Resources by Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

Testing a car's performance

Linked to this series of resources on designing and making a car, this activity evaluates the performance of the vehicle previously manufactured by the pupils. It involves recording the time taken by each vehicle to go down a slope. This can be converted into the speed of the vehicle. It could be used at key stage...

Testing a pulley system

In this resource students are asked to test the operation of pulley systems and calculating their mechanical advantage.

Suggested learning outcomes include:

• To understand what is meant by mechanical advantage.
• To be able to calculate the mechanical advantage of pulley systems.
• ...

Testing Fitness Levels

In this activity, students review their results from a previous investigation to form a hypothesis, consider the validity and size of the data set collected, and question if the data would be sufficient to confirm their claim.

Testing the beep tester

In this activity, learners will test their product against the design criteria and suggest possible improvements.

The Amazing D30

In this video, from the Institution of Engineering and technology (IET), Richard Palmer tells the story of the development of a new smart material D30. The polymer is based upon a fluid which behaves differently depending upon the speed at which the fluid is asked to...

The Anatomy of Prosthetics

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), is a quick, engaging introduction to a lesson looking at the properties of modern materials and how these are used to imitate human body parts. Students think about human body parts which can...

The First Programmable System

In this activity students explore why a water clock was the world's first programmable system. Programmable systems are by no means a modern invention. Many regard the first to be Ktesibios's water clock, which was invented approximately 2250 years ago.

The aim of this activity is that students apply what...

The Future of Programmable Systems

In this activity, students explore how programmable systems will develop in the future. Students are required to be able to recognise user needs that could be met by a programmable system and to use an annotated sketch to design a programmable system that will meet a specific user need.

As technology...

The history of flight

This is one of a series of resources from the IET designed around the theme of the future of flight with the purpose of developing pupils knowledge and skills in engineering and design technology. This activity involves pupils producing a timeline for the history of crewed flight. Rather than the conventional...

The Psychology of Colour

The engineers behind the Watt Nightclub in Rotterdam turn the energy created by clubbers on the dance-floor into power for the lighting. There is even a giant battery to monitor the energy and encourage the crowd to dance more.