We're proud to be working with ZEISS to bring you the Challenge your Imagination Competition!
Welcome to the Challenge Your Imagination competition, aimed at exploring the world of robotics and optics.
This year-long programme is a fun, team-based programme created with ZEISS to inspire your students to find out more about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).
It has been designed with the STEM curriculum at the centre and will support you to expose pupils to different careers withing STEM.
The programme is aimed at upper KS2 (year 5 - 6) and open to primary schools across Birmingham. At its core are real-world problems in need of innovative engineering, technology, and computing solutions – based on the application of key engineering and science with lots of fun activities along the way.
Schools taking part will be able to bring a team to the celebration event in the Vision Sciences Building at Aston University on Thursday 29th June 2023...
It will be a great event with ambassadors from the University with lots of fun activities, as well as announcing the overall winner of the competition!
WHAT DOES THE PROGRAMME INCLUDE?
Teacher Welcome Call
We will run you through everything you need to know during a 30-minute video call meeting and make sure you are confident supporting your pupils to take part in the competition throughout the academic year.
Competition
Resource Pack
We will provide you with access to all the resources you need to run the competition in school across the coming months, including:
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Competition guide
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Teacher guides with 10 curriculum lesson plans of activities
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Learner workbook
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Additional worksheets
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In-school judging guide
See it, Solve it STEM day
Competition
Check In Workshop
One of our fully trained education communicators will come into the school to deliver a STEM day which will be a total of 2/3 hours per class. We will also introduce the competition.
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See it – Solve it: Robotics (a hands-on programming workshop)
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See it – Solve it: Optics (a hands-on experiment workshop)
In the new year, approximately two months after the STEM day, we will deliver a 1 hour per class follow up session to help students work on and refine their competition idea. It doesn't matter at what stage the learners are with their idea, the workshop will be adapted to help them either focus on an idea or develop their ideas.
Delivered by fully trained education communicators plus a ZEISS ambassador depending on their availability.
Celebration Day
You will be invited to select one team from your school to come along to a celebration day where they can showcase their idea and enjoy lots of fun interactive activities through the day.
The day will involve:
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Presentation to ZEISS reviewers
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Fun mini-workshops
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An awards presentation
WORKSHOPS
Skills Builder Framework
The programme also links with the skills builder framework and each session plan will indicate which skills are linked to the activities.
Curriculum Links
Science
Working scientifically
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See it – Solve it: Optics
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Challenge session: Vision and light
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Challenge session: Amazing colours
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Challenge session: Lenses and mirrors
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Challenge session: Creative ideas
Animals, including humans
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Challenge session: Ageing eyes
Properties and changes of materials
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Challenge session: Amazing colours
Evolution and Inheritance
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Challenge session: Adapting animals
Computing
Programming
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See it – Solve it: Robotics
Using technology
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Challenge session: Adapting animals
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Challenge session: Visual disabilities
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Challenge session: Creative ideas
Design and technology
Design
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Challenge session: Ageing eyes
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Challenge session: Lenses and mirrors
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Challenge session: Developing ideas
Make
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Challenge session: Developing ideas
Technical Knowledge
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See it – Solve it: Robotics
Evaluate
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Challenge session: Creative ideas
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Challenge session: Developing ideas
History
Post 1066
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Challenge session: Creative ideas
English
Throughout