During the past months our year 6 students were busy observing and discussing the ongoing problems that planet Earth is facing and finding solutions on how to help and minimize such issues.
Through this project a good number of aspects and skills were explored and practiced. To begin with, the boys were encouraged to observe what is happening around us through various discussions, videos, newspaper articles, reading comprehension texts and information available online. In order to experience these issues first hand, in groups the students had to take care of a plant. Such plants were sown and assembled with wires to Kitroniks and Microbits; which were also coded with specific instructions. Every group used a different solution to water their plants with; each one of these representing the different environmental issues. Data about the conditions of the plants was recorded weekly with photos and bar graphs, until final conclusions were reached.
For the concluding stage of this project, the students were encouraged to think about the issues discussed, the data collected, and the conclusions drawn, and come up with a sustainable invention to tackle one or more of these issues. With the help of some parents, who gently volunteered to help, the students gathered different ideas into one sustainable structure. After researching, they planned and designed their inventions, and eventually they also built prototypes of such structures, using recyclable material. Throughout the whole process, the boys collaborated using their personal strengths and shared their ideas to reach a common goal.
To celebrate such an amazing educational journey, all the inventions were presented in detail by every group to their parents and other distinguished guests. The implementation and success of this project would not have been possible without the hard work and support of Mr Simon Peter Schembri, all the year 6 LSEs and teachers, the school assistant head Ms Veronique DeGabriele Ferrante, as well as Ms Roberta Trapani Maggi, Ms Pamela Fenech and Ms Natalie Lombardi Calleja from the secretariat.
Ms Daniela Buttigieg
Primary Teacher