Category: Science
The Week Ahead 26/09/22
The Week Ahead 19/09/22
The Week Ahead 12/09/22
IT’S ALL IN THE ALGORITHM
As part of our Man and Machine topic this term, we have begun exploring computer concepts: starting with the all important algorithm.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT AN ALGORITHM IS?
Well the year sixes set about finding out what they are. Firstly considering what they thought it was and finding out that it was not exactly the same as coding. Instructions was the name of the game and they were also fascinated to find out that algorithms were first created in the 9th century: a long time before computers.
We clarified our understanding of the concept – watching the video below and making some whiteboard notes, before writing our own algorithms, to achieve a set task: moving from one place to another. First we explored this in class (negotiating the tables and chairs) and then the pupils competed in groups to avoid obstacles on a course in the playground – blindfolded (using their teammates algorithm to succeed). The pupils learnt that sometimes they needed a back-up instruction (or ‘IF’ instruction), or a variation in the steps to allow for differences in the environments where it was used, ensuring that an ‘error’ did not occur.
Finally, we discussed how algorithms were all around us in technology that they use and that there were many careers that they could explore using these skills.
AN EGGXTRAORDINARY EXPERIMENT
This week we began with an Eggxtraordinary experiment – to support our science studies.
The pupils spent some time exploring the properties of materials, with the brief that they needed to protect an important package: an egg in full flight.
Pupils were provided with a selection of materials, with different properties and then considered which samples would be best at protecting a raw egg, from a fall. The pupils made their hypothesis and of course we had to give it a go.
Fair testing procedures were applied and the result were analysed. Ask them all about it and take a look at the pictures and video shown above.
CAN YOU NAME THE PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS?
WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT PACKAGING IS BEST FOR PARCELS?
Take a look at the video below, too (which the pupils watched), to find out more about materials and their properties.
Wednesday Activities
During your Wednesday afternoon, have a go at some of the activities from the LKL set each Monday morning or have a go at the activities listed below!
Science – Pitch
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise/high-and-low-pitch/zvd3nrd
History
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z7d7gwx/articles/zrxwy9q
Maths – TTR
You should all have your login details for TTR – log in and play for at least 15 minutes to raise your score!
Are the Arts What make Us Human?
This term we will be starting our new topic ‘Are the Arts what make us Human?’. Have a look at all the exciting learning we have in store for Phase3.
Dizzy Rotation
Last week, during maths, some of the pupils in Phase 3, began exploring the concept of rotation: how a point or perhaps a shape rotate around a given point. This was a follow-up to the learning they’d undertaken all about mirroring (symmetry) and other transformations.
The lesson began as the pupils reasoned what was happening with a group of people sat on a playground roundabout (in a video, shown below) – which also gave us a chance to discuss the Coriolis Effect: so some science thrown in too. Take a look at the video! We then set about considering how every part of us relates to a rotational point, when moving around a broom – again this gave us a chance to talk about more science and why we get dizzy, when we stop rotating (the volunteers only rotated slowly and stopped well ahead of any risk of being dizzy). We watched the second video shown below, to help us understand why we get dizzy – Everyone was fascinated by the fluid in the ears and the little hairs that ‘talk’ to our brain.
Finally we considered rotation of shapes – A complex skill to master. What is the most important thing to remember when rotating a shape?
Enjoy the videos and see what you can find out about rotation.
Volume, Volume, Volume
Today, Phase 3 set about developing their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volume, in their maths lesson. During their ‘active’ maths lesson, outside, the pupils set about defining what volume is, building blocks of volume and exploring displacement – as a way of measuring the volume of irregular objects.
The reasoning, debate and discussion, between all the pupils and within the teams, was fantastic and everyone involved clearly deepened their understanding. Well done all!
Do you know what displacement is? Today Mr. Flower demonstrated this with water, but we also explored the possibility of displacing air (gasses), by moving objects through it.
Do you remember what we said 1ml of water was equivalent to?
maths@stpauls 