3D DAY – Day 2
What is 3D Day?
Curriculum ‘Drop Down’ days provide students with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the subjects that they study. Students spend a prolonged period of time immersed in a topic whilst developing skills such as team work and critical thinking whilst having a great day at the same time!
Three times throughout the year, all students are off timetable, taking the whole day to really explore and develop the skills and qualities needed in life situations. Curriculum ‘Drop Down’ days occur always occur on the same day of the week and each of the three days may focus on a variety of topics.
Year 7 - ‘Kick It Out’
‘Kick it Out’ - that was the message being delivered by Year 7 during 3D Day. They explored and marketed the idea of stopping discrimination in sport whether for race, gender, ability or age. Andy Booth and Ben Chilwell from Huddersfield Town came to encourage students in their work. Students promoted the theme by design work, creating web pages, a movie, a digital advert and posters. They also played a game of basketball and some students took the opportunity to practice their photography skills.
Year 7 - Sports' Leadership
The PE Faculty joined forces with the East Pennine Orienteering club to provide new and exciting opportunities for students to develop skills by working practically in new sporting activities. During the school’s ‘drop down day’, approximately 180 students took part in various challenges with a focus on developing teamwork and cooperation. The workshops included a Tyre Challenge and also a Pipe Slide task, to name but a few! Students competed in House teams with many prizes on offer for the winning group. The day culminated with all students running the Military Mile, which provided a great physical challenge. The team event mile was extremely competitive and students certainly gave it their all battling against the wet weather conditions.
The day also incorporated a number of Orienteering tasks which were completed in the picturesque Beaumont Park. School staff were expertly supported by Viv Barraclough from East Pennine Orienteering, who organised the tasks and provided resources. The club operate a number of events from various locations in Huddersfield and surrounding areas. More information can be found at www.eastpennineoc.org.uk. Additional events can be found at www.xplorer.org.
The day was a success and although the conditions were extremely wet, the students thoroughly enjoyed the day and gained valuable experience in team building and leadership activities. House points were awarded for all activities with Plato winning overall. Individual prizes were also awarded for students demonstrating consistently high effort and exceptional performance throughout the day.
Year 8 - The Great Egg Challenge STEM Event 2015
Year 8 took part in a STEM event delivered by the Science and Art, Design and Technology Faculties. Throughout the day, students worked on a variety of hands-on-practical activities all themed around Eggs.
In the Bridge Challenge, students were challenged to build a bridge using straws, students investigated the effectiveness of different geometric shapes in bridge structures.
The Car Test Challenge involved building a vehicle to safely transport their egg down a bumpy track for the longest distance possible.
Students had the opportunity to learn about how eggs are used to make ice-cream and designed their own ice-cream creations.
In the Shadow Show, students used their eggs to create shadow puppets.
In the Egg Animation event, students created humorous animations using their egg as the main focal point. Students and staff had a thoroughly ‘smashing’ time!
Year 8 - ‘Reach for the STaRS’ - British Values Day
Year 8 discussed topics such as identity, culture, religion, prejudice and discrimination.
On a carousel, students took part in 5 modules.
Module One: ‘Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover’ (Dealing With Prejudice and Stereotypes)
• To learn what it means to stereotype/discriminate/have prejudices.
• To learn the risks when discrimination / prejudice gain power.
• To learn to question/be critical and find out more information before assuming the worst in others.
• To recognise that we are all different but diversity is a strength not a weakness.
Students participated in four activities during this module:
Activity 1 – Picture Profiles
Students were given images to reflect on individually/pairs/groups and build up a profile for the person in the image based on their own perceptions. Images of diverse range of people were used. Group discussion summarises exercise thinking about the usefulness and dangers of stereotyping.
Activity 2 – Make a change
In small group/pairs, students discussed changes that could be made in school/community to help people get to know each other better. Students wrote down their proposed changes.
Activity 3 – Migration
Students looked at Migration facts and fictions. Through group discussion, around their reactions to the information given, students were taught how they can know fact from fiction and avoid assumptions.
Activity 4 – Alien
Using a poem, students participated a discussion around the subject of migration.
Module Two: Britishness
• To reinforce ownership of ‘Being British’ – why we all have a stake in this country.
• To reassess common ideas of Britishness.
• To recognise that we are all held together by human values of respect for others, freedom of expression, democracy and rule of law.
• To recognise that we are all different, but diversity is a strength not a weakness.
• To understand that democracy can help make a difference to the world around us.
