During Covid-19 partial school closures, Jenny Fox found that her Year 5 pupils (age 9-10) were more engaged with home learning when there was a practical element. Key features of a pulley and a lever were introduced (a lever is a beam that allows a smaller force to have a greater effect e.g. opening a paint tin/bottle top, catapult. A pulley is a wheel which allows you to change the direction of a force e.g. pull down further to lift up heavier mass). The children were asked to use household items to make their own levers or pulleys.

This links to the PSTT video introducing levers and the TAPS activity on lolly stick catapults.

Liskeard Hillfort Primary School, Cornwall