Science Tag

The Egyptian Wesekh

Term 4 is always the most exciting for our Year 3’s.  This is because they have seen previous Year 3 “Egyptian’s” strutting the school grounds in all their Egyptian finery and they just can’t wait to start learning about Ancient Egypt. We kicked off the term investigating Egypt’s geographical features, the pyramids, Nile River, Egyptian civilization, Pharaohs, as well as their gods and goddesses.

Our Year 3’s have also already begun planning for Egypt Day and have created a beautiful jewellery accessory known as a Wesekh that they can wear on the day.  The jewellery of ancient Egyptians held religious and symbolic significance and was treasured for its beauty and power against evil and death. It was buried with men and women because the Egyptians expected to enjoy wearing their finery in the afterlife.

We started our Wesekhs by looking at various real examples and discussing their features and designs, looking in particular at shape, symmetry and colour. Students then went ahead and designed their necklace by first deciding on a shape and then layout.  The next step was to decorate the Wesekh by using anything that sparkled including old costume jewellery, glitter, beads and precious stones that the students collected. The results were stunning!

Be sure to keep an eye out for these amazing accessories on the 12th of November when Year 3 steps out in style on Egypt Day!

Mandy Goch

Year 3 Teacher   

Learning about Electric Circuits

“There is a driving force more powerful than steam, electricity and nuclear power: the will.” – Albert Einstein

The Year 2 students had an extremely fun and interesting Inting last week with Experi-Buddies. They have been learning about electricity for the past few weeks and this Inting helped build on their knowledge of how electricity works.

Learning about electricity at this age is vital for young students as it teachers them how electricity works, the importance of electricity as well as the hazards that come with it.

We learnt about the different types of electricity, namely: static electricity, mains electricity and current electricity. The students enjoyed this and seemed fascinated by electrical circuits. New terms were introduced to the students, such as: conductors and insulators, open circuits, closed circuits, series circuits and parallel circuits.

Experi-Buddies expanded the student’s knowledge by showing them what a circuit looks like and how it works. The students were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to connect a circuit themselves which was the highlight of the day.

“Talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it.” – Maya Angelou

Erin Hierse

Year 2 Teacher

Exploring Seed Dispersal

This term, the Year 5’s have been learning about the different ways seeds are dispersed. We looked at seed dispersal by animals, humans, wind and water. Seeds must be dispersed so they have enough space, water and light to grow into a new plant.

Fun Facts about Seeds:

• The largest seed in the world is the double coconut. It can measure up to 50cm (1.6ft) around the middle! Some coconuts have floated 2,000km over the sea before they find dry land!
• Seeds provide the world’s daily food. Your breakfast cereal and toast, your pasta or pizza lunch and your rice dish for tea all started life as seeds from different grasses.
• Some orchid seed-pods hold 3 million seeds.
• Kapok is soft, fluffy stuff that comes from a seed-case. Years ago it was used to fill life jackets, because it is light, strong and waterproof. Nowadays, modern plastics have replaced it.
• Some seeds found in frozen soil in Canada were grown and produced flowers – the seeds were thought to be more than 10,000 years old!
• There are some very dangerous seeds, such as those that come from deadly nightshade; two berries could kill you. Even more dangerous are the seeds from the Castor-oil plant.
• Most oak trees don’t grow acorns until they are at least 50 years old. If you have planted an acorn, how old will you be before you can plant its acorns?

My class (Year 5NM) recently decided to create our very own papery wing shaped seeds to test out how the wind would carry it. We designed different shapes of wings that we attached to a bean seed. We made sure to use paper, making the wings light and feathery, easy to be moved by the wind.

The results of this experiment were great! Students went outside and put their wing shaped seeds to the test. They were exhilarated to get hands on experience with seed dispersal.

Seeds are so interesting and we will certainly never think of them as just seeds ever again.

Nadia Mahomed

Year 5 Teacher

Masters of Measurement

For the past two weeks, the Year 4s have been learning more about Measurement. This included Length (mm, cm, m and km), Mass (g and kg), Capacity (ml and L) and Volume.

