Goblin Car Club

Our Goblin Car Club is one of the clubs that our Year 5 pupils take part in on a Friday afternoon. For information about our other Friday afternoon clubs, please visit our Curriculum Page and view 'Fabulous Fridays'.

Our Goblin Car club was established in Autumn 2013. The idea was put forward by two of our parents, Geraldine Venediger and Hayley Cocksworth-Jones who had been running a 'Fabulous Friday'  Engineering club for our Key Stage 2 children, putting their Engineering Degrees to excellent use!  Having read about 'Goblin Cars' they put the idea to Mrs Stoodley, who was immediately enthusiastic about the idea, having seen the benefit of these cars at a previous school. Mrs Venediger and Mrs Cocksworth-Jones set about fundraising to purchase the cars. They were so successful, the school was able to buy a 'fleet' of four cars, allowing all of our Year 5 pupils to begin working on them.

The children learn to build the cars, starting with a 'box of bits'. They then have to learn how to fine tune them, troubleshoot, and maximise performance, developing their understanding of forces, physics and engineering skills along the way. The children then have the opportunity to learn to drive the cars, and have the ultimate challenge of racing these at different Goblin Car 'meets' through the year.

Click on the link below to see the action at Goodwood Racing Meet:

https:/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BUGXV4L6wc

BLUE PETER VISIT FOUR MARKS GOBLINS!

We were very excited when, in June, the Blue Peter Team came to visit our school to find out more about our Goblin Car Club. They joined our Year 5 children for a workshop session where the children were fine tuning their cars, readying them for the Goodwood Race. They then joined teamed up with two of our teams, Green Goblin's and Leaping Leopards, to race the school’s cars. The Blue Peter programme featuring this event was broadcast on 13th August 2015. You can click on the links below to find out more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11746259/Good-news-Friday-gimme-a-brake.html
http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/local/goodwood-s-goblin-gathering-airs-on-cbbc-blue-peter-1-6892549
https://www.facebook.com/altonpostgazette
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/bp-barney-radzi-goblin-race-vote
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/watch/bp-radzi-sings-while-driving
 

In September 2014, a reporter from the Sunday Times magazine came to our school to find out more about our Goblin Car club, and the benefits that taking part in this club have brought to our children. Below are some images of Dominic Tobin's visit, and his interviews with the staff,  volunteers and children involved. We also took the opportunity for our 'Junior Journalists' to interview Dominic about his job on a national newspaper. The article was  published in The Sunday Times magazine on Sunday 12th October 2014. You can also read further news on the Sunday Times Magazine website by clicking on the link below:

http://www.driving.co.uk/news/students-as-young-as-nine-turn-engineer-and-racing-driver-with-greenpower-series/

Links to the National Curriculum

English

Purpose of study

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to write and speak fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

Aims

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the written and spoken word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Writing Opportunities

Letters: requesting help; asking for financial support; thanking people for help and  support.

Instructions: for constructing the car or a part of it; for driving; for care of equipment such as crash helmets.

Diaries: Weekly progress

Reports: on experiments to improve performance; on race day events

Speaking and Listening Opportunities

• Sharing and explaining ideas during group build process.
• Asking questions of team mates and adult helpers to clarify understanding.
• Presenting reports on the project to sponsors, groups of children or whole school.

Mathematics

Purpose of study

Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some of history’s most intriguing problems. It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment. A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.

Aims

The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils:

• become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils have conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately to problems
• reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language
• can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Maths opportunities

• Measuring: of materials accurately during build process; angles of wheel alignment; time of laps, weight of materials used; estimation skills
• Calculating: average speed; acceleration.
• Data handling: collecting, recording, displaying and analysing data collected during testing of  the car.
• Reading scales.

Science

Purpose of study

A high-quality science education provides the foundations for understanding the world through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all pupils should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.

Aims

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of  biology, chemistry and physics
• develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Working scientifically

During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:

• planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
• taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision
• recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, and bar and line graphs
• using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
• using simple models to describe scientific ideas
• reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
• identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

Forces

Pupils should be taught to:

• explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object
• identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces
• understand that force and motion can be transferred through mechanical devices such as gears, pulleys, levers and springs.

Opportunities

• understanding the role of gravity in assisting and hindering driving.
• Consider air resistance when designing and building the car’s chassis
• Develop their understanding of mechanical devices fitted to the car.

Properties and changes of materials

• give reasons, based on evidence from comparative and fair tests, for the particular uses of everyday materials, including metals, wood and plastic.

Opportunities

• Develop understanding of materials used on the basic car.
• Carry out tests to aid choice of materials used on car chassis

Electricity

Pupils should be taught to:

• associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in the circuit
• compare and give reasons for variations in how components function, including the brightness of bulbs, the loudness of buzzers and the on/off position of switches
• use recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram.

Opportunities

• Examine wiring diagrams for the car
• Produce diagrams for the addition of lighting to car chassis

Art and Design

Purpose of study

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Aims

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Pupils should be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils should be taught:

• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials (e.g. pencil, charcoal, paint, clay)
• about great artists, architects and designers in history.

Opportunities

• Research famous car designers
• Design and produce a logo or flag for their team

Computing

Purpose of study

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to understand and change the world through logical thinking and creativity, including by making links with mathematics, science, and design and technology. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, and how digital systems work. Computing equips pupils to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of media. It also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Aims

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

Pupils should be taught to:

• design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
• use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
• use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
• understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration
• use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
• use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; know a range of ways to report concerns and inappropriate behaviour
• select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

Opportunities

• Use of software such as MS Exel to present data collected
• Use of sensors to measure speed, power use etc

Design and technology

Purpose of study

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Aims

The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
• build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts, such as the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment.

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

• use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make

• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, such as cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, accurately
• select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate

• investigate and analyse a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technical knowledge

• apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
• understand and use mechanical systems in their products, such as gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages
• understand and use electrical systems in their products, such as series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors
• apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.

Opportunities

• Design and construct the chassis of the car

Learning beyond the National Curriculum

“Since we cannot know what will be needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, our job must be to turn out young people who love learning so much , and who learn so well, that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learnt”

 John Mills.

The building, testing and racing of the cars will provide opportunities for the children to develop transferable learning skills.

Resilience:

• Persistent: stays determined, positive and patient in the face of difficulty or mistakes
• Inquisitive: has a questioning and positive attitude to learning
• Adventurous: willing to risk and ‘have a go’; up for a new challenge
• Focused: observant, concentrates well, ignores distractions, becomes engrossed.

Resourcefulness

• Crafting: keen to work on improving products
• Imaginative: comes up with creative ideas and possibilities; visualises
• Connecting: looks for links and relationships; likes to ‘hook things up’; uses metaphor
• Capitalising: makes good use of resources, tools and materials

Relationships

• Collaborative: a good team-player; helps groups to work
• Open-minded: asks for, listens to and makes good use of information, feedback and advice
• Independent: able to ‘stand their ground’; shows initiative
• Empathic: understands others; offers helpful feedback and suggestions; receptive and imitative

Reflection

• Methodical: well-organised; thinks things through carefully
• Self-evaluative: makes honest and accurate judgements about ‘how its going’
• Self-aware: knows their own strengths, styles and interests as a learner
• Transferring: looks for other applications and lessons for the future