This unplugged activity from Peter McOwan and Paul Curzon mingles computer science with biology. A group activity is used that mimics the firing of neurons within the brain. These trigger other neurons to fire – these can be compared to AND gates in logic circuits.

The ‘brain in a bag’ kits used in the...

In this project students learn to build a robot buggy using a Raspberry Pi. It contains detailed tutorials that cover:

• How to setup a motor controller board with two motors
• How to control motors using Python
• How to build a robot chassis

These activities are aimed at ...

In this activity, students create colour images from satellite data. This allows them to study how different surfaces reflect different wavelengths of light, how coloured images are created using an RGB model, and how band combinations can be chosen to examine a particular landscape effectively.

This activity allows students to construct a paper CPU using “jigsaw” pieces. They can also add notes to their jigsaw explaining the function of each component. Carrying out this activity allows students to relate sub components of the CPU to one another. For example, they will appreciate that level 1 cache memory...

This presentation guides students through an explanation & coded simulation of Bubble Sort. Students can add to this later by adding another option for Merge Sort with the potential to then measure the time taken for each algorithm to form a...

Two worked example coding challenges that are useful for teachers as a teaching aid. These can be used to illustrate the relationship between a flow chart, pseudo-code and program code.

• Fruit Machine...

This resource consists of two documents. One is a theory sheet and the other a structured workbook for students to complete. This would form a useful independent learning resource so could be issued as a homework task.

This is a very comprehensive resource covering a range of pathfinding algorithm activities using graphs. It includes the Knight’s Tour puzzle as well as other examples. This is a highly readable resource that could be used for smaller activities including homework.

Mathematics plays a vital part in space flight, it gives us a way both to predict what should happen in the future and also ways to measure what’s actually happening in the present, and adapt to it. In this resource we look at a few places where maths helps in space flight. The maths is made simple here (it’s far,...

This unplugged activity uses a large model of a face, operated by several children working together, to teach how ‘emotion’ can be expressed by robots following simple rules. These rules are expressed as IF, THEN, ELSE, statements which, when...

Quantum computers will revolutionise secure communications, and will make some current encryption methods obsolete. This activity, takes in cutting-edge research at the UK Quantum Technology hubs...

The ability to extract and summarise information is a very valuable skill for students to develop. This document is a report published in 2011 by the University of Cambridge. It investigates social impacts of technology use on different cultures. This resource could be used as a source document for students to scan...

STEM Learning has worked with IBM to increase the accessibility of its SkillsBuild e-learning resources. We have created guides to show which SkillsBuild content supports the specific learning objectives within a range of computing qualification specifications to help save teachers time when planning their...

This resource consists of two starter activities, the Cyber Security Diamond asks students to take 9 statements relating to Cyber Security and rank them (in a diamond layout) from most to least important. The Social Engineering Activity contains four definitions of types of social engineering activity and asks...

This resource, aimed at lower ability Key Stage 4 students, introduces the concept of data compression, specifically Run Length Encoding. Students are asked to use an online tool to convert names into binary (ASCII), this binary data is then subjected to Run Length Encoding and encoded binary compared to the...