We’ve covered the following content:

• Choosing and using metric units
• Their abbreviations
• Estimating
• Measuring
• Recording
• Reading scales and intervals

“It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.” – Ann Landers

Students got the opportunity this week to apply their knowledge and skills that they’ve learned with some practical, hands-on activities. They had to make use of various measuring equipment such as an/a:

• Analogue kitchen scale
• Digital kitchen scale
• Digital bathroom scale
• Measuring tape
• Industrial measuring tape
• Kettle
• Measuring cups and spoons

Take a look at some of the wonderful, fun photos taken of them in action and practically applying what they have learned.

Ria du Plessis

Year 4 Teacher and Coordinator

Cool Beans!

Towards the end of last term, the Year 5’s began to explore the life cycle of plants, and investigated which factors are needed in order for a seed to begin to germinate, as well as what happens in the beginning stages of a plant’s life! We conducted an experiment where we gave two batches of seeds warmth and water, but only gave one batch of seeds air. Through this investigation, we learnt that seeds need all three factors, water, warmth AND air to germinate, as the seeds with air began to germinate, while the other batch did not!

Just before the holidays, the Year 5’s “planted” their very own bean seeds in a clear jar with paper towel and some water. The seeds were left in a nice sunny, warm spot and given water when needed. On return to school, the kids were thrilled to see just how much their bean babies had grown! By the end of the holidays, all the seed coats had split open, most had grown in intricate series of roots, and a few had even grown a tall shoot with the first two leaves! After such an eventful introduction to the topic of plant life cycles, we just can’t wait to see what else we will be learning about our wonderful world in Science this term!

Robyn Pieters

Year 5  Teacher

Art And Design – Performance Art

During term 2 and 3, the Year 1 students have been looking at patterns. In our lessons the students have been asked the question What is a pattern? They have looked at patterns around the world, and even created patterns of their own doing block patterns with potatoes and apples.

We studied patterns in nature and looked at patterns inspired by nature. The students then made animal masks for their Performance Art. In groups, the students created a dance to the song, Circle of Life from the Lion King. Then they performed their dance for their peers.

We had so much fun learning about patterns and really loved each and every performance.

Well done Year 1!

Ann Cordner

Year 1 Teacher and KS 1 Coordinator

Year 2 Sticky Construction Fun

“Through unstructured exploration, we foster the development of imagination and creativity.”

 – Beth Rosenthal Davis

At the end of last term, our Year 2’s were split into small groups and given a bunch of marshmallows and skewer sticks. Their task was to create the tallest tower or most interesting construction, using only the marshmallows and sticks. Each group needed to first take the time to plan among themselves what they would envision building for their creation. They each drew some ideas onto a piece of paper and chatted about how they could bring their models to life, all the while learning to work as a team.

One of the biggest challenges they faced was how to create a strong foundation; one that would uphold and support their creation. The groups experimented with various foundation shapes and angles, very quickly learning which designs would hold a structure up and give support to whatever was to be built above it. Lots of trying and testing was done, but in the end each team had put together an equally unique and very interesting creation.

Sticky hands and lots to play with. So much fun!

Siobhan Hendry

Year 2 Teacher

Learning About Sundials 

Science – An Animal Nursery

Hooked on Books – Year 2 Reading Fun!

“Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” – Plato

While reading is obviously important in order for us to understand the words on the page, it is also the foundation of one’s ability to learn, and ultimately our ability to function accordingly in an ever changing society.  As children learn they no longer have to rely on their parents to read things to them – one of the most natural ways of building independence and self-confidence. As they read they begin to understand the world around them.

This week, our Year 2’s were lucky enough to experience the fun of Hooked on Books; is a touring Educational Theatre Company that has been igniting a love of reading in children across our country for the past 25 years.  The Hooked on Books team dramatise book-trailers from contemporary children’s books, which change on an annual basis. The book-trailers provide a visual, dramatic preview of the book similar to that of a movie trailer. By leaving the story at a nail-biting cliff-hanger they entice the students to make a beeline for the library to find out how the story ends. Their secret is keeping the show simple and fun, encouraging students to use their imaginations to create make-believe worlds with colourful characters.

We had so much fun!

Siobhan Hendry

Year 2 Teacher