This week, we worked scientifically on a new project – ‘Can you make a paper bridge?’.  To begin, we worked reciprocally in small groups to investigate the properties of a single sheet of newspaper. We learnt that newspaper is weak, flexible and can be torn. Later, we investigated whether this sheet of newspaper could be used as a bridge for a single billy goat, by separating two tables and laying the newspaper between. Unsurprisingly, the sheet of newspaper was unable to support the weight of the poor billy goat!

In our groups, we explored the ways in which the shape of the newspaper sheet could be changed in order to make it stronger and more rigid – by rolling, folding, bending, twisting and crumpling/squashing. Each group were given four sheets of newspaper and tasked with creating a bridge that could hold the weight of at least one billy goat. We worked as a team to perform this test, checking the strength of our bridges throughout and observing closely. By strengthening the newspaper, we all succeeded in creating a bridge that could hold one, two, three or even four billy goats!

To conclude this term’s topic ‘Movers and Shakers’, we each chose a historically significant individual to design a memorial for. We learnt that these are made to remind people of a significant person or event. Memorials can celebrate their lives and show respect for their achievements. We chose to design and make various types of memorials, including statues, monuments, buildings, stamps and plaques. On Wednesday, we brought our memorials to life by sculpting them with clay, using a variety of tools and equipment to assist us with cutting, shaping, joining and finishing.

Well done for all of your hard work throughout this topic Year 2! We hope that you all have a brilliant half term.