Developing interactive and hands on learning activities for the teachers and pupils is one of the priorities at Uphill. We help when and where we can and gradually new strands of teaching are becoming embedded in the classrooms. This is the second blog about new resources that have ben introduced into the school.
3. Exporing the 3D World
The most recent hands on learning resource was purchased from Ajibu Community, a Ugandan NGO based in Jinja. Designed to develop the creative, problem solving mindset needed for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, this set of wooden construction shapes has been welcomed by teachers and pupils alike.
Uphill staff enjoyed a comprehensive teacher training session when the resource was introduced (2024)
The STEM Play Pack can be used from Kindergarten right the way to Primary 7 and encourages creativity, team work, communication and negotiation skills, imaginative play, trial and error, and exploring the world of 3D structures.
For children used to ‘chalk and talk’ at school, and with little or no experience of building blocks, Duplo and Lego at home, this new way of learning has been greeted with great enthusiasm, as you can see in the videos below!
When the Play Packs come out pupils grab large armfuls of pieces…then they get down to the serious business of construction!
It is such a joy to listen to the chatter and watch the action as pupils swap groups, trade pieces, try a design then try a different version
In the words of the school director, “All the curriculum is happening in this one interactive session!”
At the moment this new resource is being used on a free play basis, but there are plenty of opportunities for more focussed activities to support specific areas of the curriculum as the teachers develop their own interactive teaching skills.
The pupils are very proud of their creations!
Thank you so much to everyone who has made the provision of these hands on learning resources possible!
If you would like to help us to fund more interactive resources for Uphill, please click on the donate button below.
Thank you.
UPDATE October 2024
Now the youngest children at Uphill can get creative with hands on learning too!
Tags: hands on learning, STEM project, The Uphill Trust, Uphill Junior School
