This practical activity allows students to explore how nature creates calcium carbonate, a compound needed to manufacture cement, at ambient temperatures and using abundant, readily available raw materials. The cement used in concrete is manufactured from calcium carbonate, which is extracted from open-pit mines....

This Pedagogics resource uses the following quote from the Chinese philosopher Confucius: "Tell me...and I will forget. Show me... and I will remember. Involve me... and I will understand"

Produced by the LSIS, this practical activity is designed to engage learners in discussion about momentum and to help them to predict the possible effects of a collision. You may choose to perform a demonstration, using a simple runway, ball bearings and magnets, and then ask pairs or groups of students to try it...

These technical briefs look at the ways Practical Action have helped poor communities to make the best use of their own labour and to use locally produced building materials and techniques that they can afford and manage.

Technical briefs are documents produced by Practical Action which are freely available...

This STEMNET resource describes the background and career of STEM Ambassador Colin Glen, a project engineer working in a construction company.

Colin has worked on many great buildings in London. He is part of a team that ensures the comnpany's design, plans and construction meet the required specifications...

This STEMNET resource describes the background and career of STEM Ambassador Vicki Hodges, an Attitude and Orbit Control Systems engineer working on a project to develop an unmanned spacecraft.

Having joined the Astrium graduate scheme, Vicki has moved around the company and gained experience in a variety of...

Controlling Motion uses Cornerstone Maths' dynamic interactive web-based environment to give secondary students an introduction to the 'hard to teach' concept of linear functions....

From the Technology Enhancement Programme (TEP), this publication looks at the process and problems caused by the corrosion of metals. The first part of the publication gives background information for students on elements, atoms, ions and electrochemical reactions involved in rusting. This helps students to...

This resource pack contains twelve 'hands on’ activities linked to different aspects of the science of materials and states of matter. Aimed at learners of all ages, they would be particularly suitable for use at primary level to demonstrate key ideas and concepts and to spark an interest in chemistry. Containing...

A case study from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) which looks at the forensic evidence and intelligence that are left at crime scenes by footwear, gloves, tyres and fingers. New Latent Image Markup and Analysis (LIMA) software provides a fast, accurate way of transmitting and...

In August 2012, an unmanned rover touched down on the surface of Mars. NASA's Curiosity Rover was sent to take measurements of the atmosphere and martian terrain in an effort to understand more about the history of Mars and whether the planet ever...

'What do materials scientists do? They investigate the properties of materials. Sometimes they try to make a material for a purpose. Sometimes a material is discovered and they explore its potential uses. The properties of all materials must be rigorously assessed.'

These practicals and videos use a...

Seven activity sheets produced by the Institute of Physics (IOP) to accompany the MODEL Project's Cutting Edge Materials video.

Worksheet one takes an overview of the topic. Worksheets two - seven are targeted at specific sections of the video.

Answers to all the worksheet questions are provided in...