Practical Action
Much loved by teachers and pupils alike our engaging STEM challenges give pupils a problem faced by a community in the developing world...then ask them to solve it using their STEM skills. Designed to fit the UK curriculum but also flexible enough for afterschool STEM/science clubs and enrichment days. Accredited by the CREST Award scheme they can be used to gain CREST awards and as projects for the Big Bang competition.
Free support materials include teachers notes, pupil worksheets , PowerPoint presentations, certificates and posters.
Why not just download one and get started?
Solar Challenge
Having investigated renewable energy solutions pupils build circuits using solar cells, then decide how best to use limited solar power in a village in Zimbabwe.
Squashed Tomato Challenge
How can you get tomatoes down a mountainside without squashing them? Pupils look at this problem faced by farmers in Nepal then design, build and test a model of their own solution.
Ditch the Dirt
This hands on STEM challenge set in Kenya enables pupils to investigate ways of making dirty water cleaner through sieving and filtering and build their own water filter.
Stop the Spread
After investigating infectious diseases pupils use their STEM skills to design and build a model of a hand-washing station and produce linked education materials for children in Kenya.
Floating Garden Challenge
How do you grow food when your land floods? On a floating garden of course. Pupils design, build and test the strongest floating garden they can then compare with the solution in Bangladesh.
Beat the Flood
After looking at structures, then testing a variety of material for absorbency and strength pupils build their own model of a flood -proof house then test it by squirting with a hose pipe.
Wind Power Challenge
In this hands-on STEM challenge pupils first look at different renewable energy solutions around the world then design a simple wind turbine of their own.
Small is Challenge
Focused around a 3 meter long timeline (free on request). Pupils research an invention in the last 100 years they are interested in then design a sustainable product for their future.
Plastics Challenge
Pupils investigate the properties of plastics, look at how plastics are used in Nepal then design and make a product of their own by reusing or recycling plastic.
Regreen the desert
The challenge inspires students to develop ideas to address a real life problem caused by climate change. Their challenge is to capture rain water to irrigate crops for a community living in North Darfur, Sudan.
Science Curriculum links
These useful documents will indicate where our materials fit the curriculum in England, Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland. Hugely useful for planning.
