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This section has details of all sorts of different science activities and investigations covering the main areas of ‘physical science’. I can provide classroom workshops for pupils or staff cpd covering all of these areas.
General areas of the science curriculum covered:
Properties of materials
Solids, Liquids and Gases
The Earth, Rocks and Minerals
Purification of materials
Changing materials
Reversible and irreversible changes
Forces
Energy
Motion
Heat
Electricity
Magnetism
Light
Sound
Space and planetary motion
Some specific examples:
- Investigating the simple physical properties of a variety of materials provided as sample. Compare, contrast, identify, group and classify. Develop specific tests eg. Conduction of heat through samples, strength testing etc.
- Investigating the air and air resistance using ‘flying fish’, ‘spinners’ and ‘helicopters’. Designing a ‘helicopter’ which falls to the ground in the longest possible time.
- Wind, weather and the water cycle.
- An investigation to find out which type of flooring has the most grip. Which type is safest to use in a bathroom?
- To find out which pair of magnets has the strongest attraction for one another. How much weight can a fridge magnet hold?
- What makes a land yacht go faster?
- Which type of material is best for filtering dirty water?
- To find out which type of cloth is the best for making cycling shorts.
- To find out which type of material keeps the heat in best.
- Which is the gassiest drink cola or lemonade?
- Do boys or girls have the quickest reactions?
- Does the shape of a vehicle affect how far it rolls?
- Which materials are needed to design and make an electrical switch?
- The foaming volcano experiment.
- The coke and mentos experiment.
- Fermentation and the action of yeast.
- Growing crystals.
- Kitchen colour chemistry and simple dyeing.
- Investigating buoyancy and how to design a stable sailing boat. Why is a catamaran more stable than a normal sailing boat?
- Investigating a range of electrical components: Cell, switch, wires(conductors), bulb, buzzer, motor, resistance wire.
- Does the length of a wire have any effect on the electric current flowing in it?
- Conductors and insulators of electricity.
- Bulbs in series and parallel.
- Controlling an electric motor: on/off/speed/direction.
- Designing switches for quiz games and alarms.
- The effect of various foods on tooth decay.
- Light: Sources; Rays; Reflection; Shadows; Colour; Transparent, translucent and opaque materials and their uses.
- Investigating volume, pitch and timbre from musical instruments and sound effects made in the classroom.
- Modeling the water cycle.
- Properties of water; Flow, level, solutions, evaporation etc.
- Modeling planetary motion and eclipses using an orrery model made by the pupils.
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