Engineering careers activities

These resources cover many types of engineering, but the common theme is that they contain activities that pupils could complete to show how engineers solve problems through the application of science and design.

The 'What is engineering?' resource contains a useful presentation 'Engineers don't all wear hard hats' to introduce what engineers do. This could be adapted by a STEM Ambassador to talk about the problem they are trying to solve. The presentation could be combined with a pupil hands on engineering activity to ensure high engagement and impact. Examples of some suitable activities in this collection cover:

  • Designing a simple wind turbine to lift a cup off the floor - Wind power STEM challenge
  • Making a water filter - Water for everyone everywhere
  • Designing houses for different parts of the world - Shelter for the world
  • Constructing a sturdy structure - Den Day
  • Designing of a ship which needs to break through sea ice - Ice Breaker
  • Designing a boat to carry more passengers
  • Investigating the best way to load cargo on a boat
  • Using fruit to power lights - Fruit Lights
  • Building a bridge form one piece of paper- Bridges and structures
  • Modelling linkage mechanisms
  • Looking at simple electrical circuits by making a steady hand game - Exciting electricity
  • Building a balanced hanging sculpture
  • Making a tower from spaghetti
  • Investigating the forces affecting buildings - Vertically challenged
  • Using different types of envelope to link design with function - High Flyers
  • Designing a push along toy to meet set design criteria - How will your roly poly move?

With these resources they provide a source of inspiration for some hands on activities that will work. Many of them have been written for teachers so include parts which are not relevant for STEM Ambassadors. 

For further information about the STEM Ambassador Programme and for how to request a STEM Ambassador or volunteer, visit https://www.stem.org.uk/stem-ambassadors 

Resources

Filter

Subject
Age
Type
Showing 16 result(s)

What is engineering?

...

Wind power STEM challenge

From Practical Action, this challenge asks students to design a simple wind turbine capable of lifting a cup off the floor to bench height. The winning team will be the one producing a machine that lifts the most weight. The resource includes an instruction sheet, wind turbine images, links to videos and...

Water for everyone everywhere

Water for Everyone Everywhere is a hands-on enquiry based workshop that enables pupils to explore the global issues associated with water access and the role that engineering plays in water distribution.  In the main activity, the general principles of how filters work are explained before a  team activity to build...

Shelter for the World

This resource pack introduces the concepts of shelter and shelter deprivation around the world to students in Key Stage Two. It highlights the challenges people face in their daily lives when their homes do not provide adequate shelter. It linked to the curriculum areas of design and technology, geography and PSHE...

Pages