Snails

Different classes have been observing different animals: budgies, fish, tadpoles, frogs, worms and snails have been housed in many classrooms during the year.  Here are some snails from Room 18.

The Senior Science team on the hunt for snails - no luck today, but plenty of slaters and spiders!

Fonterra Science Road Show

On Wednesday 28th June, 37 of our senior Science Club members had a great day out at the Fonterra Science Roadshow. They enjoyed a hands on experience learning about all aspects of 
science including forces and motions, electricity and chemistry. 

We were also lucky enough to see two demonstrations where the scientists taught us about 'The Hidden World' and 'Spectacular Changes'. In the Hidden World we learnt about lenses, microscopes and x-rays, and in Spectacular Changes we learnt about the difference between physical and chemical changes.

Water purification systems

As part of our A LIFE LIKE MINE unit, the senior Science Club made some simple water purification systems.  It is a sad fact that not all children have access to clean running water.

We used layers of pebbles, coarse sand, fine sand and cotton wool balls or coffee filters to make our water purification systems.  It was a good way to recycle old Sprite bottles too.

We made dirty water using mud from the field and then poured it slowly into our system to see how well the filter layers would work.  We found that the filter using a coffee filter cleaned the water better than cotton wool, but overall both worked efficiently.

Science Snippets

You are very welcome to check out our Science Snippets (click on the link below) which are published in our Daily Notices.   You will see some evidence of these in classrooms throughout the school at different times and on the Science display by the office.
CBS Science Snippets

Filtration

Rhubarb

When we checked out the school vegie garden, we found many people did not much about rhubarb. Most people thought we should eat the leaves, and only some people thought we should eat the stalks.
We decided that the best way to learn about rhubarb was to eat it . . . so that's what we did.

We discarded the leaves as they are poisonous, and then chopped up the stalks with some apple.  We added a little sugar (because rhubarb is not very sweet) and some water.  Then we mixed it up and simmered in a saucepan on the hot plate.  The smell was delicious!  It was interesting to see how the heat made the softened the fibres and made the fruit soft and mushy.   Some people sampled  a small cupful when it had cooled down, and most of those people liked it.

Matariki

In June, we learned about the constellation of the Seven Sisters, but we couldn't see them in the daylight.  We made a telescopes covered in black paper at one end.  Then we carefully punched holes in the paper to match the position of the stars by checking the photo.  Now, when we look up to the light with our telescopes, we can see the Seven Sisters! 

Senior Science Club looks for lizards and noxious weeds

The Senior Science Club took to the outdoors to set up a station for lizards.  We set it up under trees in undergrowth behind Room 27 where it was overgrown and quiet.  We will check it regularly and hopefully find slaters, skinks, lizards, spiders ..........

We are also on the look out for noxious weeds that are strangling native plants in some areas.  We found three areas of ivy in Cockle Bay grounds.

Junior Science Club investigates motion

The Junior Science Club used ramps and balls of different size, weight and density to investigate motion. We measured to see how far balls rolled down the ramp.  It was quite interesting to see that different groups had different results, even though the incline of the ramp was the same for all groups.

Science Teaching Leadership Programme

Mrs Gillian Taylor has been participating in the Science Teaching Leadership Programme for terms 1 and 2.  During this time, she has been seconded to the scientific company, Wildlands, which among other services, survey and monitor biodiversity and threatened species in New Zealand.  Mrs Taylor has been primarily involved in scientific work concerning skinks and geckos, but has also been on field trips to monitor our native bats and other creatures.

Mrs Taylor in the field

Science Professional Development at the Royal Society

Cockle Bay was invited to attend a Science planning meeting at the Royal Society in Wellington as part of the Science Teaching Leadership Programme.  Science will be given an even greater focus as phase two of the programme is implemented over the next 18 months.

Squidgy Circuits - Junior Science Club

Junior Science Club members were just as proficient as the Seniors at making simple closed electrical circuits
using conductive play dough, battery packs, LEDs and buzzers.  They could explain how electricity can only go
 one way (what scientists call directionality) and swapped LEDs and buzzers (resistors) around if they did not go.

Squidgy Circuits - Senior Science Club

Senior Science Club members were the first people in the whole school to use squidgy circuits to
 investigate electricity.  Through exploration, they found out how to make a simple open circuit,
and how to use buzzers and LEDs to make it into a a closed circuit

Science Club Presents at School Assembly

In Term 2, the Senior Science Club showed how insoluble solutions with different density made
 distinct layers, and the Junior Science Club wowed the crowd with their foaming monsters!

Demonstrating Density

Different liquids have different densities, and so the solutions
 with lighter density sit on top of those withe heavier density.

Foaming Monsters

The chemicals were wrapped in tissue, and so they reacted with the liquid at different times, as the tissue
got soggy and broke down.  You never knew which monster was going to foam up first and for how long!

Balloon Rockets Are Go!

Senior Science Club were so proficient at firing balloon rockets that they extended their range.  Their balloon
rockets went from one end of the classroom to the other AND then travel through the window outside!