MAd Science

Week 9 

We were inspired this week by the pepper experiment which shows the effect that soap has on germs. We investigated if other materials were repelled in the same way that the pepper was. We tried out cocoa powder, coffee, tea, sand and glitter. We were really excited by the effect that the soap had on the dry materials. 

Questions

1) Why do you think that the soap had more of an effect on some materials and not others? 

2) Did you and your friends have the same results, why do you think that this was? 

Week 8

Today, Mrs Murphy set us a challenge to deliver a message from one end of a line to another using a balloon and no hands. We designed our own systems using gravity or propelling the balloons using air. We had to test our idea and make any tweaks that were needed using our observations. We all delivered the message successfully!

Websites to use at home on propelling

https://www.scienceprojectideas.org/balloon-rocket.htm 

https://kidworldcitizen.org/boat-experiments-stem-activities-for-kids/ 

https://sciencing.com/selfpowered-car-science-projects-7365578.html

Questions

1) What would happen if the neck of the balloon was pointing to the ceiling?

2) What happens if you blow the balloon up more?

3) Does the shape of the balloon make a difference? 

4) Does the length of the straw affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels?

5) Does the type of string affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels? (try fishing line, nylon string, cotton string, etc.)

6) Does the angle of the string affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels?

Week 7

We learned about static electricity this week. We made animals with tissue paper wings then we used a balloon to create static electricity. We charged up the balloons by rubbing them on our hair. When we held them near our tissue paper wings, the wings flapped! We've all taken our balloon home to play more with static electricity.

Here are some links for static electricity experiments at home:

https://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static_electricity_projects.html

https://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/static-electricity-experiment-for-kids/

Questions

1. What happens if you hold a charged balloon near a slow stream of water?
2. Can you make jumping confetti using your balloon?

Week 6

This week we made fossils! We chose an animal to make an imprint into damp sand. Then we made casts of our fossil using plaster of paris and poured it into the impression we had made. We waited for it to set before excavating the fossil and brushing the sand away from the cast.  We learned that fossil hunters are the reason we know about dinosaurs. 

Here are some links for making fossils at home:

https://www.littlepassports.com/blog/craft-diy/make-dinosaur-fossils-using-salt-dough/

https://craftsbyamanda.com/coffee-ground-fossils/

http://www.planet-science.com/categories/experiments/messy/2011/10/make-a-fake-fossil.aspx 

Questions

1. Who was Mary Anning?
2. How do fossils form?
3. How old are fossils?
4. What is the difference between paleontology and archaeology?

Week 4 & 5

This week, we learned about the different fingerprints types and found out what fingerprint type we had. We did this by making an 'ink'pad from graphite pencil, rubbing our finger in it and then using sticky tape to transfer the print to white card. We learned that everyone has a unique fingerprint, even identical twins! 

Then we tried dusting for fingerprints on our iPad screens. This was very tricky because our hands must have been very clean! We also used highlighters to leave a fingerprint trail for our friends which we followed with the UV torches. 

Here are some links for fingerprinting at home:

https://www.connectionsacademy.com/resources/instructographics/fingerprinting

https://wehavekids.com/parenting/Fingerprint_Science_Project_for_Kids

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/learning-toolkit-blog/be-fingerprint-detective.html

Questions

1. Do you have the same fingerprint type as your family?
2. Can you find out how the police use fingerprints? 

Week 3

We've learned about invisible ink this week! First of all, we used lemon juice to write secret messages to our friends. We left them to dry while we went on a treasure hunt. We had to hunt around to find hidden messages written in highlighter on black paper. We used a black light torch to read the messages. The fluorescent ink from the highlighters glowed under the black light. 

We played with colour changing felt tip pens. We used the clear pen to draw a picture then used the other colours over the top. When they touched the clear pen, they changed colour! We remembered from our chromatography last week that ink is made up of lots of different colours. The clear pen hides some of the pigments and leaves others behind, creating the effect of a changing colour!  

