Last week, Barton Primary won the ‘Best Solar Design’ category in the ‘Hampshire and Isle of Wight Solar Challenge’. The school will now go on to represent the Island in the final of the competition in Winchester, on Thursday 8th of July.
The challenge encourages Key Stage 2 children to think more about the environment, and consider alternative energy sources, like solar power.
The schools were asked to create a moving model, made out of recycled materials – of course.
Challenges
VentnorBlog spoke to Debbie Webb their teacher, telling us that unsurprisingly there were challenges along the way, particularly as electronics wasn’t their strongest skill, but everyone had a good laugh doing it.
The children came up with and discussed many ideas, eventually taking a vote for the best one.
Barton Eye
They created the Barton Eye, which was based on the London Eye. In the competition they also received extra points for how well they recycled materials; a hula-hoop with a split in it; a cardboard tube the solar kit arrived in; bamboo from the greenhouse and cut up water bottles, all came in good use.
The children found that when the solar panel was fully exposed to sunlight, it rotated too fast. They solved this problem by covering two thirds of the panel with card.
The Barton Eye won first place in the competition, winning the school a place in the Hampshire finals.
Debbie also told VB that the children thought that one of the middle schools had done much better than them, and were very excited and surprised when it was announced they’d won, She finished by saying “The children are all very excited about travelling up to Winchester for the final.”
Arreton Primary win too
Arreton Primary school won the prize for the fastest car, and, like Barton Primary, they have received a £50 voucher to spend at the Centre for Alternative Technology online shop, where they can purchase solar toys and educational books on alternative energy, growing plants and recycling resources.
Jim Fawcett (Isle of Wight Principal Officer for Environment) said “The participating schools really embraced the project and the standard of the solar powered cars and models was truly fantastic.
“The pupils also learnt a great deal about renewable energies and how solar power works. For example, they learnt that if their shadows blocked out the sun, then their cars didn’t go as fast.”
