Flowers: natural deployable structures
The Flowers: natural deployable structures activity is designed as an introduction to deployable structures, using flowers as an example from the natural world. It has activities associated with nets and density, and discussion of a link to symmetry and transformations. There are also various practical suggestions at the end (such as making a party blower) which you could use.
| Activity |
Topic |
National curriculum |
| Time to think 3 |
Density - use of formula for density |
Ratio, proportion and rates of change: use compound units such as speed, unit pricing and density to solve
problems |
| Time to think 4 |
Nets of 3D shapes |
Geometry and measures: use the properties of faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of cubes, cuboids, prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones and spheres to solve problems in 3D |
| Time to think 5 |
Transformation of shapes and symmetry |
Geometry and measures: identify properties of, and describe the results of, translations, rotations and reflections applied to given figures. Describe, sketch and draw using conventional terms and notations: points, lines, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, right angles, regular polygons, and other polygons that are reflectively and rotationally symmetric |
Mosquito nets
The Mosquito nets activity is based around the subject of nets to protect people from mosquitos which spread malaria. It includes various mathematical, discussion and design based exercises. The maths topics covered include nets, area, angles and scale.
| Activity |
Topic |
National curriculum |
Activity 1
- parts 1 and 2 |
Nets, area and volume |
Geometry and measures: derive and apply formulae to calculate and solve problems involving: perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapeziums, volume of cuboids (including cubes) and other prisms (including cylinders). Use the properties of faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of cubes, cuboids, prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones and spheres to solve problems in 3D |
| Activity 4 |
Scale drawings and scale factors. Solving problems
Converting between units |
Ratio, proportion and rates of change: use scale factors, scale diagrams and maps. Change freely between related standard units [for example time, length, area, volume/capacity, mass]
Working mathematically: develop fluency and solve problems |
Rolling bridges
The Rolling bridges activity is based on Thomas Heatherwick’s rolling bridge at Paddington Basin in London. There are exercises involving the mathematical analysis of the design and some basic construction of models of the bridge. The maths content covers circles and the use of pi for calculating the circumference of circles.
| Activity |
Topic |
National curriculum |
| Activities 1, 2 and 3 |
Circles (including diameter, circumference and pi) |
Geometry and measures: Calculate and solve problems involving: perimeters of 2D shapes (including circles), areas of circles and composite shapes. |
Maths beneath my feet
The Maths beneath my feet activity is meant to give a very practical use of basic mathematics that might be used by a tradesperson in his/her work. The activity is based around carpeting/flooring rooms. It involves the use of area and lots of calculation which resemble the functional skills questions in GCSE maths exams.
| Activity |
Topic |
National curriculum |
| Activity 3 |
Area |
Geometry and measures: derive and apply formulae to calculate and solve problems involving: perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapeziums. |
| Activity 4 - 6 and stretch and challenge activities |
Solving problems |
Ratio, proportion and rates of change: use scale factors, scale diagrams and maps. Change freely between related standard units [for example time, length, area, volume/capacity, mass]
Working mathematically: solve problems |
Solar panels
The Solar panels activity is designed as an introduction to deployable structures, using flowers as an example from the natural world. It has activities associated with nets and density, and discussion of a link to symmetry and transformations. There are also various practical suggestions at the end (such as making a party blower) which you could use.
| Activity |
Topic |
National curriculum |
| Activity 3 |
Area |
Geometry and measures: derive and apply formulae to calculate and solve problems involving: perimeter and area of triangles, parallelograms, trapeziums. |
| Activity 4 |
Composite shapes and complicated area calculations |
Geometry and measures: calculate and solve problems involving: perimeters of 2D shapes (including circles), areas of circles and composite shapes. |
| Stretch and challenge activities 1 and 2 |
Solving problems |
Working mathematically: solve problems. Select appropriate concepts, methods and techniques to apply to unfamiliar and non-routine problems. |
Group umbrella
The Group umbrella activity is a set of instructions for groups of six students to make a working umbrella mechanism out of simple materials. It's a completely practical activity with no formal maths content, but it's very useful for linking the students work on deployable structures to a real piece of engineering that they can work with themselves. .