12 Jun Spotlight on STEM Exhibition!
Year 4 children from BFG class were invited to attend a spotlight on STEM Exhibition at Selwood Academy.
Background…
Frome is surrounded by quarries and a STEM Enthuse bursary facilitated a link between the local quarry and 6 local first schools. The quarry tailor made a visit for classes, with a controlled explosion, rock testing and a first hand immersion in the technology, processes and careers involved to quarry limestone.
All year 4 children from the 6 schools spent a morning at the Quarry and came back enthused after an “awesome experience!”.
The trip was the catalyst and inspiration for the next part of the collaborative learning. A STEM competition whereby the children of each school had to plan a regeneration project for the quarry after it had been decommissioned. The children had to research how the land could be used, what sort of environmental issues had to be considered and which industries could be accommodated. Children researched quarry hotels and shopping centres in Asia, Quarry sculpture parks in Europe and environmental habitat projects in the UK, which led to exciting discussions about which plants should be grown to provide all year round interest and habitats!
The competition was judged by the fabulous staff at Moon Hill Quarry and Hanson and the winners announced at the next stage in the Frome STEM partnership: A flagship spotlight on STEM exhibition!
At the exhibition…
each child had a 10 minute STEM demonstration from 9 different exhibitors: over 90 minutes of STEM inspiration each! The exhibitors showcased local STEM companies as well as stands run by A-level children from the Science and DT department of Frome College.
The quality of the exhibitors was outstanding. Children observed cheek cells under microscopes, were awed by elephant toothpaste, flew aerodynamic planes, created paper towers, examined renewable energies, balanced water droplets on pennies, moved unmoveable objects, created mechanical sequences and delved into the workings of a quarry! What a morning!
Overall competition winner….
Congratulations to Freddie from BFG Class the overall winner of the competition to redesign the use of Whatley Quarry in the future!
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