Discovery challenges (ages 10-14)


Typically completed by 10-14 year olds, students work collaboratively on a five hour project or challenge in self-managed groups. During the project, they use a CREST Discovery passport to record and reflect on their work. Afterwards, students communicate their findings as a group presentation.

Each pack provides teaching guides, kit lists, example timetables and suggested starter activities to help you run your day. Find out more about CREST Discovery Awards.

There are more CREST approved resources that have been developed by our partners and providers specific to your region.


To browse the packs, click the buttons below or scroll down.
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5 years ago

Getting Started Guide: Discovery

  • Text
  • Crest
  • Challenges
  • Materials
  • Nanotechnology
  • Bronze
  • Workshop
  • Projects
  • Seating
  • Apps
  • Develop
Get started with CREST Discovery

CREST resource library

CREST resource library The CREST resource library hosts a wide range of Discovery Day packs. Each pack includes guidance for your students, a suggested timetable and materials for you to use, and some optional activities to kick off the day. You can browse the Discovery Day packs we have available online at: http://library.crestawards.org The ‘Drop by Drop’ Student Pack will help you in your Stop the Spread Challenge. It contains the information and worksheets you will need to get organised and plan your project. 7 info sheet: Why sanitation Matters Coding Task sheet The use of computer programs has changed the way we live our lives. One of the greatest impacts has been through the development of the World Wide Web. It was designed by British Physicist Sir Tim Berners-Lee to allow researchers to share data easily. The result was a set of protocols that have been adopted more widely and have transformed the way we access and share information. Aim Ergonomics Task sheet Ergonomics is an area of science that designs products and systems with the needs of the user in mind, by combining fields such as human biology and engineering. People who work in ergonomics study a place, such as a school or classroom, and make it better by designing new products or ways of doing things. For example, in school you spend a lot of time sitting and writing, so we can use ergonomics to design things like the chairs that you sit on and the things you write with. In this workshop you will work in pairs to investigate how ergonomics enriches the classroom through the design of different products, specifically looking at solutions for seating and writing. One half of the pairs in the workshop will complete Part 1a and the other Part 1b. If there is time, you can swap over. If there isn’t enough time to complete both, your session leader will put you into a group with someone from the other half of the workshop so you can share what you have investigated. You should make notes as you go through this workshop as you will need to share your findings with your teammates. 2 info sheet: Material Costs This pack has been produced by Practical Action for Youth Grand Challenges in partnership with the CREST Awards scheme. CREST is a UK award scheme for 11-19 year olds recognising success, building skills and demonstrating personal achievement in science, technology, engineering and maths project work. To enter the Youth Grand Challenges competition, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, go to www.youthgrandchallenges.org You will need to buy materials to make your hand washing model. Each modelling material represents a ‘real’ material you would use if you were building a hand washing device in Kenya. These can be divided into: • Locally sourced materials – these are available close to the school and in the village e.g. bamboo, plastic bottles, rope. You should aim to use as many locally sourced materials as possible as they are more sustainable • Imported materials – these will need to be transported from a town or city further away. Generally they cost more to produce and you have to pay for the transport into the village. As an important part of your design you will need to balance the cost of materials with their quality and their impact on the environment. Budget Your budget is 125 credits. Keep track of how much you are spending on your cost record sheet. Anything you use not listed on this sheet is free. Trading Once you have bought materials you can’t just give them back if you don’t use them…so think carefully before you buy! If you do have material that you don’t need you can trade with other groups. Locally sourced materials Modelling equivalent Cost per unit Bamboo stick Wooden skewer, lolly stick, straw 2 each Rope String 1 per 5cm length Plastic/milk bottles Plastic drinks bottles/milk bottles free Tape Sticky tape/masking tape 2 per 5cm length Bonding material Blu Tack 2 per small piece Glue Glue free Imported materials Modelling equivalent Cost per unit Steel pole – long K’NEX – long piece (8cm of longer) 5 each Steel pole - short K’NEX – short piece (up to 8cm) 3 each Connector K’NEX connecting piece/paper clip/ 2 each split pin Pulley Pulley 10 each Sheet of wood Card 3 per 10cm 2 piece © UN Photo / Kibae Park CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION: WHY IT MATTERS What’s the goal here? To ensure access to safe water sources and sanitation for all. Why? Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a human right, yet billions are still faced with daily challenges accessing even the most basic of services. Around 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated. Some 2.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines. Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any treatment, leading to pollution. Water scarcity affects more than 4 0 percent of the global population and is projected to rise. Aim Working in pairs, the aim of the workshop is to investigate what we use computer programs for and how they are designed. By the end you will have investigated apps and why we use them. You should make notes as you go through this workshop as you will need to share your findings with your teammates. Part 1: Writing a program 1 Working in pairs write down the steps for how to make a jam sandwich. 2 Swap the instructions with another pair and use them to make a jam sandwich. Are the instructions accurate? Are any changes needed? 3 When writing a program for a computer or app, logic statements or flow charts can be used to replace the sentences used to describe a task. Review your steps and try to replace the sentences used with logic statements or flow charts. Look at the examples in the Logic statements Fact file, but you should customise them for your task. Part 2: How do programs and apps enrich our lives? 4 Investigate different apps that you use regularly. Begin by reading about the different types of apps available in the App guide Fact file. What type of apps do you use and what category are they in? If you have access to a tablet or smartphone try using some example apps from different categories. 5 Summarise what you like and dislike about a selection of apps, and describe how they might be used in the classroom. Part 1a: Seating solutions 1 Perform a desk check with a partner using the Seating risk assessment Fact file. These assessments are carried out in workplaces on a regular basis to ensure that the equipment and furniture provided is suitable for each member of staff. 2 There are many types of seating now available, including yoga balls and chairs with different arm or back rests. In some cases seating has been replaced by ‘standing desks’. Using internet research, make a list of the types of seating available and why they may be used. 3 Is there a type of seating that you would recommend for your partner? Nanotechnology Task sheet Nanotechnology has allowed the creation of a large range of different products with applications in healthcare, technology, communication and many other areas. Nanotechnology refers to items which are very small in size and will often require the manipulation of atoms and molecules. Working in pairs, the aim is to investigate what nanotechnology Aim is and to find some specific examples. Can nanotechnology be used to enrich your school? You should make notes as you go through this workshop as you will need to share your findings with your teammates. Part 1: What is nanotechnology? 1 Your session leader will either give you a sample to investigate or show you a clip of a type of nanotechnology. You should also refer to the Magic Sand and Ferrofluid Fact file. 2 To get an idea of the difficulties of controlling items on a small scale, each team member should work with their partner to lay out the letters of a word (e.g. URENCO) using sweets, counters or beans whilst wearing large gloves. You are competing against your fellow students to see who can complete the word first. 3 Research some more examples and applications using the Nanotechnology Fact files provided and your own internet research. 4 A time will be set by your session leader for you to gather together with the other students who are completing the nanotechnology workshop. Each pair should choose an example of nanotechnology to share with the rest of the group. Part 2: Nanotechnology in school 5 Using the knowledge you have gained about nanotechnology, what products are available that help with the following challenges at school? Pick at least two to research. • Graffiti • Stains on clothes • Waterproofing of technology, e.g. phones • Heat loss • Electricity generation 6 How would using these impact on your school environment? 10 11

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