Do you want to engage your students with science? Give them a passion for learning?
In this online PD session recorded in December 2015, primary school teacher Andy Peart describes some exciting Science Learning Hub activities that he loves to teach and his students love to do.
I failed science at high school, like I wasn’t very good at science, but the Science Learning Hub stuff that I’ve been able to pick up, I can do all of it and I’m not the smartest character.
Andy Peart
These include exploding flour, putting out fires, observing candles, water bottle rockets, canister rockets, balloon cars, UV beads and racing marbles in strange liquids.
I get a few children at the start of the year, you see their eyes — the fire’s not there. But by the end of the year, you've got them, they’re like — wow!
Andy Peart
Nature of science
Students are given opportunities to ask questions, find evidence, explore simple models and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations. These opportunities engender much scientific discussion and sharing of ideas.
I am a student teacher, will try and use your ideas, thanks!
Participant
View the video of this professional development session (we recommend downloading the video) and also link below to download the PowerPoint presentation.
| Topic | PowerPoint slide number(s) | Video timecode |
| Introducing the Science Learning Hub and a quick look at upcoming changes to the website | 1–8 | 00:00 |
| Andy and Barb talk about fire activities that Andy’s students have enjoyed doing – Drama in the micro-world, Exploding flour, Putting out the fire, Light a candle, The great candle experiment | 9–14 | 00:40 |
| 15 | 10:52 | |
| Student activities relating to rockets – Water bottle rockets, Effervescent canister rockets, Balloon car challenge | 16–26 | 11:34 |
| Learning about UV and experimenting with UV beads | 27–32 | 24:32 |
| Activities using household liquids – learning about Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids | 33–34 | 28:33 |
| Andy’s technology – catapults and go-carts | 35–37 | 33:01 |
| Some articles related to science ideas about forces | 38 | 36:17 |
| 39–40 | 36:49 | |
| 41 | 38:58 | |
| Order promotional material, SLH links, thanks | 42–43 | 39:54 |
Activity idea
Try out this quick activity The flying tea bag to spark thinking, which can then be followed by a discussion on why the teabag behaves like this.
