Tour de France
Be inspired by the Tour de France to teach lessons across the curriculum. These include:
Looking at the forces involved whilst cycling
Finding out about how gears work
Designing and making bicycles for different cyclists
Investigating the suitability of different materals for handlebars
Making an adverisement for a bike
It also includes background to the event and information about cycling events in your area.
Brompton Bicycle: Key Stage 1 Resources
Tour de France could be a perfect time to run these cross curricular projects either within your own class or as a whole school project. Children design bicycles for evaluate bicycle designs, then design and make: bicycle parts and accessories for characters from a book, teddy or for a particular purpose.
Brompton Bicycle: Key Stage 2 Resources
Tour de France could be a perfect time to run these cross curricular projects either within your own class or as a whole school project. Children design bicycles for people with different needs, research and test materials as to their suitability for handlebar grips, design a sweatshirt for child to wear whilst cycling, design a pattern for a tyre tread for a bicycle and produce a TV advertisement for a bicycle.
Schools Pack Tour de France Depart 2014
A pack of resources has been published for primary and secondary schools to encourage pupils to get involved in cycling in the run up to the event. It includes background information on the Tour de France and the Yorkshire Grand Départ. It also contains specific cycling information which will help you set the scene for children on the theme. There are ideas and resources for activities in a variety of curriculum areas.
How do Bike Gears Work?
This short video on YouTube is a useful way of showing children the practical application of gears in the real world. Two cyclists demonstrate how bicycle gears help them to cycle up a hill. They look at how far the bicycle will travel for one revolution of the wheel whilst in different gears. Click here for further resources on teaching about gears, levers and pulleys
Wind resistance in cycling
This short video shows how cyclists combat wind resistance. Rod Ellingworth, a professional cycle racer explains how wind resistance can affect the speed of his bike. The bike moves through the air really quickly so there is less resistance. It also has smooth curves so the air flows over it smoothly. The handlebars are designed to enable the cyclist to sit in a tuck position allowing the air to flow over the top. The clothes they wear are tight and their shoes are covered over to help the air flow smoothly over the body.
One idea could be to show the clip without sound on and ask children to think about the ways in which the bike and cyclist reduce wind resistance. Another idea is to provide groups with cards showing different bicycles and ask them to order them from fastest to slowest. Cards could include: a tricycle, a bike with stabilisers, a racing bike, a bike with a trailer on, a mountain bike. This discussion will get children thinking about air resistance and other factors which can affect how fast they can go.
Feel the Force
Learn about the properties of air and air resistance and have some fun launching toy vehicles and seeing far far they go. This series of investigations looks at streamlining and how it effects the distance a model lorry travels after being pushed by a force. This allows children to gain experience in measuring forces, designing investigations, gathering and presenting data.
This activity could be carried out with small toy bikes, cars or lorries.
