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

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Den Day

Create a den at school using this STEM challenge, which links to geography and D & T. Children learn about natural disasters and how they affect people in many ways, then are challenged to plan and construct a sturdy...

Ice breaker

In this resource learners will explore the relationship between a ship’s hull and the job it does. In particular, the lesson will look at the difficult job a polar ship faces when having to break through sea ice and the importance of the...

Design a boat

Water pushes upwards with a force called ‘upthrust’. (You can feel this if you try to push a light object such as a balloon or aeroboard under water). The shape of a ‘boat’ affects the weight (passengers/cargo) it can hold. The more water that the boat displaces the more it will float and therefore the more weight...

Loading Cargo

Have you ever travelled on a large vehicle ferry? How are the vehicles loaded? Why do you think it matters which vehicles go on first or where they are put on the car deck?If you are loading cargo (into a rucksack, onto a boat, onto ...

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