Switched On!

As part of our continued focus on deeper learning and science (see our School Development Plan 2017-18) practitioners have been supporting children in developing knowledge and understanding about electricity. Asking the children what they know is always a revealing and useful assessment tool: Mohammed "It turns off", Luka "Electricity goes round in cables", Romy "It goes around the whole planet", Fatimasahra "It's like fireworks, it goes on loud" and Ana "Electricity can hurts". Children were then given plenty of time and opportunity to explore electrical items (hairdryers, telephones, hard drives and printers. They deconstructed them using screwdrivers. This took a sustained amount of concentration and perseverance but the joy was evident once complete. Children explored components and discussed with friends and practitioners what they found and thought. They referred to information books about electricity. Children discussed Luka's understanding of electricity travelling through cables. Circuit boards were then introduced to some children who used their knowledge about creating pathways for the electricity to travel along. They successfully made light bulbs come on. buzzers buzz and propellers whirr! Ana, who designed and made a sailing boat from a milk carton, straw and paper sail has been given the task to add a motor or a light to it! It's so exciting to see the scientists, engineers and designers of tomorrow busy building their ideas, bravely exploring and making mistakes today.