Flashbang Science / Institution of Engineering and Technology Key Stage 2 Science Challenge for Blackpool Primary Schools
Challenge: Design and Build a Machine Powered by an Alternative Source of Energy.
Challenge Brief
Working in teams, children are to design a machine that can move, operate a device (eg buzzer or light) or complete a task. The machine must be powered by alternative energy sources – ie not fossil fuels, mains electricity or commercially available batteries. Extra credit will be given for sources that are also renewable. The machine must be mainly made of recycled materials but you can use small amounts of lolly sticks, strip wood, tape and glue as well. Be as creative as you like!
The competition will run in 2 phases – Design and Making / Testing / Marketing.
The Design Phase will be used to shortlist entries with finalists being invited to make their machine and then to demonstrate it at Final to be held at Blackpool & Fylde College.
Prizes:
- A trophy for the best overall entry.
- A science day with the Flashbang Science mobile laboratory for each of the 4 winners.
Judges:
Our judging panel will be made up of representatives from Flashbang Science and The Institution of Engineering Technology plus guest judges from supporters and sponsors.
For further information please contact Rose Kearney at Flashbang Science or register online on
See Appendix 1 for full rules.
Phase 1 – Design
Whilst designing your machine, we are looking for evidence of Purpose, Inspiration, Initial Ideas, Evaluation of Options and Detailed Design.
- Purpose
New products are created to solve problems or to do things better. Think of a problem that needs to be solved or a job that needs to be done – that is your purpose. Use your imagination or take inspiration from machines you see at home, school or in the community. See Appendix 2 for some ideas.
- What is the purpose of your machine? Why did you choose it?
- What does it enable you to do? Is it something new or a way to do something better or more easily?
- Who might use it?
- Inspiration
Simple machines such as the wheel, the wedge and the lever have been used for thousands of years to make it easier to complete tasks. As time has passed, people have combined these elements to make more and more complex machines that carry out more complex processes. You can use any of these elements in your design.
It’s important to do some background research before you start to design a new product. Where are you going to look for information? There might be different ideas that you could combine together in a new way. It is usual to get lots of different ideas together before starting the design process. It’s important that you show where your ideas come from. See Appendix 2 if you need some prompts.
- Initial Ideas
Every new idea and project go through several stages of scrapping previous work, to strive for greatness, don’t let this deter you! Keep all your old notes and initial plans as these can be used to see how this project of yours evolved into the final project. These will most likely involve drawings of initial designs, to the brainstorming ideas in the initial stage, they are all good and will help tell the story of this project. Being able to take snippets of inspiration from a variety of different sources will not only make your project more interesting but more marks will be awarded for such. The best inventions have borrowed ideas from many different sources, where do you think people got the idea to make airplanes from?
When you have some inspiration, you need to come up with some potential designs. These don’t have to be detailed – a small picture with some notes about the features for each one. Indicate why these features are important to your design. Extra marks will be awarded for applying ideas from more than one source of inspiration.
- Evaluation of Options
When you’ve got some ideas together, you have to make some choices about which one you are going to choose to do a more detailed design for. You need to show us how you considered the advantages and disadvantages of each of your different options. Think about the following criteria but add your own if you wish.
- Which machine do you think will do the best job? Why?
- Which machine will be the easiest to make? Why?
- Which machine uses the best / most reliable / most renewable source of power? What else did you consider? How did you choose?
- Which machine uses materials that are easiest to find? What alternatives did you think about? How did you choose?
- Which machine is the safest? Why?
- Detailed Design
When you’ve made your choice, it’s important to think carefully about your design before you start making it so that you know that you have everything that you need. This is where you show us clearly how you are going to make and power your machine. You need to include:
- A picture of the machine (eg drawing / painting / computer-generated image).
- This must be labelled to show what size the machine will be, what it does, important features and how it will work. You might want to give your product a name.
- Design also includes how something looks as well as what it does. Will you hide moving parts so that it looks neat? Will you decorate your machine to personalise it?
- A list of the materials needed.
- Brief instructions / diagram to show how it will be made.
- Explanation of your alternative energy source. How long does your energy source last for? How might you “top it up”?
- Progress Record
You must create a Progress Record containing this information and this will be used for judging Phase 1.
You can choose how the form that your Progress Record takes, eg a series of posters, written notes, photographs, video diary, blog or something different. Additional marks will be awarded for creative means of recording and presenting your Progress Record.
Start off by introducing yourselves – names, school and what it is that you are trying to do. Give yourself a team name if you like. Start off each new section by explaining what you are working on at the time and then show us. We are not looking for long records but shorter snippets that show us how you are thinking about the challenge, how you are solving problems and how you are working together.
You must send your Progress Record to us for judging by the 30th of November 2016.
Postal submissions should be sent to: Flashbang Science Trickling Water Barn, Great House Avenues, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4AL.
Electronic submissions should be sent to:
The judges will award marks based on the criteria in Appendix 3 and notify finalists.
Phase 2 – Making, Testing and Marketing
Well done, you’ve progressed to Phase 2!
Now it’s time to make and test your machine and think about how you might sell it.
