WELCOME TO LUNCH-TIME SCIENCE CLUB

About the Project

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About the project: The science club I run at Wesley College started in 2007. It began from a spontaneous idea - to let the interested junior students to come to science labs and do some experiments. I suggested to start the science club and offered my services as a leader. The first I made an announcement that club is open for any student (from Yr3 to Yr 6). Each session would last 20 min during Recess time, every week. I did have “a green light” for doing so from my HOL and the principal, and still do with the new administration. As the club turned to be very successful (from the words of our former principal Mrs Lovell), I continued to do so every year.

Number of participants varies from year to year, but optimal is 8 (no more than 10) as per one adult leader. At first year I had 9 to 11 regular attendees. Yet, not every group of pupils is the same, not every year was the same (time-table, work load etc), not each session was successful. Careful selection of activities, planning with account of abilities, punctuality of attendees are key factors to success.

This document gives the list and order of activities we did throughout a year with our participants and can be used for ideas and guidance by anybody who wants to run their science club. The hope is that via hands-on activities students will develop their practical skills, gain knowledge, understand concepts and methods and see the fascinating (or at least fun) side of science. An informal atmosphere helps to encourage all of the above and establish relationship with the regular attendees.

Running style: Begin with some quick and easy experiments to engage initial interest. Usually at the start I provide the groups with a method for them to follow step by step. In other times – I state the goal, provide materials and let students go (without step-by-step instructions).

At school, I currently run a science club on each second Tuesday at lunch, for 30 mins and it is open to Yr4 pupils.

Contents:

Activity Number	Activity
1	Make a Paper Clip Float The great pepper dispersion
2	Blooming Paper Flower: capillary action
3 new	The Language of Science: Is this Water Hot or Cold? Thermometer. Discuss the word “sound” too, try to define what is “sound” (is vibration)
4	Colour Chromatography: Black Pen Magic *Inquiry:* how many pigments? What colours are they? Which colour moves furthest?
5	Fire Works: Flame Test Demo & Mystery Metal activity
6	Rainbow Lab (optional): practicing basic laboratory skills
7	Introduce pH. Red Cabbage Acid-Base Indicator water, vinegar, baking soda sol’n, soap, lemonade, citric acid, aspirin
8	TEST. Find the nature of 5 unknown clear liquids: acid or base?
9	Extension: Make a pH Column (“A Traffic Light”) *Materials*: sodium carbonate, vinegar and universal indicator in proportions
10	Acidic Breath. Introduce CO2
11	Fire Extinguisher : soda+vinegar make the candle blown off
12	Bubble Bomb. Balloon blown up (raising hand).
13	A Chilling Recipe (SBE, CSIRO): Cool Pack (use sealable freezer bag)
14	Hand Warmers: use 2 sealable freezer bags: large (dst. Water ~100) & small (CaCl2~4g)
15	A Child Lost Salt in a Desert : Separating Mixture Salt+Sand
16	HEAT. Water Thermometer. Demo: Ball&Ring. Ice in Freezer Demo.
17	AIR PRESSURE: Hanging Water. Siphoning. Vacuum Mat. Magdeburg Hemispheres and the Story! Two holes bottle (air provides nec. push). Blowing Marshmallow competition.
18	Sink or Float? Density. Galileo Thermometer. Cartesian Diver.
19	Egg In a Bottle. Extension: demo Crashed Can
20	STATIC ELECTRICITY FUN. Quick and easy experiments: “salt & pepper”, “moving can” .Bet You Can’t!
21	Lemon Battery. And The Galvani-Volta Story: The Frogs Legs
23	Simple Circuit. Energy Stick activity. Make a simple circuit. Morse Code.
24	LABORATORY SKILLS: measurements
25	Fun With The Sun: UV beads
26	Making Slime. Demo: prof Bunsen silly putty (exc.!)