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[January 2008] From PS2s and Personal Phones to Helicopters and Hyperspace - Explaining the World of Engineering to Eleven Year Olds Fifty Year 6 pupils at Sherborne Primary School in Dorset, played host to a team of engineers from helicopter manufacturers AgustaWestland, who spent a day providing them with an introduction to and exploration of the world of engineering. The team used a mixture of presentation, demonstration, interactive discussion and team competitions to illustrate the huge variety of engineering products and disciplines, and the significance of engineering and engineers in yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s worlds.
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Teamwork - The Paper Aeroplane Competition |
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Engineering impacts almost every aspect of our modern lives. The pupils were challenged to identify a number of household objects such as electronic games, mobile phones, bicycles and discuss the engineering input involved. They discussed the skills needed to build bridges, modern large buildings, MRI scanners, submarines, satellites and aircraft. After learning about the early attempts at flying machines including the local engineer John Stringfellow from Chard (first powered aircraft) and the Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville (first manned powered flight), they were introduced to the theory of flight, in particular how aircraft wings and helicopter rotor blades work. This was a prelude to the first of two team projects – a competition to design and make a paper aeroplane to fly accurately along a defined course. Ten teams considered different design options, chose their preferred solution and competed to demonstrate the overall winning design. This was followed by the same teams each designing a fan which was tested in a wind tunnel to determine the most efficient design. Following the aerodynamic projects and to wrap up the day, the pupils discussed the future challenges of the world and how engineers would be integral in solving them. This included new energy sources, protecting the environment, new developments in communication and travel.
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Wind Tunnel testing the efficiency fo fans |
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The AgustaWestland team was led by Tim Bartley (F), a senior manager at the company. The presentations and activities were undertaken by two young engineers Greg Slade and Louise Cashin. The main objective was to provide the primary school children with a day that would allow all of the participants to gain a true understanding and appreciation of the engineering profession, the wide variety of skills and products that engineering represents and the significance of engineering in the modern world. Said Tim: “By the time children are ten or eleven, they are already forming opinions and interests relating to their future livelihoods. To give them a ‘wow’ day focusing on engineering at this stage of their development will, hopefully, give them memorable and positive impressions of the world of engineering and the importance of engineers to the modern world”.A further objective was to develop a “model” presentation structure that would be of use in other initiatives to encourage the better understanding of engineering by children of primary school age. As well as the support the team received from AgustaWestland’s HR department, the local branches of both the IMechE (Aerospace Division –Western Aerospace Centre) and RAeS (Yeovil) were involved. Airbus UK also chipped in with some poster material. Mr Kevin Roberts, the Deputy Headteacher at the School said “the day opened the pupils’ eyes to the world of engineering – bringing engineering into the primary school” and “the whole day developed the idea/importance of team work” and that “the pupils really enjoyed the idea of the competition – they enjoyed working to a final product”. Said Tim Bartley, “Key to the success of the Engineering Day was the full support and encouragement from the school itself”. Several preparatory sessions were held at the school before the event to ensure that the structure kept the pupils fully involved throughout, that they were continually challenged through the day – but without flooding them with too much detail, and that the school’s curriculum (especially science and mathematics) was used as a ‘springboard’ into the many technical themes. Last word from the pupils themselves: “we never knew that engineering is such a big part of our daily lives…thank you for giving us an insight into engineering and giving us a chance to develop and broaden our designing skills!”
If you are interesting in hosting a similar event, please contact IMechE's Schools and Student Marketing Executive, Habiba Choudhuri on (+44) 020 7304 6860 or email h_choudhuri@imeche.org
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