STEM week
Year 4 children returned to school for STEM Week, giving them an exciting opportunity to work in trios on a series of problem‑solving challenges. Their design brief was to create a catapult inspired by a Roman model, complete with wheels, a holder and a functioning firing mechanism. To prepare for this, the children began the week by learning about angles and practising how to use a protractor accurately. In science, they explored the concepts of potential and kinetic energy, working collaboratively to investigate how different elastic bands—varying in thickness, length, and tension—would affect the power of their catapult. They also experimented with firing elastic bands at different angles to determine which would produce the greatest projectile distance.
Once they had gathered their scientific findings, the children moved on to the design phase. Working together, they planned both the carriage and the catapult mechanism before applying their DT skills to measure and saw pieces of wood. Using glue guns, they constructed sturdy frames and assembled their catapults. Observing the trios at work was fascinating; some children naturally stepped into leadership roles, confidently organising and directing their groups. The discussions within each trio were equally interesting, as teammates debated, reasoned and attempted to persuade one another about the most effective construction methods.
The children particularly enjoyed testing their creations at the “testing station,” where they could trial their catapults and then improve their designs. The week concluded with class competitions in which every child had the chance to fire a marshmallow across the classroom. Their distances were recorded and the children learnt how to calculate the mean average by adding their three results and dividing the total by three. Some marshmallows travelled impressively far—over one metre in several cases. In HB5, two groups, PIB and ZKT, achieved remarkable distances of 2.68m and 2.57m respectively.
The children thoroughly enjoyed the week and showcased some amazing talent. Well done, Year 4!