Project Description

DLaB Erasmus International Collaboration Day, 8th February 2018

Digital leaders studying Primary Education from the University of Northampton went to Standens Barn primary school where we participated in our second international collaboration day focusing on STEM to STEAM. Working with our Digital Learning Across Boundaries project partners from Belgium, Norway and Denmark, we completed a fun-filled day of activities focusing on ‘space’. Each partner school had a class focusing on space through ‘seeing’, ‘hearing’ and ‘experiencing’, sharing our amazing activities through Twitter.

Helping with the Year 5 class focusing on ‘experiencing’ space, in the morning the children collaborated with a Belgium class through Skype. Sharing ideas from their research carried out with each country focusing on a different aspect of how we would survive on another planet. England focused on the importance of resources to survive including land-use, food, water etc. whereas Belgium focused on waste management focusing on recycling. They also discussed what activities they would carry out throughout the day.

After Skyping, the class created their own transportation of these resources in groups, for example how to transfer water to and from planet Earth to planet 5B (a new planet). The class chose some creative designs for transportation with the use of space ships as well as long pipes from one to another.

Once completed ideas of how to transport their resources from planet Earth to planet 5B the children created their own design patterns for their planet. Each pupil was given a square piece of card to create a pattern on using a range of materials including using watercolours, paint, pastels as well as pens and colouring pencils. Once the children had completed their pattern the squares were stuck onto a large cardboard circle to create their very own planet 5B.

Whilst creating their own pattern designs the pupils had the chance to experience space through using virtual reality goggles. The children could explore space, giving many a new experience which they thoroughly enjoyed.

The classes had a great time collaborating with the other countries and using their creativity, as well as for Year 5 exploring new technology. We are looking forward to our next fun-filled collaboration day.

Report for DLaB project day 2

In class 6C at Standens Barns Primary School, the children were given a problem to solve. Planet Earth was to be hit by an astroid and they had to produce a mode of transport to evacuate the UK to Jupiter.

The children spent the first half of the morning creating a design for a space craft of some form. Most of the children started to ‘think outside of the box’ and moved away from the typical rocket. We had drawings of large busses that could transport thousands of people; there were large canons that could fire people to Jupiter; and typical space crafts with guns and weapons.

Many of the children started to think deeper and realised it could take some time to reach jupiter, so what would we need? These children incorporated toilet facilities, food storage, gym’s and TVs to entertain (We even had 1st class cabins!).

The children then moved on to producing prototypes of their designs. They had a range of materials: corrugated card, tape, glue and paper. The class explored and discovered different ways of fixing pieces together (including slotting, gluing and taping). The finished products were all unique and had a purpose. The children were able to describe every aspect and purpose of their prototype.

Class 6C seemed to thoroughly enjoy this activity. Later in the afternoon, the aim was to walk around the school grounds and record ‘sounds of earth’ that would remind them of ‘home’ whilst on Jupiter.