Foxton Locks offers an excellent learning environment that extends beyond the classroom and helps schools deliver learning opportunities to inspire in a creative and authentic way.
Learning
Our STEM challenges are a fun way of linking the mechanical history of the locks with Science and Technology learning. We have ready made packages that can help you deliver a fun project to education groups that will explore some of the engineering concepts that were used on the locks and to operate our boat lift. We can supply loans boxes to help you deliver this content and worksheets to make easy access to content delivery.
At Foxton we can explore the following themes under the STEM curriculum:
Egg Elevator Challenge
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Foxton locks was home to the Thomas Boat lift that worked on a 75 foot incline plane. Students can explore the history of this engineering marvel and use this as a starting point to develop their own designs for an egg elevator.
This project investigates:
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Counterweights to balance loads
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Mechanical advantage for efficiency
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Pulleys to control movement
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Rails for linear movement
Build a Canal
The early canal engineers had to construct a network that could navigate around the contours of Britain, often comparing time with expense. This challenge explores the obstacles they faced and some of their ingenious solutions.
This project investigates:
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Archimedes' prinicpal
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Topology of the land
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Water boyancy
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Structural engineering
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Aquaducts
Power Punch
The earliest machines were driven by natural forces (animals, wind and water.)
The first incline planes on the canals were operated by horses turning a large wheel. At Foxton, the Boat Lift was powered by a coal fired boiler that was housed in the building that is now our museum.
This project investigates:
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Forces and motion
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Friction
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Efficiency
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Counter balances
Bridge Engineer
The canal network has many different solutions for crossing over river, rail and roads. At Foxton we have some great examples to the solution of how to get from one side to the other, whether you are a human or a horse.
This project investigates:
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Load bearing
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Push and pull forces
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Equilateral and isosceles triangles
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Structural engineering
To find out more about STEM on the waterways and explore what workshops we can provide please contact Foxton Canal Museum: learning@foxtoncanalmuseum.org
