STEM Blog

February 27, 2012
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Teaching Cleaning Water?

The STEM Central Context on Water allows practitioners and learners to explore Cleaning Water. The cleaning water learning journey has a Sciences focus, aimed at third level. Learners are asked to reflect on the different ways in which water can become polluted and on the importance to humans of a safe, clean water supply. They are then given a scenario and a brief for analysing raw water. Learners explore a range of techniques for physically separating mixtures into their components in relation to the context of cleaning water.

The Glow Science (Glow log in required) video on Water Pollution allows you to discover what water pollution means for the environment and how it affects humans.

February 23, 2012
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Teaching Time Management?

The STEM Central Context on Electric Transport allows practitioners and learners to explore time and cost analysis. The time and cost analysis learning journey has a numeracy focus and is aimed at fourth level.

The Glow Science (Glow log in required) video on Speed, Velocity and Acceleration could be used to support the time and cost analysis learning journey.

February 22, 2012
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Teaching Transport?

The STEM Central Context on Electric Transport allows practitioners and learners to explore Electric Cars. The Electric Cars learning journey with a technologies focus is aimed at fourth level. Lessons give learners experiences and opportunities to develop their understanding of the differences between electric motors and petrol engines and the functional, societal and physical issues relating to electric forms of transport. Learners can research the current state of electric transport in the world to learn from elsewhere and deepen their understanding of the issues. Surveying people in the community allows them to better understand attitudes and views relating to this issue. Learners then develop an understanding of different case studies of schemes to encourage the adoption of electric transport and then research and present a reasoned argument on the environmental impact of a wider spread use of electric transport in Scotland.

The Glow Science (Glow log in required) video on Eco-Transport could be used to support the Electric Cars Learning Journey.

February 22, 2012
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Teaching Flooding?

The STEM Central Context on Water allows practitioners and learners to explore flood planning and flood management. The microgeneration learning journey has a Sciences focus aimed at third level. Lessons give learners experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding of a renewable source of energy through practical investigation. This context would lend itself well to an interdisciplinary learning planned in partnership with technologies.

The flood planning learning journey is aimed at third level Social Studies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding through discussion of local flooding issues in Scotland. Learners are given opportunities to understand the social and financial impact of flooding and possible flood prevention methods both natural and manmade. They also consider the effect of flooding on both developed and developing countries and how aid may impact on this.

The flood management learning journey is aimed at fourth level Technologies and begins by engaging learners with the topic of flooding to immerse themselves in some of the issues and problems of the people affected by flooding. Learners are given opportunities to research existing products and systems, to analyse case studies and to design, model and apply the basic principles of control technology. They also consider the possible negative impacts of engineered solutions and whether sometimes ‘low tech’, or non-engineered solutions can be appropriate by looking at practice in this country and elsewhere in the world.

There are various videos available through Glow Science (Glow log in required) that you could use to support these learning journeys:

  • Hurricane Katrina: Part 1: In 2005, New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina. What defences did the city have to protect it?
  • Hurricane Katrina: Part 2: In 2005, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The city had flood defences which were meant to protect it. Why did these fail and could this happen again?
  • Storm Surges: Storm surges are huge domes of water sucked upwards by the eye of a hurricane. What happens if they hit the shore, or worse, a city?

February 21, 2012
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Teaching Circuits?

The STEM Central Context on Electric Transport allows practitioners and learners to explore Circuits. The Circuit learning journey has a Sciences focus and is aimed at third level. Lessons give learners experiences and the opportunity to develop their understanding of circuits and their application. Learners are given the chance to apply learning by designing their own circuits for particular functions.

There are various videos available through Glow Science (Glow log in required) that you could use to support the Circuits Learning Journey:

February 20, 2012
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Lossiemouth High Girls Celebrate Energy Challenge Win

Go4SET is a UK wide educational programme allowing secondary school pupils to work with organisations to address issues of sustainability and engineering/science awareness.

School teams from Moray attended Moray College on Wednesday 8th February to compete in the Go4SET Celebration and Assessment Day (CAD).  The judges selected Lossiemouth High School’s all girl team as the winner of the Best Overall Project Award for their outstanding work on the use of biomass as a source of renewable energy and the team were presented with a trophy and a cheque for £250 by Howie Firth, Director Orkney Science Festival. The team will now go forward to the Go4SET Scottish Final which will be held in the Scottish Parliament in May.

 Lossiemouth High School were supported by Diageo during the project and their mentor Barry Paterson commented “To see the team come together, the effort that the team put into their report and presentation, to see how they conducted themselves in front of the judges, brings together all the reasons why I continue to work within the Go4Set programme and illustrates Diageo values through the support I receive to be a STEM ambassador.”

