Key Stage 3

Here you'll find classroom activites and lesson plans surrounding the development of knowledge around construction and the built environment, designed for use in a Key Stage 3 environment.

Please click on the activity to find more information and read the activity cover sheet for an excellent overview of the activity.

Crest bridge building

A team activity for 11 to 16 year olds, where participants must design a bridge to go across the Learning River, considering the client's expectations regarding drainage, sustainability, aesthetics and the environment.

Explore housebuilding

The programme aims to bring the world of house building alive through an interactive, stimulating house building activity, solving a 'real' problem relating to house building and using STEM in a practical, work related way.

Green living activity

This activity for 11 year olds to adults involves designing and producing a model layout of a sustainable mixed-housing development as well as producing a tender document and a presentation of their ideas.

House building

A suite of 10 PowerPoint presentations and topical lesson plans exploring the geographical and sociological aspects and impacts of housebuilding.

Scaffolding cube

The Scaffolding Cube activity is an interactive, hands-on activity that helps to gain a better understanding of the uses, importance and complexities of scaffolding in the construction sector.

Brick tower challenge

A careers activity for 11 to 16 year olds. It encourages participants to act as small construction companies to plan, design, cost (tender) and construct a tower made from Lego bricks.

Giant tetrahedron

The Giant Tetrahedron, a triangular based pyramid, is an impactful activity for 11 year olds to adults. Participants create a four-metre by four-metre structure using only dowels and elastic bands.

Spot the skills

This activity for 11 to 18 year olds is designed to test current knowledge levels around some of the careers in construction. It uses a poster to spot the skills of the workers on a construction site.

Bridge build challenge

A simple bridge building activity for 11 to 16 year olds which highlights the different styles of bridges and focuses on the role of civil engineers.

Sustainable communities

An exciting and rewarding team of activity for 11-19 year olds, where participants must plan a sustainable housing development.

Pythagoras theorem

This session aims to get students thinking about how their maths studies relate to the world of work. It includes a practical ‘setting out’ activity that tackles Pythagoras’ Theorem and the importance of right angles in construction.

Measuring in 3D

This 90 minutes session consists of a practical activity during which students will measure their classroom and make costing calculations. It also includes worksheet-based maths questions that are in the context of the career of Quantity Surveying.

A Day in the Life (Quantity Surveyor)

This session sees students take measurements from a 2D floor plan of a new school wing. They will work out the surface areas of the classroom walls and calculate how much the rooms will cost to paint.