Pupils in 3rd class have been working on their STEPS Young Engineers projects over the past few months. Each group receives the STEPS Young Engineers project book which takes them from the beginning of their project to the final submission of project ideas. Firstly each group come up with a team name which is then followed by brainstorming ideas. The teams have to identify problems in their community and come up with solutions to improve these.

Teams then focus on one idea, draw a prototype and make a list of materials they will use to build their prototype. The groups record all these details in their project book and include photos of the prototypes taken which show the progress of their design.

This year Donna Gibbons an engineer with Transport Infrastructure Ireland visited the school on Friday 26th of November to talk to the class about her work as an engineer. Donna works on the Luas in Dublin and she talked about problems T.I.I. encounter when planning new routes & extensions to lines. Take a look at photos from Donna’s visit below.

Donna shared her love for Lego and highly recommended it one of the best toys ever which we are very found of in the middle room. Following her very interesting and informative presentation, each team presented their project to Donna. The teams explained how they came up with their ideas, problems they encountered, how they were resolved and how their prototype worked. Donna was very impressed with each groups model and the amount or work & thought put into the projects.

The 3 teams are as follows:

• The Red Dragons [project  – The Litter Van]
• The Brains [project  – Glinsk Road Printer]
• The Champions – [project – Tidy Tanic]

Teams with their final design

The Champions –  Tidy Tanic

The Tidy Tanic can be used in oceans and rivers to clean them thus protecting fish and wildlife. The water comes in one end of the Tidy Tanic where it is filtered, and clean water comes out as it moves through the water. Take a look at some photos of the Tidy Tanic project as it progressed below.

The Brains – Glinsk Road Printer

The Road printer which is built from Lego can make footpaths for  specific areas once it has the measurements, make and print them into place on location. Take a look at photos of the Road Printer project as it progressed below.

The Red Dragons – The Litter Van

The Litter Van has long flexible arms reaching out of the van with suction cups on the ends. These suction cups can suck up litter, in particular face masks which the group saw as a universal problem on footpaths & in car parks. The group felt that nobody wanted to be picking up/ collecting used face masks. When the litter is sucked into the van it rubs together and generates static electricity to power the van. Excess electricity can be put back into the national grid to supply homes and businesses! Take a look at photos of the Litter Van project as it progressed below.