Glasgow Science Festival - Creating Engineers Overview
The contest gives P5 & 6 pupils a chance to demonstrate their creativity, design and build skills by solving set engineering challenges using the construction set K'Nex. Working in teams of two, pupils will compete against fellow pupils in order to progress through the stages of the competition to be in with a chance of becoming the 'Creating Engineers Champions'.
All information about taking part in the competition can be found below.
Applications are now closed
Thanks to all the clusters who have submitted applications to take part in Creating Engineers 2024, applications are now closed for this year.
When you are ready please hold your classroom challenges, and share any images or creative challenges with the GSF team through our twitter @GlasgowSciFest with #GSFCreatingEngineers
See below for further information about the Classroom and Cluster challenges including information on how to submit your Cluster Winners' and Runners Up information to us, ready for progression to the final.
If you are interested in taking part next year please join our mailing list to receive further information when Creating Engineers 2025 launches.
Competition Timeline
Application
Applications for Creating Engineers 2024 are now closed.
Classroom Challenge
Take place between November 2023 - March 2024.
Cluster Challenge
Takes place as suits participating schools, deadline 27th March 2024.
Semi-Finals
Semi-finals will take place in April and May 2024.
Grand Final
The Creating Engineers 2024 grand final will take place on 29th May 2024, at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.
Stage 1: The Classroom Challenge
Once your cluster has entered you are free to arrange the Classroom Challenge. The cluster contact will co-ordinate and decide how many P5 and/or P6 classes participate in this stage of the challenge.
The classroom challenge is chosen and set by the teachers. All the resources including judging criteria, certificates and some example challenges can be found in the Classroom Challenge Pack.
Creating Engineers Classroom Challenge Pack
There are also two classroom challenges in our 'Previous Creating Engineers' section that were set as part of the digital offering for GSF 2021 and GSF 2022.
Practicing for the Classroom Challenge
Before you hold your Classroom Challenge we recommend holding a practice session with the pupils. Use the worksheets below to gain a working knowledge of the K'nex pieces and the different ways they can be used.
Whilst the above worksheets will be very useful for the intial stages in the competition, as the winning teams progress through the competition each level will present a tougher challenge. To prepare the pupils for this progression it would be a good idea to explore / practice the following:
- Pulley systems
- Steering mechanisms
- Use of handles
- Gears
As the pupils progress throught the stages of the competition, there will be at least one of the elements above in each challenge.
Another useful resource for designing a Classroom Challenge, or practicing different techniques is the K'nex user group which provides access to 125 K'nex challenges.
Creating Engineers Kit Loan
If your school doesn't have access to K'Nex Kits to run your Classroom and Cluster Challenges, Glasgow Science Festival (GSF) have a class-worth of kits available on short-term loan for a period of one week or longer. This booking system allows you to select a kit loan slot of between 7 and 13 days, during the period November 2023 to end of March 2024. One slot only should be booked per Cluster.
Details and instructions are found on the booking page. If you need the K'Nex kit loan please book as early as possible, the available slots are allocated on a first come first served basis.
Booking System for K'Nex Kit Loan -Opens 7th November 2023
Next Stage
The next stage of the GSF Creating Engineers challenge is the Cluster Challenge. This will be hosted by the secondary school. It is up to each individual cluster whether all classroom winners participate in this challenge or one team is selected per primary school.
Stage 2: The Cluster Challenge
In the second stage the winning team/s from each school progress to compete against other winning team/s from schools in their cluster. It is up to you as a cluster to choose whether each classroom winner competes in the Cluster Challenge, or if it is one team per primary school.
The challenge is set by Glasgow Science Festival with all the resources including the challenge, judging criteria and certificates contained in the Cluster Challenge Pack.
Creating Engineers Cluster Challenge Pack
Once your Cluster Challenge has taken place, please submit the details of your Winners and Runners Up through the online form to ensure they are registered for the next stage. Deadline to submit is Wednesday 27th March 2024 to ensure your Cluster's place in the Regional Finals.
Each of the Cluster Challenge Winning teams will invited to the Regional Final. For larger Clusters, both the Cluster Challenge Winners and Runners Up will be invited. Glasgow Science Festival will contact the Cluster contact and Primary School contact directly, to invite participants to the next stage.
Creating Engineers Kit Loan
The booking system for K'Nex Kit Loans is now closed.
Next Stage
Once you have held your Cluster Challenge and submitted the winners information through the online form, a member of the GSF team will be in touch with the winning schools' named Cluster and Primary School contact regarding information about the next stage.
Stage 3: The Semi-Final
Regional Semi-Finals will be taking place during April and May 2024.
East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, North and East Ayrshire - 23rd April 2024
Dumfries and Galloway - 1st May 2024
North Lanarkshire - 8th May 2024
Invitations to a Regional Semi-Final will be sent to the Cluster Contact and Primary School contact of the Cluster Challenge winners.
Creating Engineers Kits
Glasgow Science Festival will provide all K'Nex and other kit required to complete the challenge.
Stage 4: The Grand Final
For the final stage, the teams are invited to compete against each other to determine who will be this years Creating Engineers Champions!
The Creating Engineers 2024 Final will take place on Wednesday 29th May 2024.
The challenge is set by Glasgow Science Festival and gets revealed to all contestants on the day.
Specific information about venue and timings will be shared with the Cluster Contact and Named Primary Contacts of the school pupils who will be competing.
Location: Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
Creating Engineers Kits
Glasgow Science Festival will provide all K'Nex and other kit required to complete the challenge.
