Investigating Reflective Surfaces

Today, Year 3 independently completed a scientific enquiry. They investigated how reflective different materials were to help out Mr Harrison. Mr Harrison needed some help investigating why cars did not see him when he was locking up the gates at night time. So, year 3 decided to investigate the dilemma. 

'If I were to complete this investigation again, I would do it in a much darker room or during the evening when the sun isn't as bright. Even though we tried to cover the windows with black card the light still found a way to get into to the classroom.' - Harley

'After investigating different materials (including Mr Harrison's coat) we found that his coat was too dark and didn't reflect much light at night time because the sun had set. I would advise Mr Harrison to sew some reflective strips onto his black coat or buy a coat which is a brighter colour for example yellow or orange. That way, when cars are driving down the road the light from their headlights will reflect much better and people will see Mr Harrison a lot easier.' - Daisy

Investigating Rocks using a Fair Test

Today, Year 3 independently set up a simple fair test to explore the physical properties of rocks. The children investigated various rocks including granite, marble and chalk to explore the degrees in which rocks are permeable and impermeable.

'It was important we all used the exact same amount of water to make sure the test was fair. If I did this experiment again I would use chalk and clay and measure how long it took for the water to soak through the rock.' - Madison

Researching Jane Colden and her influence in the field of Botany

The children have used a range of secondary sources to help them find the answers to key questions including:

• What is a botanist?
• Who was Jane Colden?
• How has the role of a botanist changed over time? 

In the image below you can find a summary of Sadie's secondary research.

"I really enjoyed using books and an Ipad to research information about Jane Colden. I can't believe she never went to school but created a book that influenced many other people!" - Sadie 

Investigating what plants need to survive

To understand what plants need to survive, the children set up an experiment to investigate the growth of four plants with four differing conditions over a week. After observing growth over time, the children used the data they collected and wrote a conclusion from their findings. 

"I learnt that a plant needs 4 things to grow healthily; water, warmth, soil and light. Surprisingly, the plant that didn't have any light still grew, however it was thin and very pale. " Eve, Class 1 

How is soil formed?

Our children used secondary research to learn about how soil is formed. They then used their research to independently create a digital presentation about how soil is formed. 

"I was shocked to learn that soil comes from eroded rocks! Also, did you know weathering erodes rocks? This means that the weather effects rocks and wears them down." Maggie, Class 3 

Investigating hardness and permeability of rocks

Working in groups, the children set up their own investigations to find the answer to the following questions: 

• Which rock is the hardest?
• Which rock is the most impermeable? 

"We worked together to set up our own investigations. My team decided to measure the amount of water that affected the rock for permeability and the effect of the rock on the sandpaper to measure the hardness. We ensured that we kept the test fair to have the most trustworthy results." Cody, Class 2