Science: Student Market Place

STUDENT MARKET PLACE

For the past two weeks of term the students turned the Science room into a humming space full of entrepreneurs. One of the most exciting things about SMP this year was that students were able to select which tech room they wished to go into so they were excited to be there. Students were able to choose who they worked with, what they wanted to make and had the challenge of the theme of reuse and recycle.

Everything began with a hiss and a roar. The kids were so excited about what they were going to produce and the cheapest way to do it. As the hours and days passed the rose tinted glasses began to clear. Going into business with best friends wasn't always the best decision. There is only so much sick pay available. Not being able to afford what you would like is a hard lesson. Life is not fair. This is when the real learning and problem solving began.

Some groups reorganised themselves after not being able to find a middle ground. Products were altered or changed altogether when prototypes didn't work out as planned or they discovered there simply wasn't a market for it. Ventures had to go back to the drawing board to investigate other products when certain supplies simply ran out.

Failed blow darts became sets of witches fingers

Hundreds of button became button bracelets

Old recycled books bloomed into flowers

Old bottle caps became checker pieces

A huge help this year was that the kids were able to complete their personal and business accounts digitally where formulae automatically calculated amounts just like the real world with online banking. Time went so fast and I began to feel surplus to requirements as the kids worked so hard to get products ready to sell.

Finally Student Market Place day arrived and it was so inspiring to see what other classrooms had produced.