School Science Lessons
Primary Science Lessons, Year 2
2012-05-02 SP
Please send comments to: J.Elfick@uq.edu.au
Suggested answers to the teacher's questions are shown within [square brackets].
Table of contents 2.0 Birds 2.1 Bird feathers 2.2 Bird sounds 2.3 Bird beaks and feet 2.4 Different birds 2.5 Protect birds 2.6 Care of birds 2.7 Bottle sounds 2.8 Dull and bright in the
sun 2.9 Melt different substances 2.10 Magnetic pin chain 2.11 Balanced parrot 2.12 Siphon and water spray 2.13 Count your teeth 2.14 Measure your body in hand spans 2.15 Measure with your body 2.17 Move your eyes 2.18 Smelling game 2.19 Skin and hair 2.20 Spirit burner, alcohol lamp 2.21 Heat different substances 2.22 Copy with a rubber band 2.23 See-saw balance (teeter-totter) 2.24 Steelyard balance 2.25 Ruler balance 2.26 Balance bottle tops 2.27 Nail balance 2.28 Beam balance 2.29 Drinking straw balance 2.30 Leaf pictures 2.31 Collect flowers 2.32 Collect seeds 2.33 Grow plants from seeds 2.34 Three kinds of food 2.35 Paint with plant juices 2.36 Examine rocks with a magnifier 2.37 Collect different soils 2.38 Shake soil in water 2.39 Water through soil 2.40 Soil air 2.41 Mix and dissolve 2.42 Mix liquids 2.43 Different metals 2.44 Candle flame 2.1 Bird feathers See diagram 50.12: The four kinds of feather
Be able to study and describe feathers
1.1 State what feathers feel like to touch. 1.2 Compare feathers as for
size, colour, feel and shape. 1.3 Describe feathers as seen under a magnifying
glass. 1.4 Compare the speed at which feathers float down when thrown into
the air.
Use a collection of feathers: 1.1 Flying feathers are used for flying and
are found on the tail and wings. 1.2 Contour feathers are used to keep the
bird warm and cover its whole body. 1.3 Down feathers grow beneath the flying
and contour feathers. It is soft and fluffy. 1.4 Pin feathers are long and
thin and seen only in a plucked bird. A cover of feathers in birds is like
your hair. It helps to trap layers of warm air for insulation. In this way
the heat in the body is kept in and not lost.
1. Give each group a set of feathers.
2. Feel the feathers with your fingers. Do you feel the same? [No, some
are softer than others.] Find the biggest feather in your set and compare
it with those from other crops. [Hold the feathers up for the children to
see.] Find the smallest feather in your set and compare it with those from
other groups. [Hold the feathers up for the children to see.] Find the fluffiest,
softest feather in the set and compare it with those from other groups.
3. Use the magnifying glass to see how the feather is made. Tell your friends
what you see.
4. Throw the feathers up in the air and see how you float down. Which feather
touched the ground first? Which feather was last? Why did they not reach
the ground at the same time? [The fluffier feathers have a greater surface
and so the air prevents them more from falling quickly. Remember that two
objects with the same shape and volume but different weights fall to earth
with the same acceleration. If they are released at the time, they will hit
the ground simultaneously.] Choose the lightest feather and try to keep it
in the air by blowing.
5. Find coloured, straight and curved feathers, and put them into different
groups.
Extra Activity: Choose a feather from each set and tell the children to
name the bird you think it comes from. 2.2 Bird sounds
Be able to describe the sounds made by different birds.
Before the lesson children can probably imitate the sounds of one bird,
e.g. cuckoo "sea to sea". For the next lesson, tell the children to find
some bird nests but not to harm them.
1. Name a noisy bird and a quiet bird.
2. Name birds that keep together in flocks, and birds that do not keep together.
3. Imitate the sound of a bird.
4. Bird Sound Game
Divide the class into two groups, A. and B. A child in Group A. imitates
the sound of a bird and a child in Group B has to say the name of that
bird. Then let a child in Group B imitate the sound of a bird and a child
in Group a say the name of the bird. Which group can guess the most names
of birds correctly?
Extra Activity: Try to call birds when you are at home. If you hear the
call of a bird, try to imitate it. Sometimes the bird will call back
thinking it is hearing another bird.
Birds
Kokomo lives in lowland jungle, feeds on fruits, short strong legs and feet,
noisy flapping flight, nests in tree holes and makes a wall in front of the
hole, one of the largest flying birds, also called a hornbill.
Boobook Owl lives in tall lowland forests, feeds on insects at night, about
25 cm long, round white eggs, also called a hawk owl.
Cuckoo lives in low trees near open areas, about 20 cm long, lays its eggs
in the nest of another bird that raises the young as its own, hard to see
because of brown colour like leaves, easy to hear because of its call "sea
to sea", eggs white with brown spots.
