Design and Technology Activities Linked to Flight and Space. Great for Fire-work Night Week!

During a week of integrated work with a Year 5 and Reception class (to build relationships and learning across key-stages), activities were planned to enhance team-work, co-operation, creativity, kinaesthetic and speaking and listening skills. The first resource out-lines a day based on investigating flight with a few mini-science activities, leading on to the Year 5's (who had already been taught the kite-making process and had their example at hand) teaching the Reception children how to build a simple paper kite. Then, in pairs they could design and make their own kite using a range of materials available (creating an atmosphere of creativity and independence.) They could go out to test their prototypes at any time too. The second resource are the Design & Technology templates to go with a water-powered rocket designing and making day. Using a 2 litre lemonade bottle and a relatively easily made pump (see on the internet), the children looked at some examples from BBC science clips and designed their own rocket with a 'Mission to Mars' theme. An added requirement was to design with an 'egg-naut' in mind (a raw egg astronaut) that must be launched with the rocket and land 'safely' once launched. This activity lasted over a few days from 'Design Brief to Designing, Making, Testing and Evaluation. The children absolutely excelled during these days, bringing a real sense of excitement, challenge and creativity back to the curriculum (this is how I remember teaching should be!) I incorporated the rocket activities within Firework Night week after half-term.