Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Suggested Learning Intentions
We are learning to:
• understand why John Boyd Dunlop’s innovation was so important;
• understand how air can be trapped and used to create movement or do work;
• make realistic predictions based on what we know before conducting a
number of scientific experiments; and
• conduct a series of scientific experiments and use their findings to learn more
about pneumatics.
Curricular Links
The activities within this lesson will contribute to the following statutory aspects of
the Northern Ireland Curriculum:
The World Around Us
Movement and Energy
Pupils should be enabled to explore:
• the causes and effect of energy, forces and movement.
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
You should help your pupils discover how to:
• make predictions, examine evidence, and distinguish fact from opinion;
• generate possible solutions, tryout alternative approaches, and evaluate
outcomes.
Being Creative
You should help your pupils discover how to:
• make ideas real by experimenting with different designs, actions, and
outcomes;
• challenge the routine method.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Connected Learning Opportunities
Mathematics and Numeracy
Ask children to display the results of the experiments in this lesson using bar charts
and line graphs.
Thishttp://ccea.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/curriculum/connected_learning/thematic_units/stem/tu_wind.pdf
lesson also can be connected with CCEA’s ‘Wind’ Thematic Unit.
Assessment for Learning Idea!
Giving Praise
Praise the process rather than the ability. This will help foster a ‘growth mindset’
rather than a ‘fixed mindset’. For example, in the lesson, praise children for
conducting the experiments in a fair way and making notes about their tests, rather
than getting the ‘right’ result.
New Words and Phrases
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pneumatics
forces
pressure
inflate/deflate
Lesson Activities
In this lesson the children will explore the power and uses of pneumatics. For the
lesson they will use balloons and syringes to learn more about pneumatics.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
The equipment you need for the lesson is listed below:
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inner tube from a bicycle
bicycle pump
balloons
a variety of plastic syringes in different sizes
a length of plastic tubing
Milton fluid (for sterilizing)
small cardboard boxes
Bicycle Tube
Ask children to re-read the section from the ‘Our Innovators’ website where John
Boyd Dunlop creates the tube for his son’s bicycle.
Show them the inner tube from a bicycle, and explain that these are now contained
in all bicycles. Ask for a volunteer to come to the front of the class and blow up the
tube. Before they start, ask the children to predict what changes will happen to the
tube as the pupil blows it up. While the tube is being inflated ask children to
describe the changes that are taking place.
When the tube is fully inflated, invite children to hold and squeeze the tube. Ask
them to think about the tube inside the bicycle tyre. What would it be like to ride
the bike when the tube is deflated? What would it be like when fully inflated?
Ask them to think about what has made the difference between the inflated and
deflated tube. Draw out the fact that the difference has been made by the amount
of air that is trapped inside the tube. Explain to them that anything using the force
or pressure of trapped air is called pneumatic.
Investigating Pneumatics
Set up three stations around the room (you can duplicate the stations if you wish to
split children into smaller groups).
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
• Station 1 will have a number of balloons and a number of books (up to 10).
• Station 2 contains a number of syringes.
• Station 3 will have pairs of syringes connected by the plastic tubing. Pair most
of the syringes with others of the same size – but pair a few together that are
different sizes.
Split the class into groups and explain they are going to rotate around the stations
in the room and carry out investigations. At each station they should complete the
investigation sheet (Resource 1). They will make predictions about what will happen
and make notes on what happens during their investigation. Give each group
10–15 minutes at each station.
Setting up the Stations
More information is available in Resource 1.
Station 1
Place a balloon underneath two books (with more books at the side of the table).
Ask the children to predict what will happen if they blow up the balloon, and how
many books the balloon can lift up. Ask the children to use a different balloon (of
same size) if they are taking turns to blow up the balloon.
