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.!)
|
References:
(**)with good pupils we do pH column! Big fun.
(7)
Start-up: “what are chemicals?” “are all
chemicals dangerous? are all chemicals liquids?”
“is water a chemical? what about lemonade or
vinegar?” “what do you know about acids
and bases?” “are all acids dangerous?”