Exploring materials and their properties

On Friday morning, the EY classes came together to explore a range of materials and some of their different properties. The children explored each learning engagement in 4 mixed groups.

Materials & Fire with Ms. Elaine

As the children entered the room they were invited to explore a range of fabric and materials on the tables. Teachers encouraged them to describe what they saw and engage their senses. We then gathered on the mat to view a short video on burning fabric. 

The children commented on the speed of burning, the size of the flame, and the volume of the smoke. 

After viewing, they engaged a second time with the materials and made predictions on whether they thought the material would burn fast or slow, with a big flame or a little flame. 

Floating & Sinking! - with Ms. Karyn

We watched a short Sesame Street clip explaining floating and sinking. 

The students came up with a number of wonderings!

• Will an object sink if it is too heavy?

• Will things with holes in always sink?

• Does it matter what the object is made from? What material is it made from?

After watching the clip, we investigated which objects would float and which would sink. We wondered if we could make something that floats sink? We wondered what would happen if we pushed a floating item down to the bottom of the water tray? Would it stay at the bottom or pop back up to the top? Does it matter how much water is in the water tray?

Textures - with Ms Henny

I spoke with the children about textures and how they can feel different. I picked up a stone and felt it with my hands and then rubbed it on my face and told the children how it felt ­ hard, heavy and smooth. The children were asked to choose an object from the tray and feel it with their hands. We went around the circle asking each child how their object felt, using words like ­ hard, soft, spiky, stretchy, pointy, squishy, light, feathery. The EY2 children were able to help the EY1 children describe their objects.

Photos to be added shortly :) whatch this space!

Heavy and Light - with Ms Helen

Before starting the experiments, we talked about what would happen to the scales if something is heavy or if something is light. From their experiments earlier in the week they were able to tell me that if something is heavy that side of the scale will go down and the lighter item will go up. I then held up an apple and a pom pom, asking which one is heavier? Those who thought it was the apple were asked to stand on my left and those who thought the pom pom to stand on my right. Once we placed these items on each side of the scale we found out that the apple was heavier. Next, I asked if they could find something that would be heavier than the apple, each group found something different; the elephant, a mango or a cube. Next we experimented with trying to make the scales balance, suggesting different items to add or take away. Finally, I showed them two sponges, one small and one bigger. I asked the group to make a prediction about what which one might be heavier, most thought it would be the bigger sponge. When we placed them on the scales we found that the smaller one was the heaviest, I asked why this was, most of the EY2 students were able to tell me that they smaller one is full of water while the other is not.