Activity 1 – Britishness Tree
The concept of the British Values Tree was used to capture the initial perceptions of Britishness of the class before the subject was fully explored. The class then returned to the tree at the end of the session to add further leaves, reflecting their learning throughout the session.
Activity 2 – British Values
Split into 6 small groups, each group received a British Value heading:
2. The rule of law
3. Individual liberty
4. Mutual respect
5. Tolerance of difference
6. Positive and worthwhile contribution to society
Group discussion around 3 questions: how does this principle help us get on together and promote harmony in Britain? Why is this an important principle that Britain should live by? What would happen if we did not have this principle?
Activity 1 Reloaded:Britishness Tree
Students returned to the Britishness tree at the end of the session with the opportunity to add to the tree.
Module Three and Four: Extremism and Radicalisation
• What is extremism and what different types are there?
• To understand that extremism promotes intolerance and disrespect of others, may breach human rights and can lead to violence.
• To understand how people can become influenced by extremism through concern for good causes as well as bad.
• To identify common traits among extremists.
• To use our ability to think, question and be critical in order to work out whether something is useful and constructive or angry and destructive.
Activity 1 – Video Reflection
After watching the ‘What is Extremism?’ video, worksheets were used to support the students to reflect on what they had seen.
Activity 2 – Extremism Scenarios
Students were given scenario sheets and allocated one or more scenarios to each group. The supporting worksheets encouraged students to think critically about the scenario/s given.
Students explored alternatives to extremism by exploring safe ways to support / challenge injustice:
• Support legitimate humanitarian charities/organisations
• Join your school council
• Join your local youth council
• Peaceful protest
• Local Councillor Surgeries
• Write to your MP
Year 9 - ‘Get Gothic in the Park’
On the 8th of December, Year 9 went to Beaumont Park for a day of gothic adventure. There were four activities in total: music from natural materials, drama based on the Victorian surroundings, grave rubbing in the cemetery and Forest Schools which involved a Storyteller at the fire and a treasure hunt.
The students thoroughly enjoyed being out of their comfort zone, despite some initial worry about the mud, and everyone had a great experience. Some students acted as journalists and a few even stayed in the park after the rest of us had left for campfire cooking. Each of the activities was designed to introduce the theme of Gothic horror in a Victorian setting.
In the afternoon, there was a Poetry workshop and the best poems were entered in the Beaumont Park Poetry Competition. Despite being rather gruesome, these were entered in the Beaumont Park Beautiful Poetry Competition. Four talented ladies from the year group were chosen as winners and we are very proud that the winning poems will be published and will be part of the poetry trail.
Year 9 - ‘Life in 2050’
Year 9 students worked across the Humanities subject areas during 3D Day. The staff involved were from MFL, Geography and History plus a few additions from the Science and English departments. Students investigated how life will be for us in 2050. Chinese is expected to be the mostly widely spoken language by this point, so students were invited to try the Chinese language for the first time, both written and spoken.
How will buildings look in 2050? That’s the question Year 9 students tackled by looking at current self-sustainable buildings and how these will develop over the next twenty years. The idea that a building could effectively run itself intrigued students and they also had the opportunity to design their own building.
Finally, students also looked at how young people thought the world would look by the year 2000. These were students in 1901 and they were very close to the truth! So we asked our students to predict what life would look like in 2050 through the technology of mobile phones, transport, computers and gaming. The predictions were interesting, to say the least!
It was a great day for students and staff a like! We are already looking forward to the next 3D Day.
Year 10 - The Apprentice Challenge!
Year 10 pupils at Moor End Academy took part in The Apprentice Challenge - a competition to design a new roller coaster ride at Alton Towers.
Working in groups, our pupils were tasked with designing a new roller coaster or major attraction at Alton Towers theme park. The brief entailed designing a small scale model of the ride, a poster and a jingle to promote the ride.
Judging started almost immediately with staff looking at teamwork, originality and construction skills! The final eight teams pitched their roller coaster design to a panel of judges which included Miss Walton, Head of School, special guest judge Mr Ghafoor and Mr Warburton from Art, Design and Technology.
The winning team designed and presented a roller coaster named ‘Lost…’ and won vouchers and a trip to Alton Towers Resort in July! The team members are Sophie, Fatima, Kyra, Charlotte, Ramadan and Awais. They are pictured left to right with Mrs Norbury.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the day with some saying it was the ‘best day ever!’, ‘loved the model making’ and others saying the return of Mr Ghafoor as guest judge was the highlight of the day! The only disappointment for some was that they didn’t win!