Typically completed by 5-11 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.
Spinning Solutions Organiser’s Card About the activity This activity is designed to get children thinking about centrifugal force. Richie from URENCO has been to the Startown History Museum and is fascinated by the mangle. Can the children help to find out how it works and what else spinning can be used for? Through this activity you will support your group to: • Design and make their own model washing machine drum and mangle • Test different drum and mangle designs and record their results • Present their findings to the group. Kit list • Different-size containers with lids, so the smaller fits inside the larger container (polystyrene or paper cups work well) • Plastic or canvas bags • Absorbent fabric – e.g. dishcloths or flannels • Rolling pins • Flat boards • Plastic trays • Measuring jugs or cylinders What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the story of Richie. Ask the children if they have helped to wash clothes before. Have they ever tried washing clothes by hand? Children may not know what a mangle is. Show them a picture or video. Can they explain how it works? 2. Give out activity cards and equipment to the children. 3. Explain that they will be using the equipment provided to make a model mangle and a model washing machine. 4. Encourage children to discuss their ideas and how to carry out their investigations. Prompt questions: • How does a washing machine work? What does the drum do? • Does the spin speed make a difference to how dry the clothes are? • How will they make sure their test is fair? • How will they record their results? 5. Support children to conduct their tests and make their own records of their results, groups may decide to vary size, number, distribution or even type of hole. When testing the washing machine drums children should spin the bags at their side in a big circle up past their ears and down past their knees. Ask children to compare the water measurements by pouring the water from each model into a measuring jug. 6. Ask the children to present their findings to the rest of the group, they can be as creative in their presentation as they want.
Things to think about This is a great activity to do outside. Otherwise a large room (e.g. a hall) allows plenty of space for spinning. The simplest way to make a centrifuge is with two lidded polystyrene or paper cups. Use a sharp pencil or compass, supervised if necessary, to make holes in the side of the smaller cup and place it inside the bigger one. Put wet fabric inside the smaller cup and put both lids on. One needs to fit inside the other. When spun round in a bag the water will gather in the bigger cup. The washing machine drums do not need to be spun very quickly for the investigation to be effective. Spinning in a larger, slower circle also works well. The simplest way to make a model mangle is to lean a flat board in a plastic tray so it is propped up on one end. Then use a rolling pin to roll the fabric. The water collects in the tray. Mangles work by compressing fabric and squeezing the water out. Washing machines use centrifugal force as they spin to move the water to the outer container away from the fabric. Centrifugal force causes the thing being spun to move away from the centre of the circle. A centrifuge spins rapidly so that heavier liquids or objects separate out from lighter ones. Lots of things can be separated in this way. They are used to analyse blood and to create nuclear fuel to make electricity. Keywords • Centrifuge • Mangle • Spinning • Machines • Liquids • Volume Watch out! This activity should be done in an area where children have lots of space around them to spin their models safely. Spilt water should be mopped up quickly to avoid accidents. Children should wear aprons or suitable clothing to avoid splashes. Carefully consider group size due to physical nature of activity. Find out more Children can learn more about how centrifugal force can help to generate nuclear fuel for electricity by visiting www.learnwithrichie.com. Richie is a character who helps children learn about where electricity comes from. British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236
Challenges collection Suitable for
Contents Activity Page A hole in my
A Hole in my Bucket Organiser’s C
A Hole in my Bucket Activity Card D
A Special New Tree Organiser’s Ca
A Special New Tree Activity Card De
A Sticky Problem Organiser’s Card
A Sticky Problem Activity Card Dear
Test your ideas You may want to rec
What to do 1. Introduce the activit
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Tape Ela
Discuss Children may need to be sho
Getting started How will you test y
5. Now give each group 5 sheets of
Test your ideas Test it with weight
Things to think about Birds often w
Getting started What materials can
Things to think about It is possibl
Getting started Where will you look
Bumblebee Mystery Pollinator 1 1 2
Buy Them Try Them Organiser’s Car
Buy Them Try Them Activity Card To:
Camouflaged Creatures Organiser’s
Camouflaged Creatures Activity Card
Cheesy Challenge Organiser’s Card
Cheesy Challenge Activity Card Cosm
Colorado Brown Stain Organiser’s
Colorado Brown Stain Activity Card
Crafty Rafts Organiser’s Card Abo
Crafty Rafts Activity Card NEWS CRA
Disappearing Dinosaurs Organiser’
Disappearing Dinosaurs Activity Car
Discus Dilemma Organiser’s Card A
Discus Dilemma Activity Card Mr Cle
Drifting Dandelions Organiser’s C
Drifting Dandelions Help our Raveno
Fantastic Fingerprints Organiser’
Fantastic Fingerprints Activity Car
Fossil Folly Organiser’s Card Abo
Fossil Folly Activity Card A box of
Uncle Astro Get Set Jellies Organis
Get Set Jellies Activity Card Uncle
Goodbye Old Tree Organiser’s Card
Goodbye Old Tree Activity Card NEWS
Hoodie Hearing Organiser’s Card A
Hoodie Hearing Activity Card Headte
How Do You Drink Yours? Organiser
How Do You Drink Yours? Tea rituals
Share your ideas Do most people dri
What to do 1. In advance prepare th
NVESTIGATING INK Discuss What ways
Things to think about Encourage the
Windy ways Activity Card NEWS NEWS
Worm Charming Organiser’s Card Ab
Keywords • Nature • Vibration
WORM CHARMING Getting started Make
6. Help the children to make their
Getting started Before you start wa
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Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 5-7 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.
Collections of one hour challenges recommended for children aged 7-11 years that realate 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.
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