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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.
Spirals
Archimedes’ Spirals: SMILE card 1998 is a booklet of activities beginning by explaining how to draw Archimedes’ spirals using the ‘cotton reel method’. The second activity uses a ruler, protractor, string and tracing paper to work out which of the spirals given is an Archimedes spiral. Polar graph paper is then used to draw an Archimedes spiral followed by a method of drawing spiral paths to make spinners.
Real Spirals: SMILE card 2002 is a booklet of activities exploring where spirals appear naturally. Making spirals using ropes, spirals in galaxies, a vortex and even a Swiss roll are considered. The booklet continues to consider a variety of other places spirals can be found.
Helix: SMILE card 2001 is a booklet exploring the helix. Spiral is the word used for flat patterns. A helix is a 3D ‘spiral’. The booklet begins by showing examples of where a helix can be found. There follows a task explaining how students can make their own helix. The resource concludes with some photographs showing where helixes can be found.
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Real spirals: card 2002 2.5 MB
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Helix: card 2001 2.68 MB
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Real spirals: card 2002 2.5 MB -
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Helix: card 2001 2.68 MB
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