The fact that science, technology, engineering and maths has been explored in challenging and fun workshops by children at Ramsgate Arts Primary School.
Day-long sessions have already been held with professionals from Cummins Power Generators who tailored learning activities to age group.
Pupils from Reception and Year 1 created towers from spaghetti and marshmallow, plus used male and female stencils to get what we though a scientist or an engineer may resemble.
Year 2 about three children used a selection of everyday materials including card, earbuds, straws and paperclips to manufacture a glider, trying to plans they drew up themselves.
They also discussed how filtration works and devised their unique filter using large plastic bottles and cheesecloth to filter water containing different grades of wonderful and coarse sand and gravel.
For Year 4 and 5 the battle would have been to create an electric train engine with moving pistons using Lego bricks, again lifetime a particular couple of instructions and details. In addition, they taken part in a rapid-fire quiz centred throughout the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) topics we were looking at learning.
At the beginning of a few days the Cummins team spoke with an assembly in regards to the incredible importance of STEM and exactly how you can become an inventor, whether accidentally, employing your imagination, problem solving or by necessity.?? Furthermore they learnt with regards to the collection of career opportunities that could develop from STEM subjects such as architects, engineers and purchasers co-ordinators who use maths with their role.
Throughout the hands-on activities, children were encouraged to be? creative and think of inventions which will improve lifestyle. Pupils wrote and drew their suggestions that have been shown on an ideas wall, that included building robots that may help pick-up litter and cleanup rubbish to make the world a greater place, plus a homework helper laptop.
Joyce Oladeinde, who studied chemical engineering, is actually a graduate data management engineer for that company. She led the three-day event assisted by volunteers from Cummins.
She said: “We wish to help the children expand their horizons in order to realise what pathways are achievable through science, technology, engineering and maths.
“The activities helped them develop problem-solving abilities, encouraged teamwork, inter-personal skills and communication as part of the creative challenges they had been set.
“I am extremely interested in building a positive impact during my group.”
Abi from Year 5 said: “It was interesting. I realized that each and every time a motor vehicle wheel turns this is due to all sorts of something more important are happening together inside an engine.” Ruby agreed and added: “You need air, fuel and warmth for making your engine work.”
Both girls agreed the Cummins challenge was exciting and added; “We liked exactly what and out how to make things work. It was intriguing.”
Head of School Nick Budge said: “This was obviously a fantastic 72 hrs of hands-on learning which had been really guided at different age brackets from the school.
“STEM is a crucial part individuals learning programme and together with Cummins was both fascinating and fun for the children. Develop to work on further projects when using the Cummins team have been great and that are helping us get the aspirations and potential your pupils.”
