Preschool – Stem Engineers

This week in preschool, the children were introduced and learnt about STEM. This divides into the 4 categories; science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The children focused on the engineering sector which includes a lot of practical tasks such as, building, fixtures and more that helps exercise their physical development. To begin with, as a group we discussed different materials we could use to build towers and agreed we would produce 3 different ones as an experiment to test the strongest and weakest towers.

The first material we built with, were thin plastic poles and balls that contained many holes on them for the poles to insert in. As the children worked together to make the tower, it became wonky with a lot coming apart, but they continued to try their best keeping it stable and managed to create an asymmetric-shaped tower.                                                                             Secondly, the children used many drinking cups to build a pyramid for their next experiment. They took turns lining up 10 cups as the base first, before placing card paper on top and making another row of cups on top of that. The children realised each new row they built going upwards, required 1 cup less than the previous row, as the shape started to form together. As a team they cooperated together brilliantly, making sure to have steady hands and line the cups up close enough together so there wasn’t much of a gap. The children manged to make 5 amazing rows before it tipped over and crashed.                                                                                          Lastly, our third tower was built out of the wooden number blocks, so as well as the children being practical, they also implemented mathematics within it. Going round in the circle they each said the next number that needed to be stacked on top starting from 10 at the base and working their way up to 1 to the very top, which they completed successfully. One of the children even had an idea, to start from 1 at the bottom, acknowledging that it will be a very small object to start with, she added “we should lay it flat” which is a great idea that worked.

Preschool had so much fun during these activities, cooperating, communicating with each other so well as a team. Educating themselves about different materials, sizes and putting things together. Well done!