Investigating magnetism and forces - Fifth and Sixth Class

Aim: The aim of our experiment was to make a small car and get it to move using magnets.

Materials used: card, car template, straws, cocktail sticks, sellotape, blu tac, corks, wooden wheels, magnets

Method:
Step 1: we cut out the template of a simple car on black card, and folded the edges so that it looked like a matchbox
Step 2: we cut two pieces of straw so that they would fit the width of the car and act almost as axles. We then taped these straw to the underside of the car, front and back
Step 3: we put the cocktail sticks through the straws, and attached the wheels to each side. Fifth class used corks as wheels, and sixth class used wooden wheels and blu tac to hold the wheels in place
Step 4: put a magnet inside the car and use the worksheet to record our answers.

Recording: we used a worksheet with two parts. The first one measured how far close the magnet in our hand had to be in order for it to make the car start moving towards it. The second part measured how far the car would travel if we pushed it from behind with our magnet (repelling force)

Problem solving: we encountered problems with our wheels, which meant that the car didn't always run smoothly. Sometimes the blu tac was stuck to the axle, which meant the wheel wouldn't move. Other times the wheels were too close to the body of the car, meaning the car was acting as a brake on the wheel. Finally, if the cocktail stick wasn't stuck straight into the cork, and instead went in at an angle, the wheels would not rotate smoothly.

Maths: finally we used the results from both experiments to create a graph, and see whether there was any benefit to having wooden over cork wheels.

Making a quiz using electric circuits and technology - Fifth and Sixth Class

There were two parts to this experiment: the first was to design a quiz using electricity and circuits, and the second was to use technology to replicate the same quiz.

Electricity:
Step 1: we brainstormed possible quiz questions. The idea was to have two sets of five banks, and word from the first bank would match up with a word from the second bank.

Step 2: using an A5 sheet of card, we wrote the two sets down each side of the page.

Step 3: we put a paper clip onto the card next to each answer, and on the back of the card we joined up each pair of words using wire, by wrapping the end of the wire around the relevant paper clip, so that the correct answers were connected.

Step 4: we constructed a circuit by attaching a wire to one side of a light bulb holder, and then another from the other side of the holder to one side of the battery. A third wire was attached to the other side of the battery.

Testing: in order for the quiz to work, the loose end of the first and the loose end of the third wire have to be put onto the paper clips which correspond to the correct answers. If the answer is not correct ie they do not match, then the lightbulb will not light up. If the answers are correct the lightbulb should light up.

Problem solving: sometimes even when the correct answer was chosen, the bulb did not light up. We discovered that this could have been due to a faulty bulb, or one of our connections not being properly attached.

Technology:
Using a software programme called GetKahoot, we transferred the information from our quiz into an interactive quiz. Each quiz was given a name, and then a question was composed, and four possible answers given, only one of which was correct. The person taking the quiz then has to choose the correct answer from four.

Which is the strongest Magnet? Senior Infants

SCIENCE: Energy: Magnetism

In Senior infants we investigated which magnetic is the strongest.

First we learned about pushing and pulling. We discovered when you push or pull you are using a force.  We investigated things around the classroom to see if we had to push or pull it. We pushed the buggy to make it move and we pulled the door open.

Next we investigated magnets. During free play the children really enjoyed experimenting with the magnets discovering which items “stuck” to the magnetic.  The children discovered that magnets have two opposite sides called poles.  

Miss O'Meara told us that the invisible thing that is trying to pull the magnets together (to attract) and trying push the magnets apart (to repel) is called a “force”. It’s a force like the one used in pushing and pulling!  But this one is a bit different and is called a “magnetic force”.

The children conducted experiments to see what a magnet will attract the most paper clips. 

Predictions.
First we discussed which of the magnets would we think would be the strongest? 

The children predicted the largest magnetic would be the strongest.

Our predictions in order from strongest to the weakest.

Our prediction

Outcomes and findings/ Links to maths.

We counted up how many paperclips were stuck to each magnet.

We discovered that the smaller magnet was actually the strongest because it held more paperclips.

Our result

Then we recorded our results  in a pictogram. 

Lava Lamps - Investigating Chemical Energy- Senior Infants

Science  -  Chemistry - Lava Lamp

In Senior infants we made a lava lamp to learn about chemical energy.

Chemical energy is energy released during chemical reactions.

In order to understand how the lava lamp worked we carried out 6 activities comparing oil and water.

The Senior Infant Scientists predicted what might happen before we carried out each activity.

1. Water and a non effervescent tablet

2. Water and an Alka-Seltzer tablet

3.Water and food colouring

4.Oil and food colouring

5.Oil and an Alka-Seltzer tablet

6.Water and oil.

To make the lava lamp we poured a quarter of a plastic bottle with water. Then we added two thirds of the water filled with oil. James and Sophie noticed the oil and water were seperating. We observed that the oil floated to the top. This is because oil is less dense or lighter than water.When they were separated we added 12 drops of food colouring. Adam and Aelana described how the food colouring did not mix with the oil.Matthew excitedly dropped the Alka-Seltzer tablet into the bottle.

All of the Senior Infants Scientists were delighted to see the chemical reaction causing are bottles to look like lava lamps. 

Check out this video from Science Bob if you want to make your own.
http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/videos/video-blobs.php