Science Week Monday 23rd May - Friday 27th May
During the week of 23rd May the whole school will be involved in a Science and Engineering Project. The children will design and make their own device that creates a mechanical chain reaction. Then, during the Science Week, each class will have a day to improve their designs and connect them together to create a huge class chain reaction. We will be putting on exhibitions for parents/carers too!
Several pupils will then be selected to work with other schools in Poole and Bournemouth, in July, to link our chain reactions together to create an even bigger mechanical chain!
The work we do in this project will be exhibited in the International Science Conference in Belfast – a really exciting prospect for our school!
Have you ever played Mousetrap®?
As the game is played, a contraption is built, piece by piece. Eventually, one player gets to turn a crank handle, which sets the next piece (a gear) into motion, which triggers the next and so on, until finally at the end of this mechanical chain reaction, the trap itself falls on the mice.
What is a mechanical chain reaction?
By setting off the first part of a device, a whole series of movements will occur, each leading to another until the device finally stops with the planned outcome. Each of the parts must be carefully positioned to be sure that every movement triggers another.
Such devices are sometimes known as ‘Heath Robinson’ or ‘Rude Goldberg’ devices. William Heath Robinson and Reuben Garrett ‘Rube’ Goldberg were both cartoonists/illustrators who drew designs for incredibly complicated machines that performed very simple tasks. You might like to look at some of their ideas online - search ‘Rube Goldberg machine ideas for schools’.
WHAT IS YOUR HOME LEARNING TASK?
Design and build your own device that creates a mechanical chain reaction. This does not have to have a specific purpose and it certainly does not need to be as complicated as the amazing videos or pictures that you might find online!
You can use just about any ordinary, everyday objects that you choose, e.g. cardboard tubes, boxes, ramps, cups, toys such as marbles, balls, cars, dominoes etc. You could make parts from lego or k’nex or use parts of larger toy sets such as marble runs or car tracks. Be creative!
There are really very few rules:
· You must be able to set up and run your device a number of times;
· Your device must be portable – in other words, you have to carry it into school and set it up;
· There must be at least 4 parts to the chain reaction; preferably different.
· Once you set off your device, it should be able to run through to the end unaided.
You are welcome and encouraged to ask family members for ideas and to work on your device together, but you will need to be able to set it up alone in the classroom and be able to make it work by yourself.
TIMEFRAME
You can start collecting resources and designing your chain reaction now. The task must be completed and brought into school for your science lesson on :
Year 5 and 6: Monday 23rd May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15pm
Year F, 1 and 2: Tuesday 24th May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15 pm
Year 4 and 3: Thursday 26th May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15 pm
Parents/ carers are invited to their child’s exhibition on their Science day (see above).
We are really looking forward to this exciting project and we can’t wait to see your child’s creative mechanisms!
During the week of 23rd May the whole school will be involved in a Science and Engineering Project. The children will design and make their own device that creates a mechanical chain reaction. Then, during the Science Week, each class will have a day to improve their designs and connect them together to create a huge class chain reaction. We will be putting on exhibitions for parents/carers too!
Several pupils will then be selected to work with other schools in Poole and Bournemouth, in July, to link our chain reactions together to create an even bigger mechanical chain!
The work we do in this project will be exhibited in the International Science Conference in Belfast – a really exciting prospect for our school!
Have you ever played Mousetrap®?
As the game is played, a contraption is built, piece by piece. Eventually, one player gets to turn a crank handle, which sets the next piece (a gear) into motion, which triggers the next and so on, until finally at the end of this mechanical chain reaction, the trap itself falls on the mice.
What is a mechanical chain reaction?
By setting off the first part of a device, a whole series of movements will occur, each leading to another until the device finally stops with the planned outcome. Each of the parts must be carefully positioned to be sure that every movement triggers another.
Such devices are sometimes known as ‘Heath Robinson’ or ‘Rude Goldberg’ devices. William Heath Robinson and Reuben Garrett ‘Rube’ Goldberg were both cartoonists/illustrators who drew designs for incredibly complicated machines that performed very simple tasks. You might like to look at some of their ideas online - search ‘Rube Goldberg machine ideas for schools’.
WHAT IS YOUR HOME LEARNING TASK?
Design and build your own device that creates a mechanical chain reaction. This does not have to have a specific purpose and it certainly does not need to be as complicated as the amazing videos or pictures that you might find online!
You can use just about any ordinary, everyday objects that you choose, e.g. cardboard tubes, boxes, ramps, cups, toys such as marbles, balls, cars, dominoes etc. You could make parts from lego or k’nex or use parts of larger toy sets such as marble runs or car tracks. Be creative!
There are really very few rules:
· You must be able to set up and run your device a number of times;
· Your device must be portable – in other words, you have to carry it into school and set it up;
· There must be at least 4 parts to the chain reaction; preferably different.
· Once you set off your device, it should be able to run through to the end unaided.
You are welcome and encouraged to ask family members for ideas and to work on your device together, but you will need to be able to set it up alone in the classroom and be able to make it work by yourself.
TIMEFRAME
You can start collecting resources and designing your chain reaction now. The task must be completed and brought into school for your science lesson on :
Year 5 and 6: Monday 23rd May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15pm
Year F, 1 and 2: Tuesday 24th May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15 pm
Year 4 and 3: Thursday 26th May ~ Exhibition for parents: 2.15 – 3.15 pm
Parents/ carers are invited to their child’s exhibition on their Science day (see above).
We are really looking forward to this exciting project and we can’t wait to see your child’s creative mechanisms!