STEM Club tasks fuels creativity of Year Five pupils
Year Five pupils at STEM Club have had a great time taking part in a range of creative tasks so far this academic year.
One of their first challenges was to build a bridge that would support the weight of a toy car. They were only allowed to use 25 lolly sticks and one metre of masking tape and the construction had to span a gap of 30cm. There was much deliberation and discussion followed by trial and improvement.
Creating a catapult was next up for the club members. They were tasked with launching a plastic toy baby as far as they could. Results were mixed to start with but experimenting with adjustments to the design made for some fierce competition.
Their next creation was a boat that would float and hold cargo. After fashioning their boat using only 5cm square of card and 15cm square of foil, they used cubes to test the reliability of the boats’ holds. They discovered that high walls and a flat keel led to the most stable and useful boat.
Next up, the boys and girls were given some matchsticks and had to make as many shapes as possible by moving or removing matchsticks. It was tricky at the start but once the first few puzzles were accomplished, the children worked swiftly to crack increasingly difficult challenges.
The club members then got to grips with small and fiddly K’Nex pieces as they solved a number of problems. Following minimal instructions was hard, especially when the correct pieces did not seem to fit, but perseverance and some blue-sky thinking helped them get through the challenges.
Towards the end of the Autumn term, the pupils made their own fusball stadium and players. There were some great stadia, complete with scoreboards, ticket offices and snazzy ball delivery service entrances! The pupils then played a tournament that featured a wealth of skill and determination.
The new year saw the Year Fives take advantage of the snow and ice. One challenge was to build the tallest snowman they could. The pupils thought carefully about their design, acknowledging that a wider base would allow for a taller and more stable structure.
They then were asked to design a skier from one piece of foil, two lolly sticks and some tape. They could use cocktail sticks for the ski poles if they wished. After several test runs and adjustments, the skiers entered a competition to see which ones could successfully descend remaining forward and upright! Much fun and hilarity ensued!
Year Five STEM Club is just one of many co-curricular clubs that Junior School pupils can take advantage of. Visit the Outside The Classroom page on our website to see what else is on offer.
