This Catalyst article looks at the work of fire engineers whose aim is to minimise the threat of fire and to protect people when fire breaks out. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 24, Issue 4.

Catalyst is a...

These materials, from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, contain an activity in which students are asked to relate theory to practice as they inspect fire extinguishers and fire blankets in real situations. The students locate, identify and plot fire protection equipment on plans of their work areas in...

In this predict-observe-explain activity, students explore different ways of extinguishing a flame with some surprising results. The lesson is introduced with the video of engineer Yusuf Muhammad. Yusuf is developing a revolutionary new household fire-safety device, incorporating the techniques of professional...

Rory Hadden investigates how fires ignite, spread and how they can be extinguished. This research is then used to save lives by creating safer buildings for us to live and work in.

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), explores the qualities and/or properties which make a material fit for purpose. The resource is designed to allow students to:

• understand that...

This challenge, from Practical Action, requires students to design and build a model structure that will enable farmers to grow crops even in an area that may become flooded. A floating garden, built on a base of aquatic weeds, is a low cost and sustainable way of allowing people to grow vegetables. The resource...

Students work in teams to design and make a prototype device that can design and make a prototype of a simple device (to be sold in stores like B&Q) that will allow homeowners to remove water from their house during periods of flooding.

In this challenge the device will have to move 100ml of water from...

This resource is designed as an introduction to deployable structures using flowers as an example from the natural world. It has activities associated with nets and density and discussion of a link to symmetry and transformations. There are also various practical suggestions (such as making a party blower).

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This poster describes four people in four different companies who all work together to produce an innovative flood defence system. To manufacture the produce requires the collaboration of designers, engineers, materials...

This is one of a set of resources produced in conjunction with the engineering company Arconic. The resources are designed to support teaching of key engineering concepts at both key stage 3 and key stage 4, including the new GCSE in Engineering. This resource focusses on the application of maths in engineering....

Through this challenge pupils will develop their understanding of how food waste contributes to climate change. Pupils will have the opportunity to identify potential problems or areas where an invention could help reduce the amount of food we waste, before designing their own invention and evaluating and...

These technical briefs look at how to store and preserve food in a number of different ways. This is a vital part of food security and enables farmers to provide nutritious food for a longer period to feed their families and to provide an income.

Technical briefs are documents produced by Practical Action...

These materials use the BLOODHOUND SSC land speed attempt as a context for teaching about forces, particularly forward thrust and frictional forces. The BLOODHOUND SuperSonic Car (SSC) land-speed attempt aims to reach a target speed of 1000 miles per hour.

A very large forward driving force is required to...

This resource, from Mathematics for Engineering Exemplars, shows the application of mathematics within the mechanical and electrical engineering power industry. Here students learn how statistical models are used to set alarms which detect changes in vibration above normal values. The alarms highlight that...