Second Class
Static Electricity
The children in Second Class had a class discussion about what they noticed when they brushed their hair with a plastic comb on a dry day or when they take off certain garments on a dry day.
We discussed what caused the sound. Some children had heard about static electricity. We decided to make static electricity.
What we did:
- We blew up a balloon.
- We rubbed it on our hair.
We found that our hair stands on end!
The children then investigated to find out if a balloon would stick to a wall. They also wanted to find out if the number of rubs made the balloon stick to the wall for longer.
They discovered that the greater the number of rubs made the balloon stick to the wall for longer.
Next the children wanted to find out how many Rice Krispies a charged balloon could pick up. The children recorded their results on a bar chart.
The children in Second Class then wanted to investigate which material produces the best static.
The children first predicted which material they thought would produce the best static.
The children then linked Science with construction in Art and made a toy wormery using static electricity.
They cut out worm shapes from tissue paper and then decorated them with markers/ crayons.
They then stuck one end of each of the worms to a sheet of card. The balloon was charged and the worms wriggled by passing the charged balloon over them.
Senior Infants
The children in Senior Infants were investigating magnets of different shapes and sizes and their effects on different materials around the classroom.
First Class
The children in First Class were learning how sound travels and experimenting how this idea works. We focused on key language like vibrations, air molecules and waves.
We used balloons and clothes hangers to test can sound travel through air and metal.
The children then designed a straw harmonica using lollipop sticks, elastic bands and straws. They learned that the rubber band started to vibrate through the force of their breath thus making sound.
Junior Infants
Floating and sinking – Forces and energy (forces)
During water play children explored items that floated along the top of the water and items that sank to the bottom. They then predicted if items such as a coin, stone, lego brick and a cork would float or sink. After their predictions each child got to place an item into the water. They then discussed and recorded their results.
