Innovation & Design

Innovation & Design March Newsletter 2025

Foundation

This week, our Foundation students explored different building types and common building materials. We learned about houses, skyscrapers, and bridges, discussing what materials make them strong and durable.

As part of our hands-on learning, the students became little architects and builders! They designed their own stick and brick houses, following a plan to bring their ideas to life. Using materials such as craft sticks, cardboard, and small bricks, they carefully constructed their homes, just like real engineers.

It was wonderful to see their creativity and problem-solving skills in action as they experimented with different ways to make their structures sturdy. Well done to all our young builders! 🚧🏠🛠️

Year 1

Our Year 1 students have explored the exciting world of design and engineering! This term, they have designed and constructed stable and creative tower designs while following the stages of our Design Cycle. This hands-on project encourages problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork, as students bring their amazing ideas to life! Here are a couple of their innovative designs.

Year 2

This month, our Year 2 students have learned about simple machines such as levers, pulleys, the wheel and axle and springs. Applying this theory, they are now inspecting the workings of mechanics and movement as they design and build their own paper spring-operated toys!  

Through this hands-on project, they are exploring how springs store and release energy, experiment with different mechanisms, and apply problem-solving skills to create fun and functional toys. This exciting learning experience will help develop their understanding of forces, motion, engineering principles and the design cycle process. The special project is helping students make the connection between engineering theory and application, whilst encouraging development of curiosity and creativity.

Year 3

This month, our Year 3 students are learning about the art of weaving. They have applied this theory through a hands-on project to weave an animal design paper mat. Through this tricky project they are using their fine motor skills to create the weave of the mat and to enhance their pattern recognition abilities. 

The weaving project has enabled them to discover the unique properties of various materials. Further, the project  encourages persistence, creativity, team working skills and problem-solving, as well as helping students gain a deeper understanding of how materials can be used to create both functional and decorative designs.

Year 4

This month, our Year 4 students have been investigating the properties of different materials and their application in various industrial designs. The students have applied this theory to their group parachute design challenge! This hands-on learning experience is designed to enrich students understanding of air resistance, gravity, and material properties, while encouraging creativity, problem-solving and importantly, navigating group dynamics. Next, our fabulous grade 4 students will test out their parachutes and critique their designs. We can’t wait to see what happens with the parachutes they designed.

Year 5 

This month, our Year 5 students have been exploring the art of Origami—the traditional Japanese technique of paper folding. They have learned about the different uses of Origami, from simple decorative pieces to practical applications in design and engineering.

Students have also been practicing various folding techniques. These techniques have helped students improve their patience, precision, and problem-solving skills while having fun bringing paper to life!

To add depth to their origami project, the students have worked in groups to make a Zoo enclosure storyboard for the origami characters. This has helped them to bring together their project into a showcase, fostering group work, creativity and critical thinking skills.

Our fantastic grade 5 students have had their first kitchen lesson, where they are learning about food hygiene and using kitchen tools and equipment safely, along with eating healthy. The grade 5 students whipped up a delicious fruit salad cup, yum! Watch this space for the next delicious recipe.

Year 6

This month, our Year 6 students have explored Food Technology. They will learn essential kitchen skills and gain confidence in cooking! 

The program has included:🔪 Safe use of kitchen equipment – Learning proper handling of tools.🧼 Hygiene and food safety – Understanding the importance of cleanliness in cooking.🥄 Cooking techniques – Practicing measuring, mixing, and preparing simple recipes.

Further, this hands-on learning experience has helped students to develop independence, teamwork, and an appreciation for healthy eating. Watch out parents and carers, you may have a chef on your hands! 

A friendly reminder to our lovely families, we use Seesaw to showcase what we are learning in the classroom. We kindly ask all students to bring their iPads, fully charged, to their I&D sessions.

We look forward to sharing more with you throughout the year!

Ms Kirk & Ms Bedi