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