Exploring wood and STEAM this year …
This year we have come full cycle with Trees. We planted some last session and measured dimensions of existing trees- their girth and height using trigonometry (through our legs and with a clinometer). We then used some data to estimate the age of the trees in the school grounds. This year we have monitored growth and how different species grow at variable rates, including seasonal changes they experience.
We have explored how a tree is turned into the materials we use as wooden planks. Children have investigated the properties of wood by sanding, splitting wood (work with the grain rather than against) and exploring knots (the trees severed branches which are really dense- hard to put a nail in!). We have compared balsa wood with pine (soft) and oak (hard) and how easy or hard it is to work with. Although balsa is easy to cut sometimes it is too flimsy and breaks. We also discussed this when having fires- that balsa burns rapidly but oak last and burns much longer. This lead to some discussions around charcoal…
The children have used a billhook (with an adult) to split wood down from larger, wider sections to a size they need. They know that a billhook or axe can only split with the grain. `To cut across the grain we need a saw. They have measured, marked and sawn off sections that they need for their creations. We have learned a sawing stance (directly behind your cut), to always wear a glove on the hand you are not holding the handle with on a saw horse or get someone to help hold the wood (adult mostly). Children have explored different nails and that a larger nail may go in easily but may split the wood. With smaller nails we need to check its length to see it will go in deep enough and not protrude out the other side. A smaller nail may not hold the wood sufficiently. If in doubt, use a screws that hold wood together securely. We discussed why screws do this better than nails.
The two upper classes have used knives to carve an item. They truly learned to work with the grain or make a stop cut using a saw to stop their carving split too far…
Take a look at what we have created…
Primary 1/2 made wind turbines using Balsa wood and pine and explored using wood/sticks creatively.
Primary 2/3 made castles with mini people and furniture to go inside.
Primary 3/4 made spinning tops and wooden games. Later in the term they made their own mini habitats.
Primary 4/5 made marble runs and mini planters to grow seeds which they were surprised worked well
Primary 5/6 made bird/bat boxes, balsa wood birds, carved a spoon and made moulds for their mud/clay/sand/straw bricks.
Primary 7 made wooden stars for christmas, nail art and carved a bull roarer or whammy diddle.