This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Composites are made by physically combining two or more materials. Many composite materials are used to provide strength and rigidity while using thinner, lighter components. However, they...

This sheet provides an overview of what happens during the composting process, thinking about the microorganisms involved in the decomposition of plant material. It offers ideas for monitoring temperature change within a compost heap over time and information on how to start your own compost heap.

Produced...

From the Integrating Mathematical Problem Solving project by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), this activity shows how compound interest can be calculated over different intervals. As the intervals get smaller and smaller, the total value approaches a limit. Topic areas covered are:
• Use of...

This resource contains 13 instant maths ideas designed to provide the opportunity for students to explore the notation of time and the decimalisation of time, work with bus and train timetables, discover what speed an aircraft flies when it travels at ‘mach 2.5’, what crafts’ speed is measured in knots, calculate...

From the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, these materials help students reinforce their existing knowledge and understanding of compression ratios. The activity helps with assessing students’ levels of confidence and competence and also with identifying any misconceptions that need addressing. The session...

This resource consists of two documents. One is a theory sheet and the other a structured workbook for students to complete. This would form a useful independent learning resource so could be issued as a homework task.

These guides from the Nuffield Mathematics Project follow on from the Beginnings guide. They deal mainly with number but also cover weights and measures. In Computation and structure 2, the concept of number is further developed. A section on the history of natural numbers and weights and measures...

The first video explains why data is represented in binary using examples of RAM, a hard disk, optical disks and solid state memory.

The second video illustrates simple circuits built using components to create AND, OR and NOT logic gates.  GCSE students need to be able to combine gates to create more...

This diagram supports the understanding of computational thinking, a skill in the primary computing curriculum. Students studying computing will gain an understanding of computational systems of all kinds, whether or not they include computers.

Computational thinking is the thought processes involved in...

This 'concept card' from the Barefoot collection explains 'computational thinking': *What it is *Why it is important *What it looks like in the primary curriculum *How to find out more It supports teacher understanding to improve their teaching of the Barefoot activities.

A comprehensive guide taken from the Quickstart guide to what computational thinking is and what it might look like in the primary classroom. It involves classroom activities which include:

• Writing algorithms and looking for patterns (generalisations) in comparison to other students’ algorithms.
...

An unplugged activity to convert binary numbers into coordinates that enable students to recreate an image using values given in binary. The resource also includes a spreadsheet which can be used to make more complex images for use with students at a more advanced level. The presentation is more of a discussion of...

This is a very comprehensive resource covering a range of pathfinding algorithm activities using graphs. It includes the Knight’s Tour puzzle as well as other examples. This is a highly readable resource that could be used for smaller activities including homework.