Stem Challenge Days

STEM Challenge Days Key Stage 3 and 4 Options

1. Rocket Power
2. Engino – Spanning the Gap
3. Mars Buggy
4. Pick n Mix
5. Egg Safety Test
6. Raising Water
7. Rapid Relay
8. HydroPower
9. Energy from Waste
10. Olympic Challenge

Option 1: Rocket Power

Students design and make a rocket that must travel a specific height and distance and land in a certain location. Students will:
– Consider features to incorporate into their designs
– Decide what materials to use
– Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their rocket
– Design a parachute and launch their rocket!

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 2: Engino – Spanning the Gap

Students work in teams to design and make a bridge using wood strips and Engino connectors. Students will be given the brief and resources to:
– Consider key design features of different types of bridges
– Lay out design plans for their bridge
– Construct the bridge with the materials provided
– Test their finished bridges’ strength using weights to create a load

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 3: Mars Buggy

Working in teams, Student will design and make their own mars buggy, using a super capacitor at the heart of the vehicle. This project consists of the following elements and students will:
– Learn how super capacitors work, and how they can be utilised to power the buggy
– Design the shell and chassis of the buggy to withstand the terrain
– Construct a circuit to power their mars buggy from various components
– Optimise the gearing to ensure the buggy can complete all terrains
– Test their finished design!

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 3.1 Energy, electricity and forces; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 4: Pick N Mix

This challenge encourages students to be innovative and try out their entrepreneurial skills! Selecting from an array of simple electronics components and construction media, students develop a prototype to fulfil a gap in the marketplace they have identified. The challenge supports the work-related learning agenda as students form companies and take on various management roles to ensure their final sales pitch secures the support of a fictious investor.

Tasks include:
– Identifying a market need
– Inventing a new product
– Developing a basic business plan and marketing strategy
– Budgeting and purchasing resources from an engineering store
– Making a prototype from materials provided
– Presenting their product to the whole group

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: All aspects of PLTS; Functional skills (English & mathematics)

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Option 5: Egg Safety Test

Egg-headed Student design and develop ideas for a crash test vehicle to transport one important passenger – a chicken egg – down a pre-made ramp. Students work as a team to:
– Brainstorm concept ideas for their vehicle design
– Decide as a group which idea they are going to pursue
– Construct their vehicle using the materials provided
– Test their car by transporting the passenger (unharmed) down the ramp

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 6: Raising Water

Students compete in groups to raise a large amount of water from one side of a room to another using various mechanical components and mechanisms. This task will stretch students as they race against the clock to be the first team to complete the task. Students will:
– Brainstorm ideas and share thoughts between each other
– Budget components to complete this task
– Construct a prototype ideas and trial out ideas
– Begin the task
– Present their findings to their peers

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.1 Energy transfer and electricity; 4.2 Forces; 5.1 Changing Environment and sustainability;
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 7: Rapid Relay

Students work in teams to design and build mechanisms to complete a machine which moves an object through a series of checkpoints. Each team is assigned a section of the machine and instructions. Teams are given various resources to complete the task. Students will need to:
– communicate with the other teams during the challenge to ensure a high success rate.
– come up with initial ideas and sketches before settling on a final design choice.
– construct a prototype before working on the final product
– test and ensure that the whole mechanism works.
Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 8: HydroPower

Working in teams, students will design and make their own hydroelectric turbine, using magnets at the heart of the turbine. This project consists of the following elements and students will:
– Learn how magnets work, and how they can be utilised
– Design the shell of the turbine
– Construct a circuit to harness the energy produced
– Optimise the turbine array
– Test their finished design!

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 3.1 Energy, electricity and forces; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 9: Energy from Waste

Students working together will solve problems and apply critical thinking to each scenario within this project, allowing them to build an understanding of what Energy from Waste (EfW) and its impact on the environment and local ecosystem.
– Learn how rubbish is reused
– Discuss Engineers and how they reuse, recycle and reduce
– Design the EfW Process
– Produce recycled material products
– Test their finished design!

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 3.1 Energy, electricity and forces; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)

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Option 10: Olympic Challenge

With the Olympics around the corner, this projects promises to bring the excitment into a classroom environment allowing students to work in teams to design and build their very own stadium!
– Consider key design features of different types of structures
– Lay out design plans for their stadium
– Construct the stadium with the materials provided
– Test their finished stadiums strength using weights to create a load

Curriculum Links include:
Science: 2 Practical and Enquiry Skills; 4.2 Forces
Technology: 1 Developing planning and communicating ideas
Maths: 1 Mathematical processes and applications; 4.1 Geometrical Reasoning; 4.4 Measures and mensuration
Other: aspects of PLTS (group work)