7A using tools to construct the body of their money box

The pupils showed an interest in working together in pairs or independently to cut around or along the lines for the shape of their money boxes using a variety of tools such as saws, a bandsaw, sand paper and a planer. The pupils watched as the teacher demonstrated how to use the tools safely for example; pointing the saw down to the floor, pushing the wood slowly when using the bandsaw because if you move it fast the piece of wood will start to bounce and the line will be jaggered as well as understanding that moving the planer in a back and forward motion will straighten the outer line. One pupil explained the reason for why we use sand paper "it is to help with smoothing the edges of the wood". 

The pupils also enjoyed peer on peer mentoring where one pupil supported their peers by noticing at what stages they were beginning to struggle and lending a helping hand to start the process of completing the structure of their money boxes  as they demonstrated the use of a saw to cut their wood into smaller pieces following the lines of their chosen shape.

worcester woods with Year 8

The pupils enjoyed walking around Worcester woods describing what sights they could see and enjoyed exploring through nature as they picked up different sized sticks saying "this is my walking stick to help with the mud". As we were walking we noticed a wooden pit and as a group we decided to sit down with one pupil saying "yes I need a rest from all of this long walking". The pupils showed an interest in playing a couple of games of tracker as they went around the woods hiding in a variety of places such as behind a tree, in bushes with the goal of getting to the wooden pit before the person on catches you.

continuing to decorate and shape their spears and axes with Year 7B

The pupils showed an interest in continuing to the next step of their project of using different coloured paints to decorate the various parts, such as the handle or head, of their axes or spears. The pupils worked together in pairs, or independently to start or finish the end result to their project with one pupil asking "how do I attach this top piece of my axe to my handle?". We explained they would need a nail and hammer.  

                                                                                                    The pupils also enjoyed peer on peer mentoring where one pupil demonstrated to another how to hold, turn on and navigate the electric planer as they displayed what movements they would need to create to make their wood smooth for example; "you can move it around in circles or back and forward".

deconstruction of a wooden bike and creating a wooden sign

At the start of the lesson the pupils put themselves into two groups where one half of the group showed an interest in using a variety of tools such as a screwdriver, different sized hammers and pliers to deconstruct the body shape of a wooden bike and took it in turns to share and explore the different tools as well as using a screwdriver to unscrew the nails to unattach the wheels. 

As the one group were taking the wooden bike apart, the other group enjoyed working together to smooth the edges of each arrow for the RSS display sign using sand paper and a planer by taking it in turns to have a go and understanding who was going to take part in what job such as "if I scrap to the line you can sand paper after". The pupils then had a go at using a hammer to attach the nails and wooden arrows to the long post with one pupil talking about their past experience of using a hammer and making a post "I have used a hammer and nails before with my Grandad". 

constructing the shapes of their money boxes with Primary 1 and 2

The pupils showed an interest in continuing to create the body structures of their money boxes using a variety of tools such as hand saw's and a bandsaw. One of the pupils, with staff support, had a go at working the mechanics of the bandsaw by using their foot to stop the machine and then lift their foot up for it to start as they worked together with a staff member to push the four pieces of wood for the shape of their money box slowly while they watched the thin blade cut around the lines. 

All of the pupils enjoyed using the tools as they took it in turns to use each hand and mechanic saw and helped each other by demonstrating what movements they would need to make to cut the wood for example; back and forward, and with staff support began to understand that pointing the saw to the floor makes you cut quicker.    

constructing Year 7A and 9's money boxes

The pupils showed an interest in using the material of wood to make their own box. The pupils listened to all safety instructions with how to use the variety of tools such as pointing the saw downwards as they cut the pieces of wood. The pupils understood that they needed to wear goggles and a apron when using the tools and at a what time for example; one pupil said "you wear the goggles when you are using the saw as it stops the dust from getting in your eyes". The pupils sat around in a group as they watched demonstrations of what equipment they would be using for the creation of their box and how they were going to achieve the final result. 

• The pupils worked individually or in pairs as they began to understand that the numbers on the ruler would match with the dimensions to how long the pieces of wood would need be and the length of width for the sides to complete the structure of the box. As a group the pupils identified, with staff support, the measurements of "20" cm long and "6" cm wide. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The pupils then had a go at measuring the lengths out by using a pencil and ruler and continued to look at a diagram of what sizes the sides of the boxes will be, this was drawn on a whiteboard. 
• The pupils identified that they would need "four sides" for their box as one pupil labelled each one with the words "bottom, side, other side and top". 
• After the pupils each took it in turns, or worked together, to use a saw to cut along or around the lines, with staff support, for each side. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Near the end of the lesson the teacher gathered the pupils around a cutting machine and explained that it was used for cutting smaller pieces of wood whilst showing them how to use the machine such as moving the wood slowly while it is cutting because if you do it quickly then the line for their sides would be jaggered and not straight. One of the pupils said "you have to put your foot on the red button for the machine to start and stop". As we were travelling back to school from RSS, I asked all pupils if they had enjoyed the lesson and what they liked the most. One pupil said "I liked using the saw but it was really hard to cut the wood", when another pupil said "I didn't like the saw it took ages to cut and afterwards my arm really hurt and was tired".

making a wooden sign with Primary 3

 

Some of the pupils showed an interest in using pieces of wood to create the shape of an arrow for the developing structure of a school sign. The pupils acknowledged the recognition of numbers as they began to see that those numbers are placed on a ruler which helped them to develop the skill to measure the outline shape of the arrows. The pupils worked together in pairs and independently by taking it in turns to explore a variety of tools such as sandpaper to smooth the edges and operating an electric cutter as they followed the lines which created the cut out body of each arrow. The other half of the group went on the laptops and participated in purple mash as they matched numbers together to make one higher number or understood that one number plus another number will calculate an answer such as what is 3+2=5. 

designing their own money box with Primary 1 and 2

At the beginning of the lesson we had a group discussion about the pupils making their own money box out of different materials such as wood or cardboard. The pupils took it in turns to research a design to how they would like the box to look and be constructed. The pupils talked about how many slots they might have depending on what numbered coins they are thinking of putting in, what shape it could be for example, a square or rectangle and if they are going to put adding graphical features. One pupil said "I want mine to have glasses and a funny face like this one". The pupils then had a go at using the app paint, with staff support, to create the body and design to what their box could look like at the end of the project.