Two sheets of paper, one very long chain

Give a class of Year 5s two sheets of A4, a pair of scissors and a glue stick, then ask them for the longest paper chain they can build. That was the challenge in 5SB this afternoon.

It sounds simple. It isn’t. Cut the strips too fat and you run out of paper. Cut them too thin and the whole thing falls apart in your hands. The children had to work that balance out for themselves, then work together fast enough to actually build the thing.

The winning chain measured 5.43 metres. Longer than most classrooms are wide, out of two sheets of paper.

It’s the kind of task that looks like pure fun and quietly teaches a lot. Teamwork, problem solving, a bit of maths, and the patience to start again when the first attempt snaps.