Happy DT Summer Campers

From Monday 30 July, nine local schoolchildren attended Shiplake College’s second DT Summer Camp.

Design and Technology teacher Mr Tom Bayley led the students through the construction of various items, which the pupils were able to take with them at the end of the week. The assembled items were selected by Mr Bayley to train a wide range of skills and processes in the most practical way - by doing!

The first task was a small gift box, constructed using pine and man-made board. The sides were joined using finger joints, a task that required the pupils to use various measuring and marking tools. The designs and colours were all individually selected by the students; one assembled they used a linisher and disc sander to produce a smooth, polished finish.

Next up: lamps. The students had to form three sections that would allow the cable to run through the centre, and be hidden, and also hold the light in a recess. The light is a 1 watt LED lamp and required the students to assemble all the components and solder into place, it also included a switch and attaching to a USB plug so it can be powered from any USB socket.

Further to this, the pupils, from years six to eight, produced name signs, metal key fobs and water bottle rockets! Finally, and perhaps most creatively, the pupils were challenged with making a wooden marble run, a challenge they took to like a duck to water! The pupils ended the week on a high by demonstrating their skills in using tools, materials and adapting designs.

Mr Tom Bayley, leading the summer camp, said ‘The boys and girls pushed themselves and achieved, I think, more than they expected to. With their enthusiasm and creativity, they were able to accomplish some pretty advanced tasks. And as you can see from the finished products, they all did fantastically well.’