Secondary project briefs (ages 11+)

Bronze Awards are typically completed by students aged 11+. They complete a ten-hour project which is a perfect introduction to STEM project work. Over the course of the project, teams of students design their own investigation, record their findings, and reflect on their learnings. This process gives students a taste of what it is like to be a scientist or engineer in the real-world.

Silver Awards are typically completed by students aged 14+ over thirty hours. Project work at Silver level is designed to stretch your students and enrich their STEM studies. Students direct the project, determining the project’s aim and how they will achieve it. They carry out the project, record and analyse their results and reflect on the project and their learnings. All Silver projects are assessed by CREST assessors via our online platform.

Gold Awards are typically completed by students aged 16+ over seventy hours. Students’ projects are self-directed, longer term and immerse them in real research. At this level, we recommend students work with a mentor from their chosen STEM field of study. All Gold projects are assessed by CREST assessors via our online platform. There are more CREST approved resources that have been developed by our partners and providers specific to your region.

There are more CREST approved resources that have been developed by our partners and providers specific to your region.

Find out how to build practical CREST projects into secondary science lessons using our free teacher guidance pack. Supporting this guidance are easy-to-use, free-to-download mapping workbooks, which match individual Bronze, Silver and Gold CREST Award projects with each area of the secondary science curricula for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. You can download and save your own copy of the relevant mapping workbook via the following links:

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Bronze Silver Gold Partner resources

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All SuperStar challenges

The activities in this pack have been selected from our library of CREST SuperStar challenges. Children need to complete eight challenges to achieve a CREST SuperStar Award. If you want, you can mix and match challenges from different packs, as long as children complete eight SuperStar challenges. This resource is published under an Attribution - non-commercial - no derivatives 4.0 International creative commons licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Save the tree Tree

Save the tree Tree Trouble Organiser’s Card keep our shade About the activity This activity is designed to get children thinking about trees as habitats for other living things. There’s a debate going on in Treedwell about the fate of an old tree. Should it be demolished to make way for new housing, or will the biodiversity and the shade it provides be too precious? Through this activity you will support children to: • Discuss whether or not cutting down an old tree is a good idea and why. • Find out about the biodiversity that a tree supports, either by research or by looking for living things on and around a tree. • Write a report or produce an information poster. Kit list • Large sheet or piece of fabric • Magnifying glass • Binoculars • Clipboard, pens or pencils • Identification charts • Big net • Computer for research • Bug box What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the story. 2. Give out activity cards to the children. Encourage the children to think about all the things they know that live in or near trees. 3. Support children to conduct their investigation and make their own records of their results. Encourage them to think of more than one way of observing the tree’s biodiversity. The could record their results in a table or using drawings. 4. 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 Some trees will have more ‘life’ around them than others. However, there will be living things on any reasonable size tree. The time of day may make a difference to what children observe. Later in the afternoon, or first thing in the morning, are ideal. Encourage children to find information for themselves. However, they may need help to find simple, accessible identification guides and books. Keywords • Biodiversity • Nature • Trees • Protestors Watch out! The children should wash their hands with soap after handling the trees and any other living things. Remind the children of the rules for handling living things and for safe working outdoors. Find out more There is more information at www.opalexplorenature.org/crest British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236