In this challenge, students are asked to evaluate an existing product – a step counter or pedometer. They then create a step counter to encourage healthier lifestyles among teenagers. It is based on a BBC micro:bit device which includes an accelerometer capable of detecting ‘shake events’. These events are then...

Inspired by the Born to Engineer video from Mathew Holloway, this resource uses the Crumble controller, setting students a design challenge that sees them create their own umbilical controlled buggy that can navigate small spaces. Although specific to the Crumble controller, this resource could be used as a design...

This is one of a series of resources from the Institution of Engineering and Technology designed to allow pupils to develop their knowledge and skills in computing, art and design.

In this resource pupils will explore the work of the famous Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian, who created abstract art using very...

This is one of a series of resources from the Institution of Engineering and Technology designed to allow pupils to develop their knowledge and skills in computing, art and design.

In this activity pupils will use digital cameras to capture images, thinking about lighting and the position of their camera....

Dijkstra's algorithm finds the shortest path for a given problem. Dijkstra's algorithm can be used to find the shortest route between two cities. This algorithm is so powerful that it not only finds the shortest path from a chosen source to a given destination, it also finds all of the shortest paths from the...

This Barefoot Computing animation project for primary school computing teaches the concept of sequencing within programs. Children use costumes and a range of commands in Scratch to produce purposeful multimedia. They are encouraged to debug and improve the program, and...

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In this activity, students examine changes to forests in cross-border regions of Africa and Borneo using Google Earth Pro to help identify features shown in satellite images and make measurements. The context allows students to explore the factors which put pressure on forested areas, and what is being done to...

After learning about flooding, students consider the design problems caused by its early detection. Students are introduced to moisture sensors, and can build their own using the instructions provided or use a ready-made version. This is connected to the BBC micro:bit and used as an input device. After processing...

In this challenge, students are asked to consider the impact of people suffering from heart conditions, both to the individual and to wider society. They then generate ideas for using programmable systems to improve people’s health, and to monitor themselves. A video introduces the idea of a heart rate monitor, and...

This presentation, from Paul Curzon at QMUL, uses a folded paper geometric shape called a hexahexaflexagon to teach about abstraction, data representation and graph data structures, while encouraging computational thinking. A video (linked from within the presentation) shows how to make one of the geometrical...

This classroom resource for secondary computing lessons outlines the history of development of computers. It covers thousands of years of history, including:

• the abacus
• log tables
• the calculators of Pascal and Leibnitz
• Jacquard looms
• Babbage's Difference Engine and...

Students first evaluate existing alarm systems and learn about a burglar’s attitude towards them using a video featuring reformed criminals. They are then briefed to create a working door access and alarm system using a BBC micro:bit and selected input and output components such as LDRs, reed switches, buzzers and...

Reducing energy usage in the home saves money, increases energy security and reduces the need to burn unsustainable fossil fuels. The first step in doing this is monitoring how much energy is...

Combing satellite and ground-based imagery, this cross-curricular learning resource for primary teachers explores planet Earth from a range of perspectives.

The activities are intended to build map skills and recognition of many physical geography features in familiar and unfamiliar locations. Mathematics...