Apr
17th
✨ Learning How to Make Things Stand Tall in Sparrows Class
Children in Sparrows Class have made a fantastic start to their new Design and Technology unit, where their final challenge will be to design and make a pencil pot. This week, the focus was all about structures and what makes them strong and stable.
The children began by learning what a structure is and spotting real‑life examples around our school. From walls and tables to playground equipment, they quickly realised that structures are everywhere!
Next, the children became young engineers as they tested different towers, experimenting with:
- Wide bases and narrow bases
- Heavier tops and heavier bottoms
By observing which towers stayed standing and which toppled over, the children discovered an important design rule:
👉 Structures are strongest when they have a wide base and a heavier bottom.
This valuable learning will now help them as they begin planning and designing their own pencil pots later in the unit.
đź’¬ Miss Corrigan shared:
“The children loved investigating which towers stayed standing and why. They worked so thoughtfully, testing their ideas and learning from what happened. It’s been wonderful to see their curiosity and confidence grow as they prepare to design their own pencil pots.”
đź”— Learning More at Home
Families can support learning by exploring
BBC Bitesize KS1 Design and Technology – Structures, which explains what structures are and how they stay strong in a child‑friendly way:
👉
BBC Bitesize – What are structures?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
🏡 Follow‑Up Activities to Try at Home
Why not continue the learning together with these simple activities?
- Build a tower challenge using LEGO, blocks, books or recycled boxes
- Test stability by changing the base width or adding weight to the bottom
- Go on a structure hunt around your home or neighbourhood
- Design a pencil pot on paper – think about shape, size and stability
- Make a mini model using cardboard tubes or yoghurt pots
đź’¬ Questions Parents Can Ask at Home
Talking about learning helps children remember and deepen their understanding. You could ask:
- What is a structure?
- Why did the tower with the wide base stay up better?
- What happened when the top was heavier than the bottom?
- How will you make sure your pencil pot doesn’t fall over?
- Where do you see strong structures in our home or outside?
At St Peter’s, we love seeing our children learn through hands‑on exploration, grow in confidence and shine as creative thinkers. We’re excited to see their pencil pot designs develop over the coming weeks!
💛 Love • Learn • Shine 💛
Posted In Curriculum
 
