What is the Dragon’s Den?
The Dragon’s Den is a project for Primary schools in Carterton. It is designed to offer children in Key Stage 2 the chance to extend and develop what they do in Design and Technology at school. The project will also provide the opportunity to prove that the ideas children have can really work – by taking part in a new, locally sponsored community event which will be held at Carterton Community Centre on St George’s Day, Thursday 23 April 2009.
What is it all about?
• Using a simple base unit, which will be provided, children can build a mechanical dragon which may be able to flap its wings, snap its jaws and wave its tail.
• It is their job to use some of the four basic kinds of movement (linear, rotary, reciprocating and oscillating) to get the dragon to make as many movements of its wings, jaws, tail - or any other part – as it is pulled along.
• The design, use of materials, mechanisms, and final appearance of the Dragon (colours, excitement/interest) is all in their hands.
• The most successful Dragon, as judged by a Dragon’s Den Panel on 23 April will be the one which most successfully meets these requirements and will take away the prizes!
How will it all work?
• Each of the five primary schools in Carterton will be offered FIVE of the base units on which a Dragon can be built.
• The only set rule about how a Dragon will move will be that it has to be pulled along on the floor for a maximum distance of 10 metres. This is the only means by which the Dragon can be powered.
• Each school can use any number of these units. So they could work on just one unit or any number up to five.
Schools can do this project in any number of ways, perhaps
• As a class project – which might use all five units;
• As an “after school or lunch time project” – which might use one or two units for interested children;
• As a special “technology” project for a group/groups of children which they identify.
Schools can of course support their children with teacher/parent input. This is, after all, an opportunity to extend and develop the Design & Technology which is done at school and guidance on the kinds of movement and general principles of making it all work are going to be very important.
• It is advisable that no more than 5 children work on each Dragon “unit”.
• The project will be offered to schools in late February. That means (including the Easter holiday), there will be just under 9 weeks to prepare.
• We will need to know from each school by Wednesday 11 March how many Dragons will be entering the “Den” on 23 April.
How did Dragon’s Den come about?
Simply, three organisations with a common purpose – Carterton Town Council were looking for an idea which would be interesting, useful for schools and enjoyable to mark St George’s Day. This is an important day for the Council as it marks the end of one Mayor’s time in office and the appointment of a successor. Isis Training Services Ltd is the operating company of The Engineering Trust. It aims to encourage interest in engineering amongst young people and manages the recruitment of apprentices in Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckingham. Carterton Community College is a Specialist Engineering School and it has a Community programme which supports young people and families in Carterton, especially to build skills and activities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Awards and Rewards!
• A new award has been founded in Carterton which will be given for the first time to the team and school which is the most successful. This is the John Browne Award for Young Engineers and Innovators in Carterton. More details are enclosed on a separate leaflet.
• Carterton Town Council has agreed that £500 should be available for the successful school to purchase equipment and materials for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
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