Floating Compass & Catamaran: 2 STEM Lessons

Digital woodworking lesson pack. An adult prepares or orders the wooden parts before class. No physical kit is supplied or shipped.

Two English-subtitled videos are included. Water experiments are brief, supervised tests in bowls or a shallow tray; dry the models afterwards.

WHO IT IS FOR
For teachers, clubs and homeschool groups. Two adult-led lessons in English for ages 7-11; adapt tasks to individual readiness.

WHAT CHILDREN PRACTISE

• Compass: sand and finish plywood, position direction arrows, observe magnetism and check north/south using a reference compass.
• Catamaran: assemble a symmetrical frame, use a hand screwdriver in prepared holes, and explore buoyancy and a rubber-band paddle drive.

LESSON TIME
Floating compass: 45 minutes. Paddle-wheel catamaran: 60 minutes. Timings are lesson-plan estimates; full glue/finish curing is additional.

PREPARATION TIME
Planning estimate: 20-30 minutes per lesson to check and lay out ready-made kits and tools for 6 children; not a measured time. Make and test a sample before first use. Ordering, cutting, drilling, trial assembly and glue/finish curing take additional time.

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES TO HAVE
For the sessions: safety glasses, sanding blocks, pencil and ruler, brushes/paint, wood glue, wipes, clamps and a matching hand screwdriver. Also provide plastic bowls, a reference compass, a shallow water tray and a drying area. A hot-glue gun, glue sticks, heat-resistant mat and magnets are handled by the adult.

BEFORE CLASS: ADULT PREPARATION
An adult or local workshop cuts the discs/arrows and hull parts, makes slots and holes, and checks the working sample. If making parts yourself, provide suitable cutting and drilling equipment, work-holding fixtures and dust control. The adult installs and checks each magnet. Use cured demonstration models where glue or finishes are not yet ready.

DOWNLOAD CONTENTS
Lesson plans, assembly guides, parts lists, PDF drawings and CAD files for both projects, plus shared safety, tools, US/European sourcing, workshop-ordering and kit-check guides. Videos use English subtitles and music, with no spoken voice.

18 PDFs (35 pages), CAD files and 2 MP4 videos in one ZIP. Extract before use. Dimensions: mm. Print full-size templates at 100%. Shared guides cover the wider series; only the two named projects are included.

USE PERMISSIONS
TES Teaching Resource Licence applies. Standard licence: one teacher and their students. Select the TES School Licence for institutional sharing. No redistribution or resale beyond the selected licence; ask Skilled Makers via TES before external workshop sharing not covered by it. Third-party licences and mandatory legal rights are unaffected.

Wood, tools, glue, magnets, rubber bands, fasteners and other physical supplies are not included.