PRIMARY school pupils programmed robotic balls
which featured in Star Wars as part of a scientific award.
A group of 80 Year 5 pupils from St Oswald’s, St Mary’s, Clayton-le-Moors and Sacred Heart primary schools took part in design technology, science, computing and food technology workshops at Mount Carmel High School.
Representatives from Computing at Schools attended the workshops to help pupils to use tablets to programme ‘spheroes’ – robotic balls which were the basis of the BB-8 droid in Star Wars.
During the two-day session, which was part of a newlyintroduced project at Mount Carmel, the youngsters also investigated structures such as bridges and designed and built a model of a structure of their own.
They grew crystals and examined them under microscopes after undertaking science laboratory training, which included lighting Bunsen burners.
The children were also able to investigate how altering the ingredients in bread affected taste and texture.
At the end of the two days, having completed eight hours of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) hand-on activities, they received the CREST Superstar Award, accredited by the British Science Association.