Hawthorn Class

ELECTRCITIY CHALLENGE – MAKE A BUZZER GAME AND TEST THAT STEADY HAND!

In pairs we made a buzzer/bulb game which really tested our knowledge of complete and broken circuits, conductors and insulators. Success – we all managed to make a buzzer game work.

Our key questions were:

How can I make the bulb brighter?

How can I make the buzzer louder?

What happens when the handle touches the zig zag wire?

Why is it safer to hold a wooden handle?

What have I made when the buzzer goes off?

What have I made when the buzzer is silent?

ELECTRICITY

To inspire the start of our topic on electricity, Mrs Carroll from STEM 'Bright Sparks' visited our class with all her wonderful equipment for us to use. We made complete circuits and investigated what happens if a circuit is broken. We problem-solved using switches and progressed onto using circuits with buzzers and motors.

We understand that electricity flows in a circle- when the circle is broken then electricity will stop flowing and the bulb or buzzer won't work.

Our bodies can even be part of this circuit! We experimented safely with a light stick.

Electricity is the energy which makes things move, light up, make a sound or give heat.

Teeth and the Digestion System

We chopped banana and wheatabix to represent our mouth and teeth.

We added saliva (water). Then we swallowed this sown the oesophagus (represented by a plastic bag).

Next this was emptied into the stomach (another plastic bag) in which we secreted bile and pancreatic acid and juices.

Next this was passed into the small intestine and pushed through the tights! This represented how nutrients are absorbed into the body’s blood stream.

Then the food moves into the large intestine and finally waste food is taken out of the body via the rectum and flushed down the loo!

GROUPING AND CLASSIFYING - ROCK DETECTIVES

We have closely observing rocks, made drawings, exploring textures and extending our science vocabulary: grainy, crystallised, layered, powdery, crumbly, sharp, smooth, glittery, speckled, polished, unpolished.

We have grouped rocks with 2 sets of criteria eg. hard/soft, grainy/stable, layers/mixed particles, hard/powdery.

Next we have even made rocks! We have made SEDIMENTARY  and METAMORPHIC rocks from milk and dark chocolate. See our photos and yes we had chocolatey lips!

Next we have created 3 fair tests to explore 3 questions:

1. Which rock would be best to use to build a public building which will last 200 years?

2. Which rock would be best to use as roofing material on the school roof?

3. Which rock would be best to use as a set of steps to a public building? 

ENTHUSIASTIC SCIENTISTS

A group from class have looked through our science books and decided which work belongs to which strand of science.

We looked for:

1. Pattern seeking

2. Investigating with fair test

3. Observations over time

4. Grouping and classifying

5. Research

We used post-its to label our work and give reasons why it fell into this strand. We also discussed which strand we preferred and how we could make science better.

Oscar declared "Science is awesome."

Alfie stated that "Science is great!"

Joshua agreed that "Nothing could be improved."

Thomas and Peter would like, "To study more real life scientists and what they gave to the world."

OBSERVATIONS OVER TIME - PLANTS

We have challenged our thinking about plants and devised 7 tests which will help us to confirm or challenge our predictions.

We watered everything and will keep you posted with our observations.

LIGHT TOPIC - which fabric makes the best black out curtains?

We explored fabrics to decide which would make the best black out curtains for a person who is easily woken by light coming through their thin curtains.

We understand now some key vocabulary - TRANSPARENT - when light can pass easily through, TRANSLUCENT - when some light but not all is allowed to pass through and OPAQUE - when all light is blocked by a material and light cannot pass through.

INVESTIGATING HOW LIGHT TRAVELS.

By putting holes into an upturned box, we investigated when we were able to see objects we had placed under a box. We continually asked the question 'why?' Why couldn't we see something, why could we see, what effect did a torch have. The torch light looked like it was travelling in straight lines and lit up some objects but not necessarily all of them.

SHADOWS

Next we have investigated how shadows are made. We discovered that the closer an object is to the light source, the larger its shadow will be. the further away it is from the light source the smaller the shadow. This is because, more light is blocked out by the object close up. 

SHADOWS ARE THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT.

CONCEPT CARD CHALLENGE - we looked at a challenging idea that questioned if black card or white card cast the same shadow. So we put it to the test.

We found it all depends on the thickness of the card. There's not necessarily a difference in the 2 types of card we tested.

SUNDIAL

TO SHOW HOW A SHADOW CAN HELP TRACK THE EARTH’S MOVEMENT AROUND THE SUN AND GIVE US TIME.

THIS THIN PAPER STILL CAST A SHADOW AND OUR SUNDIALS COULD GIVE US A TIME EVEN TO HALF PAST THE HOUR.

ARE TWO EYES BETTER THAN ONE?

We've been thinking scientifically conducting fair tests and re-checking test. We have used our collected data to make conclusions. 

We used paper clips to test which eye could replace the clip in a specific position. We checked which eye or both could thread best/quickest through a hole in paper.

To understand the bones and joints in our hands, we examined an x-ray then built a model of our hand using straws and pipe cleaners.

• Each finger is made up of 3 bones and 3 hinge joints.
• Hinge joints have limited movement compared to ball and socket joints.

HUMAN SKELETON

To start our science topic on the skeleton and movement, we used dog biscuits to demonstrate our understanding of the human skeleton.

Then we made 'dog bone' diagrams after we had seen x-rays of our skeleton and a detailed x-ray of our skull. 

Finally we transferred our new understanding and create superb 'dog bone' diagrams of a dog's skeleton.

Roald Dahl Science – Rocket Balloons

We worked in teams.

We observed what made our balloons move – the power of air pushing the balloon as the air rushed out.

We learnt how hairy string slowed down the balloon. “This is friction,” said Alfie.

“By blowing more air in, the balloon will travel faster and further,” explained Peter.

Peter also observed that the sellotape and the more air could weigh the balloon down and also slow down the balloon.

We put what we had learnt about the power of air into action.

We built a vehicle and tried to use trapped air in the balloon to power it.