Primary challenges (ages 3-11)


Typically completed by 3-11 year olds, CREST Star and SuperStar challenges relate to everyday experiences. Children complete eight activities to gain a CREST Award, with each activity taking between 45 minutes and one hour to complete.

The activities are designed to be easy-to-run and low-cost. You don’t need to be a teacher, have a science background or have access to specialist equipment to run them. The packs contain helpful hints and tips for you to use, explaining the scientific themes and offering guidance on conversation topics for your children.

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.

Views
5 years ago

All Star challenges

  • Text
  • Cosmic
  • Materials
  • Association
  • Registered
  • Stella
  • Plants
  • Encourage
  • Astro
  • Timers
  • Rainbow

Confusing Cans Activity

Confusing Cans Activity Card It is lunchtime at Uncle Astro’s house. They are going to have beans on toast. It is Cosmic’s favourite. Uncle Astro opens the cupboard doors and suddenly, CRASH, all the cans roll out. Cat food, soup, baked beans, tinned tomatoes all over the floor, and the labels have fallen off. What a disaster! “How do we know which is the baked bean can?” asks Cosmic. “I don’t want cat food or soup on toast!” Gem picks up one of the cans. It has rolled much further than the others. Cosmic picks up another can. It is still close to the cupboard. “I wonder if the way they roll might help us to work out what is in each can?” says Gem. “Let’s see if we can find out.” Your challenge Cosmic See if rolling the cans will help Gem and Cosmic to find out what is inside. Gem I think a can of beans will roll the furthest. I think a can of soup will roll the furthest. Uncle Astro I think that what is in side of the can does not make a difference to how it rolls.

Discuss Have you ever dropped a can and seen it roll? What happened? Getting started Roll each can down a slope and watch how they roll. How high will you make the slope? How will you make sure that you are rolling all the cans in the same way? How will you know how far they have rolled? Can you think of other ways to find out? Test your ideas You might like to record your results in a table like this one: Distance rolled from a 30 cm high slope Distance rolled from a 50 cm high slope Distance rolled from a 1m high slope Share your ideas Talk about which can might have beans inside it and why. Compare your cans with ones with labels to help you to decide. Open the can and see what’s inside! Extra things to do Can 1 Can 2 Can 3 Find out what happens if you roll cans or plastic bottles with different things inside. There are lots of things you could use e.g. dry sand, cotton wool, water, plastic beads. British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236

Star level

Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 3-7 years that relate to children’s everyday experiences. Find out more about this level and how to gain a CREST Award on the CREST Star page.


Back to top

SuperStar level


Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 7-11 years that relate to broader situations that children are likely to have come across. Find out more about this level and how to gain a CREST Award on the CREST SuperStar page.


Back to top

Managed by:

Supported by:

British Science Association

Wellcome Wolfson Building,
165 Queen's Gate
London
SW7 5HD

© 2018 British Science Association