RA3

Group Announcements

Our next ‘Grand Day Out’ is to the National Railway Museum, York on Saturday 10th May 2008.

There shall be alternative activities set up separate to the usual NRM experience in the morning and in the afternoon we are invited to watch a theatrical performance inside the museum too. During the rest of the afternoon families are encouraged to explore the museum exhibits and may ride on the York Eye. Lunch and refreshments are provided.

Our Journal

Grand Day Out to the RA3 Launch
Saturday 10th March 2007

Family groups were treated to a variety of activities at the launch day at Sheffield Hallam University. Groups were taken to Sheffield Hallam University where they enjoyed a buffet lunch and a presentation by inventor and TV personality, Rex Garrett. Family groups were then able to undertake activities provided by a variety of real-life scientists in the Winter Gardens. Parents and students were able to make snot, watch rockets and see fossils. Groups were also able to view exhibitions in the Millennium Galleries.

Robot Building
Wednesday 2nd May 2007

During this session family groups began to construct mechanical animals from a selection of robot kits. Robot animals included rabbits, tigers, mice, foxes, ladybirds and giraffes. Some robots were decorated in racing colours or made to look more like ‘real animals’. 

Robot Challenges; designing and making 
Wednesday 9th May 2007

In this session groups designed and made challenging events such as obstacle courses and buckets attached by string to see who could pull the most marbles over the line.  These challenges were to be used in the next session.

Robot Challenge Night
Wednesday 16th May 2007

On the evening families checked their robots and toured round each other’s challenges whilst speculating which event their robot would do best in.  Pupils used both ICT to add their scores to the live scoreboard and carried out practical testing of their robots. 

Presentation Evening
Wednesday 23rd May 2007

Laser cut, acrylic trophies designed and made in our Technology College by Peter Andrews were given out at this awards evening.  The teachers involved presented each pupil and were given a hearty hand shake while parents looked on proudly.  All participating pupils received an award and were welcome to refreshments and sweets to take home.  

Grand Day Out To Magna
Saturday 24th November 2007

The RA3 family learning group has recently visited Magna on a Grand Day Out. Kirk Balk along with other secondary schools in South Yorkshire built a model town using resistant materials and electronic systems. Every type of building imaginable was designed and made. Each team were given 4 objects to build, including a public use building such as an hydro-electric power station, a business building such as a restaurant, a fair ground ride such a Ferris wheel and a vehicle to go with one of their buildings.

From Kirk Balk we had an Italian restaurant and delivery van, a few Ferris wheels that spun round by the assembly of a motor and battery as well as a farm yard and Leisure centre. The hospital one of teams made was lit up from the inside using light emitting diodes and the Ferris wheels spun using motors. Everyone that went had chance to visit the exhibits at Magna in the afternoon and so we enjoyed a really Grand Day out. Miss Sweetman and Mr Andrews would like to thank all pupils and parents that came along to magna and made the day a huge success.

Our 1st RA3 ‘Build It’ evening
Wednesday 9th April 2008

Families were encouraged to think about their local community and decide what was worth keeping and what needed replacing. As a group we raised opinions about green spaces for kids to use as well as motor bikes and wildlife. We discussed local roads being used for transporting lorry loads of goods and how the by pass has improved our area.

We talked about recycling bins and all agreed that we should be able to recycle plastic as well as card, aluminium, paper and glass. We wrote down our ideas on the ‘Cool wall’ and the ‘Rubbish rack’ and then made model hover crafts and wind powered cars to demonstrate alternative energies that can be used to power vehicles instead of petrol and diesel that contribute to global warming.