Science

Blue Planet! The BEST day!

We absolutely loved Blue Planet!

How our solar system moves!

Today we tried to recreate the direction and movement of our solar system. We discussed how this is not to scale but wanted to show what we had learnt about ‘Earth and Space’ so far. Please ask us questions about the solar system!

We have been exploring the ice today and thinking of different ways to help it melt. Some suggestions were “put it in the sunshine” “put hot water on it” it was lots of fun and we learnt lots of new vocab rescuing the animals and describing the ice.

We have been working out how to rescue the animals from the ice. 🧊 “we need a hammer to hit it” “we need to melt it” were some suggestions.

Does our arm span increase as we grow older?

We took measurements of children from reception all the way to our eldest staff member! We then created a scatter graph of our results.

Rocks!

We have been studying rocks and today we tested the how hard wearing sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous are, along with their permeability and how they react to acids.

Pattern seeking – science

In science today we put our ideas to the test. we either chose to either investigate if children with the longest femur could jump the highest or if the tallest children could jump the highest. We completed the post it challenge and made sure our investigation was fair. 

NRG! Our power pledges.

Last week we had a visit from NRG to tell us all about our use of electricity and what we can do to help. We have signed a pledge to use less electricity and water to help with waste of non-renewable energy.

NRG workshop

Year 4 have learnt lots today about saving energy and money with Dr Watts and Dr Sparks.

NRGenius’s

Year 3 had lots of fun learning about and talking through different ways we could save money by saving electricity. We learnt the benefits of turning off things we aren’t using and saving money by doing this. We had to create powerful images to show the importance of fossil fuels and why we need them. We then wrote our own pledge On how we will try to save money, well done Genius’s!!!⚡️💡🔦

NRGenius’s

Year 3 had a great workshop this afternoon on how to save energy and how to be NRGenius’s. They had to create a powerful image representing why we use fossil fuels. We learnt all about renewable energy and how these are better for our environment. We ended the session by making a pledge to try our best to save energy. 💡⚡️

Sorting and Classifying

This week, we worked scientifically by sorting and classifying different types of rocks. We explored the rocks and discussed their characteristics. The children came up with great words such as ‘rough’ ‘bumpy’ ‘smooth’ ‘sharp’

Charles Darwin

In Science, Year 6 have been learning about Charles Darwin as part of their ‘Evolution and Inheritance’ unit. Look at this incredible writing they have produced!

Making a Water Filter

Y4 String telephones

As part of their sound topic, Y4 have been investigating which mediums sound travels through. We did this by experimenting with string telephones. We had so much fun talking to our friends on our telephones but only some of them passed the message through!

Friction Experiment

Year 3 have been exploring the force friction by testing the distance cars travel on different surfaces. We discovered that the surface carpet had high friction but plastic had low friction.

Friction!

We used a car and a ramp to create a fair test for friction. We found out that plastic is smooth so has a low amount of friction and sandpaper is rough and bumpy so has a high amount of friction.

Science Investigation in Y6

As part of our Evolution and Inheritance unit, we designed and carried out an investigation into the different beak sizes and shapes of birds. After learning about Charles Darwin and his study of finches, we carried out our own investigation: How does the size and shape of beak affect their diet? How can they thrive in the habitat in which they live?

Year 3 Science forces

We looked at different forces in science and were able to organise them into a push and pull Venn diagram.

Year 1 have been having fun labelling our body parts in science

5EHD Investigating water resistance

What will happen?

Year 3 had an exciting afternoon learning about how water is transported around pants. We completed an experiment with a celery stick and food colouring. We made a prediction about what might happen to the celery. Come back next week to see the results.

Water transportation!

We used celery to investigate how xylems transport water and nutrients to the rest of the plant. Watch this space and see what we find out!

5EHD science

Testing air resistance using parachutes.

Flowering plants

Year 3 explored the different parts of a flowering plant. We found out that there are male and female parts and that bees and other insects help move pollen from flower to flower.

University Trip

We had a fantastic day at the University of Liverpool on Friday. We took part in workshops related to Maths and Science…. including sitting in mini Planetarium!

Spider hunting in the sunshine ?️?

We have been learning about spiders this week and have been looking at similarities and differences.

Shadows!

Year 3 had a great afternoon exploring shadows. Thankfully we got a lovely sunny day to complete this lesson. We drew our shadows and after some time we returned outside and noticed how the position of the sun meant our shadows had moved.

Year 1 have been on a nature hunt

For our first lesson about plants we have been on the playground to look for plants, seeds and animal evidence.

Cyanotype Art

Year 3 used a very old way of producing photographs without a camera. We used light sensitive paper to create a cyanotype capture. The children created their designs using natural resources found around schools – similar to Anna Atkins.

Reflective materials

Year 3 made predictions of what materials they thought would be the most reflective and the least reflective. They then tested that and checked to see how much light was reflected off each one. We spoke about material characteristics and why they absorbed or reflected some or a lot of the light.

Heart rate investigations in Y6 Science.

As part of our ‘Circulatory Unit’ in Science, we devised our own investigations (in small groups) to find out about the effect of exercise on our heart rate. Some groups changed the exercise carried out, some changed the number of repetitions and some changed the time set. All results were recorded and are to be discussed in order to draw our conclusions.

4KM had a great morning working with the Hope university students learning about light and sound??!!

Exploring Light

3KM have been working scientifically by exploring the question ‘do we need light to see things?’

The children had 5 boxes with a different item in each. They had to peer through the hole in the box and make a predication on what the object could be. When more light was added to the box, some objects could be seen a lot easier than others.

