MAKING SHELTERS USING STIXX TECHNOLOGY

​

 

The National Curriculum has chosen shelters as its example of a structure and in this workshop children make life-size shelters. The frames are built from newspaper rods which are joined together with wire or plastic ties. The rods are made by first loosely rolling newspaper into tubes and coating the seams with dilute wall paper paste. Each tube is then placed in a ‘STIXX mangle’. Children turn the mangle handle which tightens the tube producing a rigid rod. Typically a year 6 class of 30 is divided in three teams, each with their own STIXXmangle. Some children will operate the mangle, whilst others will be planners and makers of the structure. Some teams may wish to make ridge tents or wigwams, others may make their own designs. The climax of the session is the photograph of ALL the children in their shelter.