As I made my way up the path, laden with resources for my first set of activities at Neston Primary School, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Greeting me at the front door was a gigantic model of the Titanic; brightly painted and intricately made, it must have taken hours to construct. It was just the beginning of the most amazing day’s experience.
The entrance hall had been transformed – the RRS Sir David Attenborough was emerging, prow first, from a wall display, ploughing its way through enormous polystyrene icebergs, looking for all the world as though it was on a voyage in the Antarctic.
As the children began to arrive, each carrying a variety of models of ships, from galleons in full sail to Egyptian funerary barges, painstakingly researched and constructed with originality, the playground became an art gallery filled with exciting exhibits, each with a story to tell.
The models, displays, posters and colourful pictures were all part of the school’s imaginative approach to homework, in which parents and their children, from reception to Year 6, are involved and one that encourages and praises all efforts in any form and in any medium. ‘Ships’ seemed to be an appropriate way to begin the school’s involvement in the Polar Explorer Programme. The homework would later be proudly displayed as part of the whole school assembly which I would lead to explain the project to the children.
I had decided to begin my lessons with Years 4 and 5 with a challenge. They worked in teams of polar engineers to change the shape of a ball of plasticine to make it float. Some had been very surprised that their predictions were incorrect. After several minutes of intense competition, all achieved a shape that would float but the next challenge of load carrying proved trickier.
To cheers and applause, two teams achieved the goal; their boats could carry five pennies for a few seconds without sinking! They had shown patience, worked together to share ideas and were not afraid to change their designs. I explained that engineers working on the design of RRS Sir David Attenborough need similar skills to achieve success.
It was soon time for assembly and the classes filed in, excitedly carrying their homework to show me and the rest of the school. One of the Year 6 girls was dressed as explorer Ernest Shackleton in protective jacket, goggles, hat with side flaps, boots and gloves. This showed real endurance, as the day was proving to be the hottest of the year!
"I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm of the children and their teachers and can’t wait to work with my other schools in June."
I explained that they would all be participating in an exciting project, showed slides of the Arctic and Antarctic, the new research ship and of course, Boaty McBoatface. The favourite slide by far was one of a penguin protecting its chicks from the cold. How do animals adapt to such conditions? All would be revealed in the blubber glove challenge for one lucky teacher!
The children gasped and then giggled as Mrs JB plunged two hands (one smothered with lard) into a bowl of ice and water. We timed how long she could withstand the cold. The hand insulated with fat won the day to a round of applause from the children.
The fun continued. We trooped into the playground for a very important ceremony - the naming of the newly acquired school boat. The head asked me to don a sailor hat and take the wheel! Two children dressed as the Queen and Prince Phillip joined me and the whole school gathered round. Champagne fizz was provided by coca cola and mentos and, to the sound of party poppers exploding and the cheers of the school, the boat was named The Explorer!
After play, my class investigations continued. We worked scientifically using my home-made polystyrene rubber band paddle boats, in water-filled guttering, to discover whether the number of winds of the propeller would increase the distance travelled by the boat. The Year 5 children extended this work by investigating how changing the size of the propeller affects the distance travelled. We had great fun and I was impressed by the children’s scientific understanding.
I will return to Neston Primary School at a later date to challenge the children with more exciting Polar Explorer Programme activities but I am delighted that the class teachers will be extending the work I did using paddle boats. They have even bought their own guttering and are intending to investigate whether the shape of the boats has an effect upon their passage through water.
A few weeks ago, I delivered the Polar Explorer Programme CPD sessions to the teachers participating in the project. We had great fun trying out a wide selection of the activities included in the resource pack and putting together an action plan of activities and interventions but I had not imagined just how much dedication would be shown by the head and staff in putting those plans into action.
I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm of the children and their teachers and can’t wait to work with my other schools in June.
About the author
Sue Andrews is a Polar Ambassador for the Polar Explorer Programme. Polar Ambassadors use the context of the new Polar Research Vessel to to improve progression in STEM subjects for 7-11 year olds.
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