Station 2
Place a number of syringes at the station (one for each child). The children must
take a syringe and lift the plunger. Then they should cover the end of the syringe
with their finger and press down firmly on the plunger. What do they feel? How
difficult is it to push? The children then release the end of the plunger – they
should record what happens (the plunger shoots back up). They should discuss why
they think this happens (the trapped air is pushing the plunger back up).
Station 3
Join together a number of syringes of the same size by the plastic tubing. Push the
end of one syringe fully in and attach the plastic tubing to it, then push the plunger
of the other syringe slightly in and connect the plastic tubing to its end.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Do the same for a few syringes of different
sizes.
Ask the children in pairs to take hold of a pair
of syringes of the same size. They will predict
and test what will happen when they push in
the plunger of one of the syringes. Ask them
to note how far each syringe plunger moves
and why they think that happens.
They then must try the same experiment with pairs of syringes of different sizes.
What differences would they expect to see?
Feedback
When each group has had a chance to rotate around each station, ask the class to
come together and give feedback on what happened.
Pneumatic Jack-in-the-Box
Divide the children into groups of four or five. Tell them that they are going to
design and build a ‘Jack-in-the-Box’ toy that uses pneumatics. Ask them to plan
out how they will make the ‘Jack’ push the lid of the cardboard box up. If you don’t
have cardboard boxes, provide the children with a net so that they can create their
own box. They can use any combination of the balloons, syringes and plastic tubing
to make their ‘Jack-in-the-Box’ work. If they are using the plastic tubing to blow
the Jack out of the box, remind them to clean the end of the tube with the
sterilizing solution after each child uses it.
Dunlop’s Pneumatic Tyre
Ask the children to think about Dunlop’s invention of the pneumatic tyre again.
After doing their experiments, ask them if this helps them explain how Dunlop’s
tyre works. Ask them to think of other examples where pneumatics is used (cars,
buses). What sort of difference did Dunlop’s invention make? Why was it so
important? Finally ask them to draw a diagram of the bicycle wheel and to add
labels to the diagram showing how the pneumatic tyre works.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Reflection
Ask the children if they have learned anything new about Ulster-Scots or
innovation while doing this lesson. Encourage them to add to the KWL grid that
they created in the ‘Let’s Plan’ lesson.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
What’s Next?
Wind
turbines
How do hydraulic
brakes work?
Wind
Power
Hydraulics
What other things
use pneumatics?
Pneumatics
Bicycles
John Boyd Dunlop
Learn about how
to cycle safely
Problem solving:
improving modes of
transport
Cycling
Proficiency Test
Can students think of
problems in transport today?
(safety, energy, environment)
Investigate cycling facilities in
the local area (are there
bicycle lanes, bike stands?)
Propose a solution and design
how a mode of transport can
be modified to solve the
problem?
Create a campaign to
encourage cycling
Link to Harry
Ferguson lesson
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Resource 1 – Station 1
You are going to blow up the balloon underneath the books.
Predict what will happen when you blow up the balloon.
What happened when you blew up the balloon?
Why do you think this happened?
Repeat this experiment with more books. Record what you think will happen when
you add more books and what actually happened here.
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Resource 1 – Station 2
Take a syringe and pull the plunger all the way to the top. What do you think is
happening inside the syringe?
Put your finger over the end of the syringe and push down on the plunger. Describe
what you feel on your finger and if it is easy or difficult to push down the plunger.
Take away your finger from the end of the syringe. What happens?
Why do you think this happened?
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Our Innovators
An Ulster-Scots Legacy
Lesson Plan
John Boyd Dunlop
Resource 1 – Station 3
In pairs, take a pair of syringes that are the same size and connected by the tubing.
Then follow the instructions below and make notes.
Predict what will happen when you push the plunger of one of the syringes in.
Record what happens when you push the plunger of one of the syringes in.
Why do you think this happens?
Is there any difference in how far each plunger moves?
Now repeat this experiment with a pair of syringes of different sizes. Do you think
anything different will happen?
Record what happened when you pushed the plunger of the syringes of different sizes
and why you think this happened.
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