Class 2 STEM Week

 

Class 2 have done some great learning as part of STEM week and enjoyed becoming scientists, engineers and mathematicians for the week.

On Monday, after listening to the story of The Three Billy Goat’s Gruff, the children were set the challenge of building a bridge for the goats to cross, using only spaghetti, masking tape and teamwork! Once built, the class tested their bridges to see which was the strongest and came up with ideas to improve their bridges next time.

On Tuesday, we took part in an experiment using skittles and watched what would happen as water was added. After waiting a few seconds, the children loved seeing the patterns that emerged and looking at how different the other patterns around the class were.

On Wednesday came one of the children’s favourite activities of the week – making volcanoes! In small groups, the children were challenged to build a volcano using whatever they could find around the classroom, making sure they left a space for the volcano to erupt.  Once the volcanoes had been constructed, it was time for them to be filled with lava (a mixture of baking soda, vinegar and red food colouring) and to erupt!

The children put their maths and engineering skills to the test on Thursday by creating ramps for cars and measuring how far each car travelled. They predicted how far each car would travel and then tried raising and lowering the ramp to see if that would make a difference. After recording our results, we then talked about what might have affected how far the cars travel as a group.

Finally, on Friday we created some artwork using a swinging bottle/bucket and watched the different patterns it created when the children pushed harder or gentler on the bottle. We’re really pleased with how the artwork came out and hope to have it up on display in our outdoor area for you all to see soon!

Well done Class 2 on some great STEM learning, it was brilliant to see you enjoy becoming scientists/mathematicians/engineers and artists!

Also in the news:

Linda Ruffell

Welcome Back Year 2!

What an exciting first day it has been in year two for both children and teachers.  All children have had a great first day back and from the smiles on their faces you could tell  that they

Read More »
Bethany Waters

Class 8’s Summer Camp

On Tuesday 14th June, Class 8 set off on their first overnight school camp to Footsteps of Discovery; spending all of Tuesday there as well as Wednesday morning. During the camp the children got to try

Read More »
Rebecca Best

Tens, Ones and Lots of Fun in Year 1!

In Year 1, we’ve been working hard to understand place value up to 50. We’ve been using a variety of manipulatives, including base ten, to help us visualise how many tens and ones are in different

Read More »

Also in the news:

Rebecca Best

Tens, Ones and Lots of Fun in Year 1!

In Year 1, we’ve been working hard to understand place value up to 50. We’ve been using a variety of manipulatives, including base ten, to help us visualise how many tens and ones are in different

Read More »
Nic Stanlake

Gymnastics at Penpol!

The wintry weather of January and February provides the perfect opportunity for indoor PE. Each year group, from Reception to Year 6, undertakes a gymnastics unit where they learn, develop, and refine their skills. In the

Read More »
Rebecca Best

Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel!

The Key Question Year 1 are exploring in RE this term is: “Who is Jewish and how do they live?” This term, we’ve had a lot of fun learning about the dreidel, a traditional Jewish game.

Read More »
Michael Pearson

Hooray for Arrays!

As part of our exciting Festival of Maths week at Penpol School, our Year 2 pupils got moving in maths with an activity called Active Arrays! Combining the physical skills of coordination, agility and teamwork with

Read More »