Bletchley help to reinforce the importance of effective teamwork and cooperation, as well as other skills teens need to master before entering the modern workforce. By providing examples of what they can aspire to via historical and contemporary fiction, we’re showing them just how powerful STEM knowledge can be – and hopefully driving them to succeed in similar ways themselves.

Alison Weatherby is a children’s author and former Seattle-based professional in the tech industry; for more information, visit alisonweatherby.com or follow @aliwea. The Secrets Act is available now in paperback (£7.99, Chicken House)

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Depending on the age and ability of the children, the plan can be extended by creating a more elaborate pop-up design for each page (e.g. some Year 6 children might combine different pop-ups on the same page) or by gluing the pop-ups together to create a book with a card cover.

All three of the designs are fairly straightforward to make, and introduce children to the two basic techniques that are apparent in all pop-up structures, whether simple or complex.

By exploring these models, children also learn some crucial technical paper skills, such as accurate measuring and cutting, and above all, folding, which is key for any pop-up to work effectively.

The post DT projects KS2 – how to make a pop-up book appeared first on Teachwire.

Since opening, I’ve developed a multi-pronged, long-term approach to diversifying our classrooms, which I hope other schools and colleges can adopt. Here’s how we actively encourage women to go into STEM.

Role models

The GCSE science curriculum currently mentions 20 male scientists and not a single woman, reflecting society’s wider disinterest in female leaders in this area.

This invisibility can make female students feel they’re not welcome, since their achievements likely won’t be recognised, or that this simply isn’t an appropriate career for them to follow. Schools can help rectify this by shining a light on how the achievements of notable female inventors, physicists, engineers and biologists have shaped the world.

Sharing videos on platforms such as ClickView about these role models can humanise their stories, making a real impact on students and shattering misconceptions. Schools can also consider their internal role models. At Doncaster UTC, for example, both curriculum directors for science and engineering are female.

Career options

Many students don’t appreciate how many doors a STEM qualification can open. Some assume that engineering students are destined to be car mechanics, or that computer science students have to become IT technicians, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In reality, STEM qualifications can lead to a veritable smorgasbord of careers, ranging from research, management and sales roles, to jobs within the medical sector or aeronautics industry. Once aware of the exciting and multifaceted STEM career options potentially at their fingertips, students will be more inclined to explore them further.

Schools can also help change the androcentric narrative. Traditionally, STEM subjects are discussed and taught through an androcentric lens, revolving around traditionally ‘masculine’ topics, such as cars, rockets, construction, finance and explosions. This fuels outdated stereotypes, and risks making STEM seem uninviting to those many individuals who can’t relate to said topics.

STEM is about so much more. It spans renewable energy creation and development, architectural structures (both new and ancient), interface design, logos and branding. By rethinking the androcentric narrative, we can encourage many more students to embrace STEM subjects.

Work with parents

Gender stereotypes are powerful and persistent but by working with parents, we can break the mould and ensure that today’s young people can realise their potential in STEM careers, regardless of gender. With strong familial support, female students are much more likely to flourish in STEM subjects.

Schools can help by sharing curriculum developments with parents via newsletters, highlighting notable female STEM professionals and perhaps passing on messages from those professionals that will help widen students’ understanding of the field they work in.

There’s a need for significant changes in the way STEM is taught in schools, and we’re proud to be leading that change. Doncaster UTC is currently working with other schools across the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, sharing our gender-balanced resources and best practice, and I hope the strategies that emerge will help more schools tackle STEM stereotypes on a much wider scale.

Schools have a responsibility to give all students the best opportunities possible. For us, that starts with tackling the STEM gender gap in our classrooms.

Garath Rawson is the principal at Doncaster University Technical College; for more information, visit doncasterutc.co.uk or follow @doncaster_utc

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