Measuring the freezing point of water

We did an experiment to find out about freezing.  We mixed ice with salt and put a test tube of water inside.  We took the temperature every minute to find out what temperature water freezes at.  We decided as a class that water freezes around zero degrees Celsius.

Making mucus!

Making mucus. For the live and kicking module, year 8 students learnt the important of using artificial or ‘model’ mucus rather than real mucus. They planned and carried out an experiment to make mucus of the right consistency, planning a fair test and a suitable range of variables.  Unfortunately our mucus (PVA & borax) wasn’t …

Wikid Science – The Lungs

We made model lungs from Adorable Wearables.  This was the best example from the group.  Students could name the parts of the lungs, point out where they would be located in the body and explain how they work. Well done class 2!

Low energy and filament light bulbs

Year 10 pupils compared a filament light bulb and an equivalent low energy bulb (BTEC Science).  After measuring the brightness and heat given off we compared the power consumption of each bulb.  You can see a clear difference in the energy meter readings of the two bulbs.

Flesheaters

Year 7 pupils had been solving a mystery death where a man had been found dead in a tunnel. A series of investigations ruled out varying causes of death, leaving us with cave slime and cave water being the main suspected causes of death. The photograph shows a flesh sample that had 2 identical holes …

Testing leaves for starch

Year 9 pupils tested leaves from around the school grounds. They killed them by dipping in boiling water, removed (most of) the chlorophyll with alcohol and then tested them for starch with iodine. We were pleased by the results – the best pictures are below. The worksheet for this activity can be found here.

The rules of magnetism

Class 4 play with magnets to work out the rules for magnetism. http://www.teachertube.com/skin-p/mediaplayer.swf

Measuring the speed of light with a microwave oven

Year 11 pupils followed the Naked Scientists’ method as featured in their book “Crisp Packet Fireworks” by Chris Smith and Dave Ansell.  We used their technique to work out the speed of light using a microwave oven. Year 11 pupils videoed the experiment as well, although most of the footage is of buttering the bread, …

Using digital microscopes to look at onion cells

My Y10 group were looking at cells using microscopes.  We tried a variety of different microscopes – an optical microscope, some Intel QX3 microscopes and a couple of cheapo cameras based on webcam technology. Looking at cells requires a good light source passing through the cells so that ruled out the cheaper microscopes. These are …

Making Ice-cream

Making Ice-cream as part of the Cook module in Wikid Science. Pupils are also making ice-cream again in food technology to compare production techniques, effect of freezing time on ice crystal size etc. We used an Ice cream ball – which you fill half up with ice/salt and the other half with cream and milk. …