Resources by Centre for Science Education

Olympic Quests

This resource consists of a set of tasks from the Science Assessment Tasks for More Able Students collection, produced by the Centre for Science Education. The tasks have an Olympic-inspired theme and are split into three 'quests'.

Each quest is flexible in use and freestanding in that it can be used either...

Ordering

These Cre8ate maths activities develop multi-stage logistical thinking. The Planning ahead puzzle develops process skills of problem solving: working systematically and creating, describing and experimenting with systematic strategies. Making tea is concerned with finding the best way to organise time and draws on...

Packaging

This topic explores flat designs which can be folded and used to package food and drink. These Cre8ate maths activities provide rich experience of visualising 3 dimensional shapes from 2 dimensional representations. In Four Chocolates and It Takes the Biscuit!, students will need to measure accurately and construct...

Packaging Design

This resource from the Department for Education develops the 3-D thinking required to move between solid objects and their 2-D nets. The activities are placed in the context of packaging. Students flatten out a packaging box to show the flat 2-D 'net' that made up the whole pack and investigate how the net could be...

Painting the Playground

This activity from Cre8ate maths lends itself to the development of personal thinking and learning skills, based on activities for a playground. Making a maze involves students in quite complex 2-D visualisation, working with a prepared spreadsheet, in excel, which encourages students to refine and redraft their...

Periscopes

From the Centre for Science Education, and with support from Shell Education services, these materials help children to investigate light and reflection. A periscope is a simple device that enables children to see over walls or round corners. Rays of light hitting the mirror of the periscope are reflected twice....

Piggiflu is Coming

A simulation from Science upd8 that looks at how a viral disease spreads in a model population (the school). It is interactive, relevant and involves large numbers of students. There is the potential for family involvement. The simulation continues for around 5 days, after which students can use ICT to analyse the...

Pirates Treasure Mystery

This Science upd8 activity is inspired by the film Pirates of the Caribbean. What are the contents of the treasure chest? What metal is the key made of? What happened to the treasure after decades under the sea?

Pit Stop

The Pit stop activities from Cre8ate maths are designed to motivate students to investigate the performance of model solar cars through a series of racing challenges. To do this activity you will need a set of model solar racing cars which are often shared between design technology and science departments. Students...

Pixel Perfection

This investigation from Cre8ate maths involves students in finding the best size screen for a television. If you have a large flat screen and view a standard analogue or digital picture the individual pixels are visible if you are sitting too close to the screen. Working in small groups of 3 or 4, students measure...