Boats - creating mould for vac forming

We are making a mould to use to make a boat hull. This will be used to build two different boats. One submarine motor powered and one conventional screw propeller. We will look at the effect the different shapes have on timings.
Mr. Geekie

Towers and bridges in prep for Y6 parents evening

Pictures to come soon.

We are preparing to offer parents a 10 minute challenge to build a tower ( or bridge )using materials provided. The STEM..sters will assist. We are undertaking a fun version of a more complex challenge.
This is a simplified exercise which is available by sending me an email - I will gladly send file.

The exercise is part of a collection originally designed for sixth form leadership skills development and which are also used by universities and employers for selection / evaluation purposes.

Mr. Geekie

Beginning boat design - bow shapes.

Trough set up to test how long a square ended boat took to cover a set distance. Times were 1.9 seconds average. After front was cut to provide a boat shape the time reduced to 1.12 seconds.
Project to continue.
Mr. Geekie.

Hot air balloon session 3 - finishing balloons

Really enjoyable session - here is an impression of the evening. The balloons will be launched after half term and it should be a bit special. We will need good, still weather - so let us keep our fingers crossed. The very next session will involve mathematics and examine the method of calculating the volume of the balloon.

Torch..ing stuff at BGS

This useful kit makes two torches. One of which uses a membrane switch.

Wednesday 24th June just before JG birthday

Well what a wonderful session. All the staff were impressed with you all. The rockets made us think about extension work and we are planning a follow up next week. PLEASE NOTE we need to meet on MONDAYS for the next and last 2 weeks of this years programme. Did you look up "para"?
Photos soon.
Is it YOUR birthday ... I heard someone say (o)

Looking at rockets. Pictures soon

These pictures show boys making stomp rockets - previously they had made small rockets which used a straw for propulsion via a good exhalation of air.

Marbles passing from tower to tower

This session introduced the notion of harmonics, frequency, oscillation, triangulation and, of course, solving problems. We talked about the Tacoma Narrows bridge failure , particular thanks to Mr. Hamshaw and we looked at a glass being broken with sound.
Homework - go home and try singing to a wine glass ... loudly and highly pitched... or simply run your finger lightly around a slightly dampened rim of a wine glass.. you s
hould hear the harmonic evidence of ocillating frequency. See video here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECNDpCYvaOc

Next meeting not until 5th May - happy Easter form Mr. Geekie and the team.

see video here
http://www.physics.ucla.edu/demoweb/demomanual/acoustics/effects_of_sound/breaking_glass_with_sound.html