Interactive Primary Newsletter 33 Pop-up Pals

Pop-up Pals? If you use the Web regularly we’re sure that you will adhere to the universally held belief that “pop-ups” are plain annoying and anything but “Pals”. Google, Yahoo, AOL etc. etc. will cheerfully offer you the means to block, zap and swat them at the click o’ a moose. They have become the web-page equivalent of junk advertising leaflets in your newspaper or magazine. Sometimes they merit a passing glance but most go straight in the bin. Therefore you will be pleased to hear that the following pop-ups go down well, or more to the point, up, with children and teachers alike. The Technology component of the 5-14 National Guidelines in Environmental Studies states: “At the heart of technology education is the engagement of children with practical tasks that lead to products that serve a need, solve a problem or, in a word, work”. Those of you who have read past Science & Technology Equipment News will know our main aim is to ensure that what we suggest pupils make, works. Feedback from schools tells us that fear of the products from practical tasks not working can act as a barrier to teachers attempting technology tasks. Therefore, it is with pleasure that we summarise a report of a project, based on a Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) publication, Primary Technology in Scottish Schools1. Pupils at Kinross Primary School carried out the Pop-up-Pals section of this with much enjoyment and success. The only critical note from the school regarding the activity was that there was no hint given in the literature provided as to where the relevant resources to build the Pop-up-Pals could be obtained. This is not an unusual criticism of this type of package. At SSERC, we receive many requests for the items needed to carry out simple science/technology tasks suggested by various bodies in their publications. In this Newsletter, we build on the findings from the Kinross experience and offer a few ideas for making simple Pop-Ups and Jack-in-the-Boxes. Reference – 1 Primary Technology in Scottish Schools, LTS Order Code P00JEX, £30, ISBN: 1859557406. The Kinross experience