Bridge design simulation

Westpoint bridge designer is software that has been written to allow people to enter a competition but you can download and use it for free in schools regardless.

The software allows the user to construct a variety of bridges for a variety of situations, it seems very open ended and easy to get in to.  You quickly get drawn into the software and want to improve your work.

The ‘test’ mode creates short film of your bridge under load and shows where struts are under compression and tension and shows buckling and failure.  Great stuff.

Oh yes .. it’s free

Download

del.icio.us Tags: bridge,simulations,model,free

Google goes green

The global internet search company have announced that they are to invest "Hundreds of Millions" of dollars into finding cheep and clean sources of energy.

They believe that the goal can be achieved in years and not decades

Guardian Article

We thought we knew it all about Wind Power

This site gives an insight into the ways that designers, scientists and engineers are still inventing ways to harness free energy. Perhaps you should ask your students if they can think of ways to use or develop this idea. Let them read and discuss the comments other people have made and see if they agree or disagree. Go on they will surprise you. Let them be creative.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4224763.html?series=37

Technology for Life – Challenges for schools 2007/08

 http://faraday.theiet.org/

“Technology for Life” is all about the impact that science and engineering make to the world of health.The programme is split into four topic zones, each concentrating on a specific area of engineering and technology that is helping to save lives.Each topic zone is fully integrated and packed with curriculum linked resources for 11–16 year olds to help you engage and inspire your students in STEM subjects. Click on the links below to find:

• Videos (15 mins) – introduce your students to real-world science and technology with our eye-opening short videos
• Short starter activities (10–15 mins) – quick, engaging introductions that lead you to the body of your lesson
• Main lesson activities (45–90 mins) – full lessons on each of the four topic areas with practical extension activities
• Games (10 –15 mins) – let your students take control of cutting-edge technology in our interactive games.
• Quizzes (10–15 mins) – quick, online, multiple-choice quizzes containing questions about the videos and curriculum subject matter
• Challenges – compete with other schools, to win £££s in our lesson-based challenges and vote online for your favourite entries.

Institute of Engineering and technology PrizeFour regional WinnersSchool wins £5000.Students win £500.Students win three places on a three day engineering course.Students take part in the filming of four ‘Faraday returns’ videos with leading scientists and engineers. Eight regional runners upSchools win £1000 and an engraved Faraday bust.Students win £500 (to be divided equally amongst each member if entering as a team).National Winner Announcements to be made at the final venue on 2nd April.Audience prize A prize will be awarded to the audience winner (entry with the highest online voting score).

No Teacher required

I was on holiday in Africa recently and amazed at the things that were made from scrap materials. There are just a couple of pictures here but interesting and thought provoking.

These children have toy cars that you can steer without bending down. As I say, interesting

Pictures

More pictures

Don’t have a clue

Google Answers was a great service I but sadly it was closed. Many of the free-lance researches from Google Answers moved to a new independently owned site, Uclue, that offers a similar service. You ask a question, announce a price you think an answer is worth, and if a top-notch researcher thinks your fee is fair, they will research your question. Questions can be quickies worth £2, or more complicated queries costing £100.

You can always ask for clarifications. As with Google Answers, the results are public. That means it pays to search the site for previous similar questions. It also means that your answer won’t be confidential.

If you want advice, go to the free and free-wheeling Yahoo Answers. If you want help on a particular question that the exact right person can answer quickly, I think Ask Metafilter is by far the best guru (and it is free for members). But if what you need is some real research and serious sleuthing, the kind of answer that is not just sitting in someone’s head, your best bet may be Uclue.

Website

Primary D and T

Primary D and T

By Simon

I was reminded just how good the Nuffield Primary Design and Technology website is when I visited it today. It contains examples of pupils work, resources and free to download classroom materials. Each unit breaks down the QCA units for D&T into really well thought out, structured and manageable pupil activities.

Electronics in Wiltshire Schools

 Regional EISS Hub Centre setup. -  (Winter 2007) 

In partnership with Wessex SETpoint a support HUB Centre is being set up to provide a focus for the teaching of electonics and control. The centre will ;

*  organise group sessions for teachers to share and develop good practice and resources

* encourage on line communications between schools and teachers

* organise further training and development for teachers in the region. 

Electronics in Schools Scheme - EISS

Work has been developing in 8 Wiltshire schools through the Electronics in Schools Scheme EISS which began in November 2006.

The scheme is focussed on creating exciting ways to develop teaching and learning in electronics and control. After two days of intensive, high quality, training provided by Torben Steeg (for EIISS) teachers set off to create their own PIC based electonic and control for their schemes of work. This work has been submitted to EISS and is now availble throught the different links listed below.

We are now planning to build on this excellent beginning by:

1) Setting up a regions EISS ‘Hub’, in partnership with the Weesex SETPOINT at Bath University, to support the sharing of good practice and to provide future INSET for schools in the region.

2) Running ‘Going Further’  in electonics and control INSET for the  8 Wiltshire schools

3) Running ‘Getting Started’in electonics and control INSET other interested schools

Check out work from some Wiltshire schools

Bradon Forest:

http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=91732

This link will get you to the photographs of Year 9 Electronic Products projects

Menu on left side of page has range of pupil help sheets.

 St Augustine’s Catholic College

This elcetronics work has also been selected for inclusion to the QCA materials on their website 

http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/curriculum-in-action/casestudieslibrary/case-studies/Engaging_electronics.aspx

http://www.st-augustines.wilts.sch.uk/departments/?cid=67

http://www.mrwalsh.co.uk/

Electonincs in Schools Website

Contains brilliant examples and case studies,  more resources than you could ever use from schools who have undertaken curiculum developments through the EISS initiative nationally.

http://www.electronicsinschools.org/

 

Different ideas

Always on the lookout for ideas? This blog is a collection of unusual photographs from all over the world … watch out though you could waste spend a lot of time here.

The Categories (on the right hand side) look useful, I loved the "Funny Sandwiches" in the food section.

Click here for the blog