Paper plate boats
Looking for a fun and interactive activity to bring the outdoors inside your classroom? Check out this summer inspired #WhatsInMyTray activity that is fun for your students all year round!
Learning outcomes
You will be able to:
- build a simple boat structure
You will need (per group)
- 1 x Deep Gratnells Tray (F2)
- Paper plates
- Straws
- Sellotape
- Crayons
- Coloured paper
What to do:
- Half-fill a Deep Gratnells tray with water (F2).
- Decorate both sides of a paper plate in whatever pattern/design you desire.
- Fold two sides of the paper plate inwards, and then fold them over again.
- Cut a flag from coloured paper and tape it to one end of a drinking straw.
- Fold the bendy bit of your straw and tape it into the centre of paper plate, in the middle of the two folds you made earlier.
- Tape the two folds together so you have a flat boat. Your flag should be vertical.
- Put them into your tray of water and watch them float!
Other things to try…
- How much weight can the boat carry?
- Try and use different materials for the boat- maybe recycled materials.
- Share photographs of your summer creations on social media using #WhatsInMyTray.
Curriculum links:
Key Stage 1- Primary National Curriculum- D.T- To build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable.
Health and Safety
As with all Gratnells What’s In My Tray activities, you should carry out your own risk assessment prior to undertaking any activities with children.