What a busy two weeks to start a new term, it’s gone in a flash! Having taught science to years 5 to 8 for the past seventeen (!) years, I know the curriculum well but it is still a complete whirlwind starting at a new school and getting to know the children and all the new routines.
All the senior children have been busy doing experiments and investigations for their topics – here is just a snippet of what we have been up to in the last 10 days!
Form 5 are studying Forces and so far we have investigated gravity by looking at the sizes of craters created by balls of different shape and mass – apologies if a few of them came home with flour on their jumpers!
They have also investigated air resistance by dropping spinners from various places in school and timing how long they took to fall. We will be going on to look at friction, water resistance and streamlining.
Form 6 are studying Electricity and have been busy making a variety of circuits, investigating conductors and how current flows.
We are going to be planning our own investigations and also carrying out some research into safety with electricity.
Meanwhile Form 7 have been busy with their topic of Matter. We have recapped chemical and physical changes and have now moved on to looking at forces and pressure.
Last but not least, Form 8 have been finishing their Waves topic and have been studying refraction of light. They very much enjoyed using the coloured filters and prisms in their last lesson to discover what white light is made up of.
We will be moving on to look at plants and photosynthesis after they have completed their assessment.
The pupils have worked really well on the variety of practical activities and worked sensibly and safely throughout.
I am very much looking forward to getting more settled and planning more exciting opportunities for all the pupils at Sunninghill.
