Y2 Boat Building

A great way to see what learning has taken place is to provide the children with the opportunity to apply their new skills in a practical context. After studying the story ‘Traction Man is Here!’ through the Talk for Writing approach in English, the children were set a new challenge; design a boat to allow the superhero to escape from a desert island. 

During our recent science unit ‘Use of Everyday Materials’, the children investigated the properties of different materials and the different things that could be made from them. Using this knowledge, the children worked in teams to design, make, test, refine and evaluate their boats. What a lot of interesting, eye-catching creations there were! Then came the best part; testing the boats in the splash pool! Could each vessel carry Traction Man to safety? Which boat would move the fastest? Would the materials chosen prove to be waterproof and float very well? 

Luckily for Traction Man, Year 2 are clearly super scientists and excellent engineers! The boats did their job very well, but when reflecting on their creations the children were still able to identify things they would do differently next time. The teachers have been really impressed with not only the scientific skill the children demonstrated but also the Aide Memoire attributes of Reflection, Perseverance and Enquiry. 

Clare Lowson/ Year 2 Leader