Here are some links for ways you can make invisible ink at home:

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html

https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/secret-lemon-juice-messages/

Questions

1. Do all colour highlighters glow under a black light?
2. Does other citrus fruit juices work as invisible ink?
3. Can you write an invisible message with a white crayon and watercolour paint? How does that work?

Week 2

This week, we learned about chromatography. We used coffee filter paper to separate the different coloured inks in our felt tip pens. They made a rainbow - especially the black pen! We also investigated different types of black pen and we discovered that they all had different ink compositions! 

Here are some links explaining the experiment and how you can adapt it at home:

https://buggyandbuddy.com/chromatography-butterflies-separating-colors-in-markers/

https://www.craftprojectideas.com/coffee-filter-chromatography-experiment-2/

https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/black_magic.html

Questions:

1. What colours did you see?
2. Which had the most colours?
3. Did it link to colour mixing?
4. Does it work with all types of pen? (e.g. permanent marker, biro, felt tip pen, whiteboard pen?)

Week 1

Today we learned about dissolving. We made a pattern with Skittles and predicted what might happen when we poured water on them. We thought the Skittles might melt or the paper plate might burn. However, we found out that they made a wonderful pattern as the sugar shell dissolved. We then tested M&Ms and the same thing happened! This time, the chocolate melted too but the 'M' did not dissolve. Smarties dissolved quickly too. Then we tested Skittles with no shell. They did dissolve but it was a lot slower. 

Here are some links explaining the experiment and how you can adapt it at home (and use it to help you pray):

https://www.science-sparks.com/skittles-experiment/

https://www.redtedart.com/dissolving-skittles-m-ms-experiment/

http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-power-of-prayer-skittles-experiment_37.html

Questions:

1. Is cold water faster or slower than hot water?
2. What happens if you use another liquid?
3. Does fizzy water work the same?
4. Can you think of any other sweets that would do the same?

MAd Science

Week 9 

We were inspired this week by the pepper experiment which shows the effect that soap has on germs. We investigated if other materials were repelled in the same way that the pepper was. We tried out cocoa powder, coffee, tea, sand and glitter. We were really excited by the effect that the soap had on the dry materials. 

Questions

1) Why do you think that the soap had more of an effect on some materials and not others? 

2) Did you and your friends have the same results, why do you think that this was? 

Week 8

Today, Mrs Murphy set us a challenge to deliver a message from one end of a line to another using a balloon and no hands. We designed our own systems using gravity or propelling the balloons using air. We had to test our idea and make any tweaks that were needed using our observations. We all delivered the message successfully!

Websites to use at home on propelling

https://www.scienceprojectideas.org/balloon-rocket.htm 

https://kidworldcitizen.org/boat-experiments-stem-activities-for-kids/ 

https://sciencing.com/selfpowered-car-science-projects-7365578.html

Questions

1) What would happen if the neck of the balloon was pointing to the ceiling?

2) What happens if you blow the balloon up more?

3) Does the shape of the balloon make a difference? 

4) Does the length of the straw affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels?

5) Does the type of string affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels? (try fishing line, nylon string, cotton string, etc.)

6) Does the angle of the string affect how far (or fast) the rocket travels?

Week 7

We learned about static electricity this week. We made animals with tissue paper wings then we used a balloon to create static electricity. We charged up the balloons by rubbing them on our hair. When we held them near our tissue paper wings, the wings flapped! We've all taken our balloon home to play more with static electricity.

Here are some links for static electricity experiments at home:

https://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static_electricity_projects.html

https://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/static-electricity-experiment-for-kids/

Questions

1. What happens if you hold a charged balloon near a slow stream of water?
2. Can you make jumping confetti using your balloon?

Week 6

This week we made fossils! We chose an animal to make an imprint into damp sand. Then we made casts of our fossil using plaster of paris and poured it into the impression we had made. We waited for it to set before excavating the fossil and brushing the sand away from the cast.  We learned that fossil hunters are the reason we know about dinosaurs. 

