Year 6 Working with Forces during Science and Technology Lessons

Year 6 Science and Technology culminating task during our study on Forces proved to be a hit with our students. The students had a productive and fun time creating efficient devices to maximise and minimise forces. The students had the option to design using Tinker Cad, a free online collection of software tools or alternatively, some students chose to draw their own engineering drawings by hand. The boys could self-select to design and produce either a rocket nose cone that improved the aerodynamics of our soft drink bottle rockets or a battery or wind powered boat that demonstrated buoyancy and speed. The rocket nose challenge included a series of design steps including a prototype and then software designed and 3D printed rocket nose cone. These nose cones developed from paper prototypes that were tested in a ‘wind tunnel’ (hair dryer with blocks) and then 3D printed in our STEM room. The alternate option to the rocket nose cone challenge was to create a boat, either designed online or by hand and then built by own construction methods or 3D printed. Students then took part in a rain gutter regatta against a second boat to ensure buoyancy and speed. All round the boys aimed to minimise the forces of water resistance, wind resistance and gravity and created efficient designs to maximise thrust and buoyancy. Enjoy the videos and photos from our study of Forces.