Science · Design and technology · Maths
Paper tower challenge: plan, build and improve
Plan and build a stable tower, measure its height, use test results to make an improvement and explain what supported stability.
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Teacher of Science; House Leader, Medlock
Zainab Sheikh
The house role gives student captains responsibility for events, and I want them to be able to take a plan forward rather than wait for an adult to explain every detail.
Explore the collectionA little about me
I teach Science and lead Medlock house. The house role gives student captains responsibility for events, and I want them to be able to take a plan forward rather than wait for an adult to explain every detail.
A checklist can make the tasks visible to a student leader: what needs arranging, what is ready and what still needs attention. It should be plain enough to hand over and use independently, with the important actions easy to find. A useful checklist supports responsibility without turning the event into a series of adult instructions.
My classroom work is Science, while house events bring a broader group together. I keep those roles distinct but value the same clarity in both: pupils should know what the work requires and where they can make their own decisions.
How I approach a lesson
Give student house captains checklists they can use to organise an event.
Separate essential event tasks from adult-only decisions.
Make the next action clear while leaving student leaders room to take responsibility.
Templates I'd use with my class
Explore these templates and decide what fits your own setting.
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