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  ENCOURAGE SCIENCE INVESTIGATION  

One of the key ideas in the science curriculum is getting students involved in investigations.

You can help your child by talking to them about the investigating they are doing at school, or by doing some shared investigating at home. Students learn best when they have opportunities to describe and explain what they see, using their existing knowledge. They can then be encouraged to extend their ideas using new information.

Teachers are constantly setting up investigations as part of their school science programme. Two are outlined below. They can be investigated at home using everyday ingredients, if you want some hands on experience.

These activities can apply to any age, to any level, and to any school year, depending on the questions asked. You may, however, need 'expert' advice on how to interpret your observations.

If you have some expertise in the use of science in your work or hobby, you may wish to offer your support to the school science programme.

MILK ON THE MOVE

1. Pour enough milk into a saucer so that it is half full. image 1
image 2 2. Add drops of food colouring to the milk
3. Add a drop of detergent to the middle of the milk - watch!
Talk about it. 		image 3

Some questions:
  • Which kind of cream or milk works best?
  • Does it work with water as well as milk?
  • What do you think is special about detergent here?
This investigation will help students to 'become aware of the nature and behaviour of materials'.
page 89, Science in the New Zealand Curriculum.

Senior students may want to report on and explain the results alongside what they may know already about molecules.

INVESTIGATING FIZZY DRINK

1. Collect together the following:

  • one roll of masking tape
  • an unopened can of an aerated beverage
  • an unopened can of the same diet variety

2. Cover both cans with masking tape to conceal which is which. 		image 2
image 2

3. How can you tell which is which:

  • without opening them
  • without weighing them
  • without removing the tape?

Some questions (and clues):
Is their a difference in how they float?
How do your results relate to:
  • density
  • mass
  • solutions
  • weight
  • Archimedes?
This investigation will help students to 'gain an understanding of the nature of physical phenomena from practical investigation and the consideration of scientific models'.
page 70, Science in the New Zealand Curriculum


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