Robot Creative Week
Monday the 21st to Friday 25th of January 2008 was Robot
Creative Week at Old Basing Infant School. The Basinga received a kind
invitation from Mia Wyles, from Class 9, to attend the school and see the
results of the weeks intensive creative activity. In her invitation Mia
wrote "All the children will be designing and making robots and creating a Robot
City in the school hall". So this was an invitation I could not refuse.
The week was organised by the schools Art Manager, Joanna Miles, and the Design Technology Manager, Joanne Ward. One of the main aims of the week was to let the pupils lead the activities, with the teachers remaining in the background, only lending a hand when required.
The
whole week was given over to the project, but incorporated as many normal school
activities as possible, but with the Robot theme. For example, the pupils wrote poems
and stories about robots, , and participated in counting activities involving
robots. With the help of a professional dance instructor, they even performed
some robot dances. All nine classes
were contributing to the project, from the reception classes (age 4) to year 2
classes (age 7).
The pupils had to draw designs for the robots that they were going to build. The plans had to list all of the materials required. The pupils had to think carefully about materials that they wanted to use. They were also given the opportunity to include a lever, hinge or wheels as an optional design extra. All of the components used for the designs were from recycled materials.
The final outcome of the week was the construction of a Robot
City in the main hall. The city had a skyline, where there some robotic
birds could be seen flying. There were roads with traffic lights,
robotically controlled of-course, and numerous buildings too.
At the end of the week, the parents, the school governors and
other important residents of Old Basing and Lychpit, myself included, were
invited to view the results of the week long project. A few pupils from
each class were selected as guides for the visitors to help point out the main
features of the city.
I think everyone, pupils and teachers alike, had an enjoyable week.
Click on the two Robot City pictures for a larger view.