About our project: Mashups in Motion!
This Physical Sciences project for Creative Schools was all about 16 students (Years 1 to 3) having fun exploring the way that push and pull forces affect movement for through air, water and on land for both vehicles and animals.
About our class:
In this mixed-year group of years 1, 2 and 3s there is a wide range of abilities and experiences, requiring an inclusive approach to keep all students engaged. Low class numbers limited the combinations of groupings and student interactions, yet also had a positive effect with student interaction between year levels and meant more time with individual students.
What happened?
To reinforce the key aim of Science Understanding, teacher Jessica Williams and visual artist Tony Windberg wanted the children to have embodied learning experiences: to feel, see and hear what happens when moving objects are subject to forces.
For instance, after a warm-up activity getting students to swing their arms to feel the air, we asked them to pull foil plate spiral snakes through the air. The feeling of increased tension on the string, the dramatic uncoiling of the snakes and the noisy swishing demonstrated the effects of air resistance physically, visually, and even aurally. In a ‘Sink or Float?’ activity, they experienced for themselves the upward buoyancy force of water when pushing down on sealed plastic bottles. They could see the results of their collaborative plasticine boat shape floating, after seeing individual blob shapes rapidly sink.
Making and flying paper planes showed in real terms the forces to be considered such as gravity, thrust and air resistance. The students had fun making different plane designs, discovering which made better duration or distance flyers, and why. For a target game they modified wing designs with flaps and curls, using air resistance as a tool.
I loved it, it was so much fun.
- Student
Doing stuff with our hands was good.
- Student
We recorded all the experiment results, teaching the students about correct scientific methodology such as introducing variables and entering data into tables. To make this process as relevant as possible, we also looked at alternatives to writing. For instance, students stuck their tweaked paper helicopters (longer wings, shorter wings, twisted wings) onto the table or the whiteboard. Helicopters were also colour-coded to identify the two student teams which made them. We kept the emphasis on scientific principles, and what constituted fair and repeated testing such as ‘is it fair to have one person drop their helicopter from a greater height than the other?’ Or ‘is it fair to stand closer than another person to the target?’ We then discussed and proposed various solutions, such as shorter people conducting tests by standing on a chair.
We used colour as much as possible throughout the project's warm-up and main activities to lift the engagement levels and sense of fun and excitement. Tables, headings and written information were often coloured and embellished to spice up presented information.
In Term 3, the previous term’s knowledge was applied to the making of individual hybrid vehicle/animal creations. We wanted students to embrace the ridiculous, to encourage imagination and inquisitiveness. Assumptions were challenged and the ‘anything goes’ ethos of ‘what would happen if you mixed this with that’ was liberating.
How did we use the Five Creative Habits of Learning?
We used end of session reflection to highlight which of the Five Habits had been evident. We covered each one throughout the project, with a fluid interplay in each session. We made a Reflection Booklet so the students could document the Habits. We found that directed Q & A conversations using prompts such as slideshows and video snippets of related content were highly valuable to reinforce both the learning and the Habits. For example, footage of World Record paper plane attempts prmpted discussion about fair throws and correct measurement, as well as the Habits of Persistence, Discipline and Collaboration.
What did we discover?
Targeted play was a key aspect in students’ absorption of knowledge and development of science inquiry skills. Making a game out of experiments reinforced the message that ‘science is fun!’
Students were really engaged, I enjoyed seeing their faces light up with the learning, all students were actively engaged during the sessions.
- Teacher
Tony encouraged object development through physical interaction with materials rather than the traditional but limiting design process. Students were highly engaged in all processes from making, painting, naming, to arranging and photographing their creations. This sense of ownership activated the student voice and culminated with students presenting their creations and accompanying Mashups in Motion! mix-and-match books in an exhibition. The classroom was transformed into a colourful hybrid gallery/ science display. Students came up with fun ways to engage visitors in reenacting their experiments, with many new twists! They were eager to pass on their knowledge and share stories of their creative journey.
We instituted certain constraints on the children as they built their creations, such as using an egg carton body for size consistency (to allow the ensuing ‘mix and match’ book images to align), and a set pool of materials. Yet each student flourished with spontaneous assemblage and embellishments.
I really liked our mashup book.
- Student
Main Curriculum Focus: Science, Physical Sciences
Cross-curricular Links:
• Technologies: incorporation of animal appendages and vehicle elements into a hybrid construction, showing application of production skills and knowledge and understanding of science content.
• Literacy: listening and speaking interactions, oral presentations (e.g. discussions of science content, plans for design), handwriting (e.g. initial activity of mix and match names, written names of creations, creation of letters for book cover)
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