Drawing with their feet, learning how to perform CPR on blow-up dummies, and making fizzy sherbet to test their senses.
These activities and many more were part of a fascinating WOW Day for the Born This Way topic experienced by Year 6 children at Upton Junior School in Broadstairs.
During the Using Our Senses session, pupils reflected on their senses and used empathy to think about how they would need to adapt if they lost just one of theirs.
The watched amazing videos of people who have adapted to playing sport despite their visual impairments as well as a heart-warming film of a young girl called Lacey who, despite being born without arms, is able to draw, colour, play with building blocks and even tie her own laces.
Pupils then tried for themselves to see how they would adapt – first drawing with their dominant hand, then the weaker hand, then their mouths and finally their feet. They agreed it was a lot tougher than Lacey made it look.
First Aid instructor Andy Webb as on hand demonstrate potentially life-saving CPR skills on a dummy and how to put someone into the recovery position. Whilst half the class were doing CPR, the rest researched the Red Cross, discovering how the organisation started, about its work and other aspects of First Aid.
The Year 6 team all took part in gruelling circuit training in the hall. As they exercised, pupils recognised and discussed changes happening in their bodies, such as increased heart and breathing rates, aching muscles and sweating. They discussed the reasons for these changes and some of the science behind them.
There were two elements to the Fizz Pop Science sessions. In the first, the body is under attack from dangerous germs and they must protect it. Pupils were surprised how easy germs can be spread, and found out about how mucus protects from the dangerous bacteria invaders all around us.
They also found out about flavour. They explored how it is not just our tongues that help us taste and that some of the other senses are closely involved, from eyes, tongue and nose. And they made fizzy sherbet to take home.
Head of Year 6 Athanasia Papa-Adams said: “The children were all fully involved in the hands-on learning experiences that linked to their topic Born This Way.
“The science sessions were great to teach them about germs and bacteria, they also linked to our History lessons on medicine through time especially the discovery and use of penicillin. The work on taste buds linked to our Science learning on the digestive system.
“It was wonderful to see all their learning come together. In particular when they saw how people adapt if they lose one their senses they really thought about our Core Values and showed great empathy when watching and discussing the video clips.”