Nexus - Camborne Science and International Academy’s STEM Centre of Excellence - welcomed 30 primary school pupils to take part in a Gifted STEM workshop entitled Streamlining.

“The workshop focused on the engineering of boats and the science behind why they float,” said Mira Oates, primary lead at Nexus. “The children were captivated from the beginning. We started with an activity testing everyday items when they were dropped in the water and pupils were very quick to point out that trapped air was a reason why some items had a lower density than water.”

Children explored how properties such as the shape or surface area of a material affects how it behaves in water. “This gave them a very good understanding of how boats are designed and the many factors involved in the process," added Mrs Oates. “Pupils tested boats which had different shaped prows and timed how fast each shape with string and a weight attached would travel along a gutter filled with water. Their predictions about which one would be fastest were spot on and we were so impressed with their understanding.”

Participating pupils were from Troon, Gwinear, Roskear, Rosemellin, Kehelland, Penponds and St Johns Primary Schools.

“It was very much about getting them involved in practical activities that demonstrated the basics of science and engineering surrounding boat design, allowing them to reach their own conclusions," explained Mrs Oates. "To help our pupils explore the STEM subjects at such a young age is crucially important and it was clear how much they enjoyed it.

“We look forward to seeing many of the children again at the next session where photosynthesis and all things green will be the topic. It has been a pleasure continuing the learning partnership we have with our local primary schools, offering opportunities for them to delve deeper into STEM. Look out for the Nexus Primary Programme for the next academic year.”

Principal at CSIA, Ian Kenworthy, added: “We’re very proud to offer a strong and inspiring STEM foundation to our young people to showcase how fantastic these subjects are and the tremendous impact they have around the world.”