Change and Adapt
This year’s theme for British Science Week was ‘Change and Adapt’. We looked at examples of change and adaptation, such as:
- Animal and plant adaptation
- The advancement of technology
- Adapting human behaviour to reduce production of greenhouse gases
- Adaptations endangered species need to make to survive
Here are just some of the events which took place during Westbourne House’s Science Week:
Making bath bombs
Messy, exciting, experimental…Year 8 took the bath bomb challenge and made bath bombs of all shapes, colours and sizes! It was noisy work with hair dryers whooshing and teams working together to adapt the recipe to achieve the perfect bath time treat. Lush in Chichester had better watch out!
More or less baking soda?
More or less citric acid?
Different colours?
When it came to testing, some bath bombs fizzed too rapidly and others dispersed much more slowly. Pupils looked for patterns as they added more of each ingredient and considered what had made the difference in the rate of reaction.
"Experiments like these are so much fun"
Year 7 pupil
Learning about fatbergs
Year 4 learned about fatbergs – large deposits of waste which form from a combination of non-biodegradable solids with fat, oil and grease.
They took the science labs by storm as they shook large bottles of water to test how different items break down after they are flushed down the toilet. They shook each item in water for 45 seconds before observing the changes.
"This is a great experiment for our Year 4 children because it encourages them to follow instructions and make scientific observations in a fun and hands-on way," said Science Teacher Mr Brown.
"We want our children to be aware of the consequences of their own living habits. When you pour cooking oil down the drain, or flush a baby wipe down the loo, you never see it again, however it doesn't just disappear."
Mr Brown
Year 1 play with non-Newtonian fluids
Mrs Rich introduced our Year 1 children to ‘oobleck’ a fascinating substance that acts as both a solid and a liquid at room temperature. “The best part was making the ‘oobleck’ slime and getting to play with it to learn more about its properties,” she said.
“I really enjoyed touching the ‘oobleck’ because it was really gooey! I especially liked watching it turn into a solid when I squeezed it and then letting go and watching it run through my fingers like a liquid again.”
Year 1 pupil
‘Doc Bailey’ then demonstrated how to make lava. The children watched in awe as the oil and salt created a mesmerising, bubbly reaction - just like real lava!
The final component of our Year 1 children’s learning was related to camouflage and how animals use different ways to hide their identity or appearance from other animals.
Mrs Rich explained: “They hid colourful ‘caterpillars’ made from different coloured wool and hid them around the playground. They had to think about the best place to camouflage each colour, which colours were more successful than others and why."
Breaktime wacky science experiments: Year 5 & 6
From elephant’s toothpaste to setting methane bubbles on fire and hydrogen balloon fireballs, there truly was not a dull moment!
At the end of the breaktime science session, everyone gave our wonderful science technician a huge round of applause: “None of this would have been possible without Ms Gordon. She works incredibly hard to ensure we can execute these experiments safely and make our ideas a reality,” said Mr Brown.
Breaktime dissection: Year 7 & 8
Year 7&8 children broke off into pairs and dissected a fish to learn more about its internal organs and the way its body worked.
"Dissection is an art" said Science Teacher, Mr Brown. "The children need to follow instructions accurately and listen carefully, especially when using equipment such as forceps and scissors."
