STEM

Through our STEM challenges, we aim to:

• encourage inquisitive young minds to get excited about engineering; 
• raise the profile of the STEM subjects;
• work with pupils and parents on exciting, whole-school initiatives.

Whole-School STEM Challenge

Cardboard Chairs

Summer Term 2023

This year’s STEM challenge is to construct a cardboard chair that you can sit on (or your teddy can sit on).  You can only use cardboard so no glue, tape or other fixing materials are allowed.  This is something that can be done at home with help from an adult.

Watch this video to find out more and see Dyson engineers take on the challenge.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuAqA_GhVQ0

We will be inviting St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School to take part too.  You will be able to showcase your product in school (Monday 3rd July 2023) and talk about how you found the design, make, evaluate process.  You will receive a certificate for taking part.  Products that meet the design criteria will be photographed and displayed here on our school website!   

You can get started straight away!

The method
1. Write down or sketch some ideas as to how you will construct the chair.
2. When you are planning, think about using cones, interlocking sheets, spirals, tubes – or even using strips of card like sewing thread.
3. Use the materials to create a chair made from cardboard.
4. If your first design doesn’t work, evaluate what went wrong and try again.

Whole-School STEM Challenge

Cardboard Boats

Spring Term 2022

Thank you for getting involved in our second whole-school STEM challenge.  

It was great to hear that you worked at home with your family to design and make your boats.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

Your boats were showcased  in the school hall on Monday 14th March 2022.  Our St. Leonard's STEM Ambassadors welcomed some pupils from St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School and they worked as a team to test and evaluate your products.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:

Did your boat have walls?

Did you stick the boat and the walls together with tape or glue?

Did you back everything in wax paper or foil? 

Did you design and build a boat from cardboard that’s strong enough to float, even with a weight on board? 

Thank you to Miss Tormey and the pupils from St. Mary's for joining us on this STEM challenge.

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'FLYING HAGGIS' Y5 STEM CHALLENGE DAY

25.1.22

A group of Y5 pupils were invited to visit Oakhill to take part in a flying haggis STEM challenge.  They had to design and make an amazing gadget that would fly a haggis over a two-metre gap to land safely on a plate.  They were competing against four other schools to win a trophy. 

                                                                                                                                 Team Haggis McGregor                                                Haggis

The pupils were given a range of materials and tools.  Each team member was given a specific role, depending on their skills.  They worked as a team to plan, design and make their product.  They also had to video their progress along the way.

After plenty of sawing, gluing, manufacturing, evaluating and adapting, the team built a catapult which successfully fired the haggis across a two-metre gap.  Unfortunately, this time, the haggis failed to land in the dish and the trophy was awarded to another team.  We had a great day and learnt so much.

Thank you Oakhill School and Nursery for a super day!

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Whole-School 'Marble Run' STEM CHALLENGE

SUMMER 2021