The History of Telling The Time for Science Week

We combined science with history with our TIME topic and looked at how tools to tell the time have changed over the years. We created a timeline of discoveries and measured out our own sundials with our protractors.

Super Science lesson explore our human skeleton and the bones that we have.

year 1 Zoolab visit

Year 1 had a visit form lots of animals today to celebrate our learning in science.

Year 1 had a visit from zoolab

Year 1 were very excited to have a visit from lots of animals today!

Young Scientist Centre

5NA went to a solar system workshop at UCLAN. We did lots of investigations all about the solar system!

Bulb Planting in Crown Street Park!

RLMc visit Speke Hall

Yesterday RLMc had lots of fun visiting Speke Hall. We looked at the changes for Autumn and we even saw a sleeping giant! We visited the giants house, kitchen, music room and even his playground. It was lots of fun!

Y2science

Year 2 have been sorting things into 3 categories-alive, dead and never been alive. We had a lot of fun looking at the things that were alive too!

Y2 Classification

Year 2 have been sorting items into Alive, Dead and Never been alive. We looked at the characteristics of Living Things by using MRS GREN.

Year 2 science

Year 2 have been sorting things into 3 categories – alive, dead and ever been alive. We had a lot of fun looking at some living things from the playground too!

Year 3 have explored the different rocks that make our school. We discussed the key characteristics of each rock.

We have been learning all about animals in science today

We investigated the question are the oldest children the tallest today

We investigated the question are the oldest children the tallest today in @SmithdownPrimY2 #smithdownsci

Lots of discussion with our connect retrieval task today matching features of different stages of development

Lots of discussion with our connect retrieval task today matching features of different stages of development. It was lovely to hear some of our fabulous new vocabulary being used independently #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY2 @baronbedford @Edu_Meadows

After learning about life cycles with Years 2 & 5

After learning about life cycles, @SmithdownPrimY5 kindly invited us to watch their butterfly release this afternoon. 4 classes of pure excitement ? #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY2

4LA exploring conductors & insulators

4LA exploring conductors & insulators @SmithdownPrimY4 #smithdownsci

4KM exploring conductors & insulators this week

4KM exploring conductors & insulators this week @SmithdownPrimY4 #smithdownsci

We then focused on how animals mature by looking at some life cycles…

We then focused on how animals mature by looking at some life cycles. Mr. Ma let the Y5 caterpillars visit KS1 and just look at their faces. We identified some at pupa stage for some science in action #smithdownsci @baronbedford @Edu_Meadows

Deep in conversation about animal offspring in matching mothers to young

Deep in conversation about animal offspring in matching mothers to young #smithdownsci @baronbedford @Edu_Meadows

3KMc exploring how opposite poles repel and like poles attract with magnets

3KMc exploring how opposite poles repel and like poles attract with magnets #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY3

4LA hard at work exploring switches in circuits

4LA hard at work exploring switches in circuits #smithdownsci

Today we kicked off our topic and Curriculum project

Today we kicked off our topic and @Curriculum_USP project in @SmithdownPrimY2 by recapping what an animal is and learning about vertebrates/invertebrates @baronbedford @Edu_Meadows #smithdownsci

4KM testing predictions about complete and incomplete circuits

4KM testing predictions about complete and incomplete circuits #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY4

4LA ~ Sorting mains and battery powered appliances today

4LA ~ Sorting mains and battery powered appliances today, then working scientifically to test our predictions about positions of components in a circuit @SmithdownPrimY4 #smithdownsci

Great afternoon with 4KM back to doing what we love the most – investigating!

Great afternoon with 4KM back to doing what we love the most – investigating!! This time, circuits. They took up the challenge of making the light bulb light ? #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY4

Kicking our electricity topic off in year 4

Kicking our electricity topic off in @SmithdownPrimY4 by thinking about what electrical appliances we have at home #smithdownsci

We are looking at life cycles in science…

We are looking at life cycles in science, so now have 40 caterpillars that we are going to watch transform into butterflies. We have given them food, and are going to monitor them turn into chrysalises. #smithdownsci @MrsKellyx @MissGuy_

We have been exploring different push and pull forces that require contact between two objects

We have been exploring different push and pull forces that require contact between two objects. Lots of toys and actions helped us understand these forces. Year 3 did a great job of organising the forces into our Venn diagram. #smithdownsci

Thank you to all the families who came to our stay and learn session today

Thank you to all the families who came to our stay and learn session today.

Labelling human body parts today with year 1

We’ve been having lots of fun labelling human body parts today #smithdownsci @SmithdownPrimY1

Science activities for you today Year 1!

Lots of exciting science activities waiting for you today Year 1! #smithdownscience @SmithdownPrimY1

Year 1 have had great fun labelling the body parts in science today…

Year 1 have had great fun labelling the body parts in science today. Well done! #smithdownscience @SmithdownPrimY1

Year 1 have been naming the body parts in science…

Year 1 have been naming the body parts in science this week. #smithdownscience @SmithdownPrimY1

Tasting different foods last week…

Tasting different foods last week as part of learning about our bodies- some were a bit sour! #smithdowneyfs #smithdownsci

We love incorporating baking into our Understanding the World lessons!

We love incorporating baking into our Understanding the World lessons! We watched how the cake mixture changed state after we added water. #smithdowneyfs #smithdownsci

Exploring changes of state

Exploring changes of state through messy play. #smithdowneyfs #smithdownsci

Making unicorn ? playdough today to develop fine motor skills…

Making unicorn ? playdough today to develop fine motor skills and see what happens when cornflour is mixed with hair conditioner #smithdowneyfs #smithdownsci

Planting some apple ?

One of our superstars has planted some apple ? seeds to see if they grow #smithdownsci #smithdowneyfs