Investigation

Labelled my lab door up a 'department of bottom paper testing', told the kids (Y7) when they came in to form companies to test bog roll for strength and absorbency. Each company had a budget (bank of quasi money printed out and ready for them) to buy water (from the department of water) and for the boss of each company to pay the wages every day (a day lasted 10 minutes) of its workers (this led to interesting discussions on how big a team could be to make it viable - as with more workers the money would run out fast)
Pupils then went to it - good fun had by all, companies sacked members who weren't working well, some member hired themselve out as consultants to other companies to make money! And some good problem solving science as well.

Note for next time - need fake urine or poo to make it even more good fun.

for fake urine see creative chemistry website -( either here or w&w and for fake poo try - weetabix and gravy browning diluted - looks very convincing! They love it when you dip your finger in and taste it!!

I always provide a worksheet, roughly providing the following information...

1) What the task is (general statement)

2) What people they should have in their team, normally including the following (as a minimum)...
A manager (in charge of the money and everyone)
A chief scientist (in charge of the Science)
A mathematician (where calculations are needed)
A technical writer (in charge of the results - however they are to be presented)
Groups must be mixed gender

3) What the 'winning team will have' normally including...
The most money left
The most accurate answer (as applicable to the problem)
The best write-up of the work (often a letter or poster).

4) The budget and tariffs
The first time I did this the main use of the money was to get them to talk between groups, so the tariffs were along the lines of...
- Help from another group (quick question) 50p
- Hiring someone else from another group for 5 minutes £1
- Help from Quasi (as senior scientist/mathematician etc) £1 or more
- Fine for spying 50p
- Fine for being unsafe £1 or more!

And the further complications with money have arisen from there.
The advantage was to get the teams (to some extent) working together, rather than bombarding me with problems.
I choose low science, higher investigative skill practicals, linked to the topic we are doing, and put lots of equipment around the room for them to choose from (including stuff that is less useful).

Physics Idea, especially for 'fisherpersons' teaching Hooks Law, or as a follow up investigation. Just remembered it!
Had my fishing rod set up and nylon tied to the desk. Battled with my imaginary fish until nylon broke , class riveted. Question - What size fish could break my line?
Also used it for a higher group, this time I had 2 lines with same breaking strain which I told the class, BUT, from different companies. Question,which companies line can I trust? One group even got around to comparing the thicknesses using a micrometer screw gauge.

I'm about to start coursework with Y11 and they need to plan it. So I set them homework to write me a plan of how to make a cup of tea. Admittedly, several didn't do it, probably thinking it was silly homework (which it is) but I've still got plenty of material for the start of my next lesson, in which I'm going to make a cup of tea Y11 style.

Several mention using a teabag but not taking it out again.

Several mention using a cup or a mug but don't mention the size (I've got a giant cappucino cup that will be ideal).

Several say "add water" but not that it should be hot, or that it should have come from the kettle, or how MUCH water to add (dropper pipette anyone?).

I've got "flick it [the kettle] on" (I'm not sure flicking the kettle is going to do much but we'll see ;-)

"Add two spoons of sugar" (dessert spoons, I think, it doesn't say what size).

"Add milk" (3 days old, I think, after all, no mention of 'fresh' milk).

"Boil the kettle" (I think I'll put it in a large beaker and see if they stop me before I can fill the beaker with water and put the lot on a Bunsen ;-)

Good fun for all and I think my point will be made - be SPECIFIC!!

ome approaches to paper aeroplanes:
get some designs from the web (e.g. http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/ )or from a book. Photocopy a load of different ones enough to have some spare. Pupils build to the design. Score points for the final product being close to the build. Discuss fair testing of launch. www.mutr.co.uk have a couple of different types of launcher. Measure area of wings as this is related to lift. Experiment with centre of gravity (blu-tac & paperclips). Time in the air competitions usually require the builder to launch the plane themselves straight up into the air. A competition is always useful - deduct points for any advance testing (i.e. mucking about).
With the requirement to teach enterprise coming up get small groups to become businesses competing for a lucrative deal: charge £50,000 for each sheet of paper, £100,000 for every test flight. Assign a budget (numeracy skills) devise a brief (maximum time aloft or distance) and discuss budget vs. brief and value for money.
Get them to discuss the science needed to maximise their efforts before hand and halfway through as well. Afterwards get them to evaluate the science they have used.