Welcome to the STEM page

Each week our STEM Ambassadors and Miss Conyard are running a STEM club for Key Stage One. This turned out to be very popular amongst the children. We have therefor had to limit it to 20 children each week and we will update this page with photos and information about what we have investigated. 

Week 5 Standing up Playing Cards

Following the success of our paper tower last week, this week we challenged the children further to see if they could stack playing cards into a card tower. This was much harder but the children were very resilient and didn't give up. We had 5 children who were able to get the cards to stand in a triangle formation but no towers this week. I was very proud of them for not giving up and some even asked to borrow the cards so they could try again at home. 

Week 4 Paper Towers

This week we grouped the children into 3 teams. Each team worked with one of our STEM ambassadors. They were give the challenge to create a free standing paper tower. Each team had a roll of tape and a pile of A4 paper. The rules were the tower must stand on its own, you can only use paper and tape provided and the tallest tower wins. The children were given a 10 minute time limit and off they went. 

We had 1 team out in front, winning all the way through the session until the final minute. It began too tall and too unstable. It fell as they let go each time.

Another team did brilliantly, ensure it was stable at each point before building it taller and taller, ready to give the first team a run for their money. However it was discovered that they had some extra support because they had stuck it to the floor!! This team we disqualified. 

Our 3rd team struggled all the way through the session. Their tower constantly wobbled and fell over. They worked hard as a team trying new ideas and at the end of the 10 minutes their tower was the only 1 to stand standing up on its own. 

Well done to our winning team for their perseverance. 

Week 3 Static Electricity

This week the children were challenge to see if they could get a balloon to stick to the wall of the classroom without the aid of anything 'sticky'. No glue, no sellotape, masking tape etc. One of the children knew that they could use static electric to stick it but didn’t know how to generate enough of it to complete the challenge. Together they began rubbing balloons on their t-shirts, jumpers, tights and trousers to try to build up enough. One of our STEM ambassadors got a balloon to stick first and they continued to support the children to enable them to be successful. By the end of the session many children had been successful and they loved seeing how it stayed put.

We also used the balloons to see if we could us the static electricity to make our hair stand up. Some peoples hair worked better than others but we all had a great time.

All you need to have a go your self is a balloon. Why not have a go and send some pictures to me at school using our admin email address? admin@leverstockgreen.herts.sch.uk

Week 2 Paper Boats

This week we investigated floating and sinking. We created floating paper boats. The children followed both the picture information, as shown below, as demonstrations by Miss Conyard and our STEM ambassadors. 
The children had great fun exploring the different folds and together we all made our boats. The children then had a choice to test if their paper boats floated. All of the ones we tested did! 
 

Well done STEM club. 

Week 1 - Disappearing rainbows

This week the STEM ambassadors cut out colour wheels for the children to colour and create disappearing rainbows. The children had great fun colouring them in before making holes in them and putting them on string. The found it a bit tricky to spin them effectively but thought they were great fun to make. You will find the instructions below, for anyone who would like to have a go at home.