Here are some links for making fossils at home:

https://www.littlepassports.com/blog/craft-diy/make-dinosaur-fossils-using-salt-dough/

https://craftsbyamanda.com/coffee-ground-fossils/

http://www.planet-science.com/categories/experiments/messy/2011/10/make-a-fake-fossil.aspx 

Questions

1. Who was Mary Anning?
2. How do fossils form?
3. How old are fossils?
4. What is the difference between paleontology and archaeology?

Week 4 & 5

This week, we learned about the different fingerprints types and found out what fingerprint type we had. We did this by making an 'ink'pad from graphite pencil, rubbing our finger in it and then using sticky tape to transfer the print to white card. We learned that everyone has a unique fingerprint, even identical twins! 

Then we tried dusting for fingerprints on our iPad screens. This was very tricky because our hands must have been very clean! We also used highlighters to leave a fingerprint trail for our friends which we followed with the UV torches. 

Here are some links for fingerprinting at home:

https://www.connectionsacademy.com/resources/instructographics/fingerprinting

https://wehavekids.com/parenting/Fingerprint_Science_Project_for_Kids

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/learning-toolkit-blog/be-fingerprint-detective.html

Questions

1. Do you have the same fingerprint type as your family?
2. Can you find out how the police use fingerprints? 

Week 3

We've learned about invisible ink this week! First of all, we used lemon juice to write secret messages to our friends. We left them to dry while we went on a treasure hunt. We had to hunt around to find hidden messages written in highlighter on black paper. We used a black light torch to read the messages. The fluorescent ink from the highlighters glowed under the black light. 

We played with colour changing felt tip pens. We used the clear pen to draw a picture then used the other colours over the top. When they touched the clear pen, they changed colour! We remembered from our chromatography last week that ink is made up of lots of different colours. The clear pen hides some of the pigments and leaves others behind, creating the effect of a changing colour!  

Here are some links for ways you can make invisible ink at home:

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html

https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/secret-lemon-juice-messages/

Questions

1. Do all colour highlighters glow under a black light?
2. Does other citrus fruit juices work as invisible ink?
3. Can you write an invisible message with a white crayon and watercolour paint? How does that work?

Week 2

This week, we learned about chromatography. We used coffee filter paper to separate the different coloured inks in our felt tip pens. They made a rainbow - especially the black pen! We also investigated different types of black pen and we discovered that they all had different ink compositions! 

Here are some links explaining the experiment and how you can adapt it at home:

https://buggyandbuddy.com/chromatography-butterflies-separating-colors-in-markers/

https://www.craftprojectideas.com/coffee-filter-chromatography-experiment-2/

https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/black_magic.html

Questions:

1. What colours did you see?
2. Which had the most colours?
3. Did it link to colour mixing?
4. Does it work with all types of pen? (e.g. permanent marker, biro, felt tip pen, whiteboard pen?)

Week 1

Today we learned about dissolving. We made a pattern with Skittles and predicted what might happen when we poured water on them. We thought the Skittles might melt or the paper plate might burn. However, we found out that they made a wonderful pattern as the sugar shell dissolved. We then tested M&Ms and the same thing happened! This time, the chocolate melted too but the 'M' did not dissolve. Smarties dissolved quickly too. Then we tested Skittles with no shell. They did dissolve but it was a lot slower. 

Here are some links explaining the experiment and how you can adapt it at home (and use it to help you pray):

https://www.science-sparks.com/skittles-experiment/

https://www.redtedart.com/dissolving-skittles-m-ms-experiment/

http://flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-power-of-prayer-skittles-experiment_37.html

Questions:

1. Is cold water faster or slower than hot water?
2. What happens if you use another liquid?
3. Does fizzy water work the same?
4. Can you think of any other sweets that would do the same?