- Making and Initial Testing
You will be making your machine in time for the Final of the completion in January. You need to test it before the Final to make sure that it does what you want it to do and to see whether you think you need to make any changes to your machine. We will be looking closely at your final machine and asking you about it.
- Why / how did you select the different recycled materials that you used and why you needed to use the other allowed materials?
- What level of practical skill did you have to use to make your machine? Did you use lots of different types of materials? Did you have to make joints? How complicated is your machine?
- How did you made sure that you were safe when you were making your machine? Were you using tools or hot materials?
- What did you do to make your work accurate?
- Why did you choose this source of alternative energy? How reliable is it? How renewable is it?
- What problems did you experience during making your machine? How did you solve them? Did you change the design of your machine after initial testing? Why? What was the outcome?
We will also look at the appearance of your machine. Aesthetics are important in design as well as how something functions.
- Final Testing and Judging
We will want to see how well your machine completes the task that it’s designed for. Make sure that you have enough supplies.
- Marketing
When you spend a lot of time and / or money making a new product, it’s important to know that you are going to be able to sell it.
We want you to be able to tell us who might buy your product if you were making it commercially. What advantages would it give them over what they can buy already? Where / how would you sell your machine?
- Progress Record
As with Phase 1, you must record your progress, in the manner of your choosing. You must bring your Progress Record with you to the Final. Be prepared to discuss it with the judges. Additional marks will be awarded for creative means of recording and presenting your Progress Record.
Appendix 1
Rules of the Competition
- This competition is for teams of no more than 4 children from Key Stage 2. The project should be their own work.
- The competition will run in 2 phases – Design and Making / Testing.
- A shortlist will be determined using the highest aggregated number of marks for the Design Phase. See Appendix 3a for the Marking Scheme.
- These teams will be invited to make their machine and demonstrate it at Final to be held at Blackpool & Fylde College.
- Four overall winners will be chosen using the highest aggregated number of marks for both Design and Making / Testing phases. See Appendix 3b for the Marking Scheme.
- In the event of a tie, the judges will take into account the ages of the competitors and the complexity of the design.
- The judges’ decision is final.
- Photo and video recordings may be made of the event and any designs and machines made. These may be used on our website and for publicity purposes.
Appendix 2
These links to websites are supplied for information only. Flashbang Science has no control over the contents of these sites or adverts that may appear on them. At the time this list was compiled, there was no unsuitable material.
Simple machines: or
Inventions that changed the world:
Renewable Sources of Energy – Interactive:
Renewable Sources of Energy Videos: or
Energy-Related Science Projects:
Playgrounds that generate energy:
Making batteries:
Balloon power:
Making gas:
And for a bit of fun that combines all sorts of simple machines in a complicated way:
Appendix 3a – Marking Scheme – Phase 1
BLACKPOOL SCHOOLS PRIMARY SCIENCE CHALLENGE – POWERFUL MACHINES
Primary School:Team Name:
Pupils’ Names:
Phase 1 – Design
Aspect / Marking Criteria / Marks Available / Marks Awarded
Purpose /
- Purpose of machine / why chosen.
- What can it do? Is it something new or something better?
- Who might use it?
Inspiration /
- Show evidence of background research – variety of sources.
- Range of ideas considered.
- Cite source of ideas.
Initial Ideas /
- Variety of initial designs.
- Diagram and short explanation for each.
- Extra marks awarded from applying ideas from more than one source of inspiration.
Evaluation of Options /
- Use of criteria to decide which machine to build and explanation of reasons.
- Best at doing the job; easiest to make; best / most reliable / most renewable source of power; use of easy to source materials; safety.
Detailed Design /
- Picture – labelled with dimensions, what it does, important features and how it works.
- Design features – eg hide moving parts, decoration / personalisation.
- List of materials needed.
- Brief instructions to show how to make it.
- Explanation of alternative energy source. How long it lasts for / how to top up.
Progress Record /
- Clear presentation of ideas and how the challenge was tackled.
- Evidence of evaluating options.
- Use of creative means of recording / presenting the Progress Record.
Total Marks / 50
Appendix 3b – Marking Scheme – Phase 2
BLACKPOOL SCHOOLS PRIMARY SCIENCE CHALLENGE – POWERFUL MACHINES
Primary School:Team Name:
Pupils’ Names:
Phase 2 – Making and Testing
Aspect / Marking Criteria / Marks Available / Marks Awarded
Making and Initial Testing /
- Selection and imaginative use of recycled and other allowed materials.
- Practical skills demonstrated during building, eg use of a variety of materials, joining techniques, complexity of design.
- Safety and accuracy during making.
- Source of alternative energy / availability / renewable.
- Show evidence of problems solved and / or changes or modifications made during making and testing and how these changed performance.
- Aesthetics of machine – does it look good?
Final Testing and Judging /
- Performance of machine – demonstrable power generated, eg movement, lighting an LED.
Marketing /
- Demonstrate understanding of the market for their machine.
- Indicate how they would sell their machines.
Progress Record /
- Clear presentation of ideas and how the challenge was tackled.
- Use of creative means of recording / presenting the Progress Record.
Total Marks / 100