 The Moray CAD event and awards were sponsored by Viridor and Martin Grey, Scottish Communications Manager commented; from wind farms to waste management, how we create a sustainable Scotland is rightly the subject of intense debate.  As Scotland’s leading recycling, renewable energy and sustainable waste partner working with 96% of local authorities that is a debate we are keen to encourage.  It’s for that reason we are delighted to support the Go4SET programme in Moray and across Scotland, challenging young people to think about their environment and future.  “Like Viridor, young people in Moray are committed to their environment and conscious of how they utilise resources.  The standard of entries was again very high and I congratulate the young people on their work.  With talented young people like those in Moray, Scotland’s future is sure to be bright.”

The Go4SET biomass project began at the launch event in November 2011 and the teams of six 12 to 14 year olds (S2) continued to work with their teacher and mentors from industry on the challenging 10-week project.  They were tasked to research a biomass fuelled renewable electricity and heat plant for their school and provide a written report on their findings, produce a model and display these at the celebration event.

At the event the students demonstrated their individual projects and models to a group of assessors and discussed their projects with guests attending the event. The other award winners at the event were Speyside High School Team 1 supported by William Grant & Sons who won the Best Team Work Award and were presented with a cheque for £100 the team also won the Students Choice Award

Duncan McSporran, EDT Director for Scotland commented “This dynamic and innovative curriculum based programme has proved to significantly change the perception of young people on careers and opportunities within science and engineering industries.”

February 18, 2012
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Comments Off on How to Build a Model Dam

How to Build a Model Dam

This activity could be used in relation to the Water Context on STEM Central.

A dam is a structure that stops water from flowing. Usually, a dam is built to redirect the water or to use the water power to generate electricity. Building a model dam is a great idea for STEM work, especially if you research the purposes of various dams and display the information along with your model. With a few simple materials, you can make a dam that works like the real thing. Why not take it further and explore microgeneration too?  More information is available by following this link.  

February 14, 2012
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Aberdeen pupils compete in Go4SET Energy Challenge

School teams from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire attended The Robert Gordon University on Tuesday 7th February to compete in the Go4SET Aberdeen Celebration and Assessment Day (CAD).  The judges selected Torry Academy as the winners of the Best Overall Project Award for their outstanding work on the use of biomass as a source of renewable energy and the team were presented with a trophy and a cheque for £250 Alan MacLeay from Subsea 7 who sponsored the event and the awards . The team from Torry Academy will now go forward to the Go4SET Scottish Final which will be held in the Scottish Parliament in May

Torry Academy were supported by TOTAL E&P UK Limited during the project and their mentor Oliver Nicholls, commented “Congratulations to Torry Academy on their achievement. The Go4SET challenge has highlighted the subjects of science and maths in student’s minds, and this is a really positive result. It is positive for the students themselves as it means they can make informed decisions when deciding on a career path. In a wider sense it is healthy for the UK as there will be an obvious need for engineers and scientists both now and in future days.”

 The Go4SET biomass project began at the launch event in November 2011 and the teams of six 12 to 14 year olds (S2) continued to work with their teacher and mentors from industry on the challenging 10-week project.  They were tasked to research a biomass fuelled renewable electricity and heat plant for their school and provide a written report on their findings, produce a model and display these at the celebration event.

At the event the students demonstrated their individual projects and models to a group of assessors and discussed their projects with guests attending the event. The other award winners at the event were Hazlehead Academy supported by AMEC who won the Innovation Award with a cheque for £250 and Lathallan School Team 2 supported by BP who won the Students Choice Award with a cheque for £100.

 Alan MacLeay – Engineering Director – Renewables at Subsea 7 was also one of the judges and guest speaker at the event and commented “Subsea 7 is delighted to sponsor this event. As one of the largest employers of professional engineers in the North-east of Scotland we recognise the need to encourage secondary school students to take up careers in science, engineering and technology. It has been inspiring to see the enthusiasm and effort put in by the students and hopefully many of them will now consider careers in the industry.”

 The Robert Gordon University hosted both the Launch and the CAD event and Grant Maxwell, Associate Head of the School of Engineering commented, “We are very pleased to host this event. The quality of work and the enthusiasm displayed by the pupils were very impressive and this bodes very well for the future.”

Duncan McSporran, EDT Director for Scotland commented “This dynamic and innovative curriculum based programme has proved to significantly change the perception of young people on careers and opportunities within science and engineering industries.”

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