STEM Makes Maths Fun!

Who else remembers the days of moaning about Maths lessons, envisioning anything but Engineering and sighing about Science? Well those days are long gone, thanks to STEM!

STEM learning is an amalgamation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and teaches through applied learning. Supported by the Government, charitable trusts and employers across the country, the STEM programme is dedicated to encouraging young people to engage and achieve in these subjects, in the hope that they will progress into careers in those fields. 

Here at Shiplake, the programme is overseen by DT Teacher Mr Bayley and Computing and ICT Teachers Mr Dimmick and Mrs Adamson. Below are reports written by the teachers. 

STEM Drives Pupils Wild!

In the Spring Term, Year 7 pupils took part in the national STEM competition, Race for the Line, which saw them design and produce their own rocket-engine powered cars, inspired by the Bloodhound SSC project.

Each week during their “Maker Club” co-curricular activity, pupils would use computer-aided design (CAD) software along with traditional techniques for cutting and shaping lightweight foam blocks into the bodies of their rocket cars. Pupils had to consider such things as the effect of weight and aerodynamics on the performance of the vehicle.

Aircrew and technicians from the Royal Air Force came to Shiplake to facilitate the competition at the end of last time and used timing-gates to measure the speed reached by each team’s rocket car. Of the eight groups that entered, four have qualified for the next round that will be taking place at RAF Benson on Wednesday 2nd May. The fastest group from Shiplake achieved a speed far in excess of the best times the facilitators had seen in any local competition so far!

Year 7 had a terrific time taking part in this activity and engaged exceptionally well in each of the challenges that they were set. We will keep you informed with their progress at the next round!

Report Provided by Mr Bayley

Making Music with STEM

Whilst the rest of Year 7 were tackling Lord Wandsworth in U12 Hockey, those that stayed behind continued their Maker Club that they take part in each Wednesday afternoon.

Utilising their knowledge of micro:bit programming from Computing lessons and a little bit of problem solving and curiosity, the boys were set the challenge of being able to play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star using nothing but four items of fruit and two BBC micro:bits by the end of the hour. Once the boys had determined how many notes were required (6 – C, D, E, F, G and A), the group split into two, each half programming a micro:bit to play three different musical notes from two inputs connected to satsumas. Putting the groups’ efforts together, they managed to complete the challenge, just within the nick of time! Particular congratulations should go to Louie Rouse-Roberts who managed to learn how to play three different notes through different combinations of the two satsumas with far greater finesse than Mr. Dimmick!

Report Provided by Mr Dimmick