Week 1 - Planes
Children investigated the best way to make a simple piece of paper fly or glide. Taking inspiration from The Wright brothers, it was quickly discovered that forces help make a plane fly.
First a plane was made the old fashioned way by folding a piece of A4 paper. These were successful and would fly with limited force in the classroom and outside.
The children then tried to make a stunt plane that involved lots of precise cutting and folding. They used their perseverance to keep at it till they were successful ( or so they thought).
When testing the two different prototypes outside they soon discovered that the best one was the simple one. Like any great science investigation or idea, it is usually the first that's the best and if you keep things simple, it can also be the best.
Week 2 - Magic!
In week 2 the budding scientists used their investigative skills to make magic tricks.
The first activity was to see if they could make a rainbow from sweets and water. A pattern using coloured sweets was placed around the edge of a dish, then water was carefully poured in. We stood and watched as magically before our eyes a rainbow was formed. They then investigated what would happen if we put a sweet in the middle. Finally we turned the sweets over to discover they were white on the bottom now as all the colour had dissolved into the water.
The second activity involved a simple piece of paper and 2 paperclips. A magician never reveals their tricks, but by carefully placing the clips on the paper and pulling, magically they joined together without touching them. Great fun was had by all.
Week 3- Slime!
In week 3 of Science club the children used 3 ingredients that can easily be purchased from Asda to make some squashy squeezy slime. They mixed PVA white glue in a tub with a spoonful of baking soda or bicarbonate of soda and then an adult added a few drops of contact lens solution. A colour was chosen with purple or yellow ands then the children mixed, stretched and kneaded to mixture till it was a gooey, stretchy slime. the children didn't realise but they were being chemists as they were making a chemical reaction happen. The key reaction is between the PVA glue and contact lens solution. This reaction creates long chains that link together, changing the glue's consistency and creating the stretchy, mouldable texture of slime. WOW
Week 4 - Mucus Races
In week 4 of science club the year 3 and year 4 children were looking at making mucus. Yes mucus ( or snot as we may call it) can be disgusting but it has a vital role to play keeping us healthy.
Using washing up liquid and salt me made pretend mucus after learning about its job in our bodies. Then as anyone knows, noses can run at all ages so we had our own races.
Whilst running a fair test we measured which was the quickest by staring the races in pairs till we got to the final 4. Then we were able to see who was 4th, 3rd, 2nd and the fastest.