Sandpiper lives on sea shores and eats animals in mud and sand, makes its
nest in antarctic regions, only seen during seasons when not breeding, called
a wader.
Rainbow Lorikeet is the most common bird in the parrot family. It is a small
bird with a red beak, blue between the eyes, black head, yellow neck, red
chest and wings, tail green and yellow. It is often seen in flocks a round
coconut plantations. It bites flowers and sucks up the nectar with its broad
tongue, At night many roost together and are very noisy. It nests in tree
holes and lays two white eggs.
Pigeon lives in lowland forests, feeds on fruits, lays a white egg in nests
in tall trees.
Jacana lives in swamps and can walk on lily pads and other water plants
with its long toes. It eats reeds and little swamp animals, has brightly
coloured combs, builds nests on plants growing in the water, lays four pointed
eggs.
Megapode lives in the forest, feeds on fallen fruits and insects, can be
very noisy at night, large birds about 50 cm long with big feet, lays 6-9
eggs in mounds, the heat from rotting plants in mounds hatches the eggs,
also called the scrub hen or bush turkey.
Swiftlets swoop down over low ground or tops of trees, eat insects, black
blue colour with a white abdomen, nests on a rock face or river bank, lays
two blue white eggs, are small birds about 10 cm long. Relatives of these
birds make their nest out of dried saliva used by Chinese people for birds'
nest soup.
Honeyeater is a tiny bird about 10 cm long. It has a short curved bill and
short tail, very active, hopping about flowers for nectar, lives in lowland
forests, brownish yellow colour, noisy calls, spotted eggs.
Monarch is a small forest bird, sits upright, eats flying insects, lives
in forest, also called flycatchers.
Kingfisher lives near water in forest and mangroves, may eat fish or large
insects, sit on open branches then dive onto prey, have very short legs
and no outer toe, long strong pointed bill, blue to black colour head and
wings.
Ibis lives in flocks on coasts and eat animals in shallow water, large
birds 70 cm long, nest in colonies, similar to Spoonbills.
Fantail Flycatcher is similar to Willie wag tail. Lives in open forest near
rivers and mangroves.
Teal Duck is a large bird about 50 cm long, brownish colour, finds food
in mud and water, may dive for food. live in flocks. The Sun Bird lives in
forest near flowers from which they eat nectar and insects, green and black
colour.
Bee Eater is similar to the Kingfisher with green and blue colour but eat
bees and wasps, roost in flocks, nest in holes and steep banks and lay three
white eggs.
Falcon is a bird of prey with hooked bill and strong curved talons. They
seize prey with their feet and tear it with their talons, they have long
pointed wings, similar to hawks and eagles. 2.3 Bird beaks and feet See diagram 9.3.5.1: Bird beaks and feet | See diagram 9.3.5.2: Plaster casts of birds' feet
Be able to describe different beaks and feet of birds and explain their
use.
Examine the drawings for this lesson.
1. Show the drawings of different beaks of birds.
Name the bird:
1. Which bird can put its beak into flowers to get honey? [Sun Bird, Honey
Eater.]
2. Which bird has a strong beak to catch fish or big insects? [Kingfisher.]
3. Which bird can catch fish and keep them in its mouth? [Pelican.]
4. Which bird can catch flying insects? [Boobook Owl, Bee eater, Swiftlet,
Monarch.]
5. Which bird can dip its beak into holes to find things to eat? [Ibis,
Jacana, Sandpiper.]
6. Which bird can eat fruit and small nuts? [Parrot, Kokomo, Pigeon, Lorikeet.]
7. Which bird can eat large fruit and break open hard nuts? [Kokomo.]
8. Which bird has big feet that allow it to:
8.1 Walk through the bush? [Megapode.] 8.2 Dive down from a tree to catch
animals? [Kingfisher.] 8.3 Swim? [Teal Duck, Pelican, Frigate Bird, Sandpiper.]
8.4 Walk on soft mud or lily pads? [Jacana.] 8.5 Perch on trees but not
to walk much on the ground? [Swiftlet, Monarch, Flycatcher, Bee eater, Sun
Bird.]
9. Which bird: 9.1 Lays its eggs in another bird's nest? [Cuckoo.] 9.2
Lays its eggs in mounds? [Kokomo.] 9.3 Lives out at sea? [Frigate Bird.] 9.4
Grabs its prey with its feet? [Falcon.]
Extra Activity: Draw the beaks and feet. For next lesson try to imitate
the sound of a bird, e.g. Cuckoo "Sea to sea". 2.4 Different birds See diagram 9.1.2: Birds 1 | See diagram 9.1.3: Birds 2
Be able to describe different birds and draw them.
Make sure that there will be birds for children to observe during the lesson
either by leaving some food for them or by using caged birds. Look at the
drawings of birds in the diagram.
1. Take the children outside to look at the birds or show the birds in the
diagram.
2. How big is the bird? Is it bigger or smaller than another bird you can
see? Is it bigger or smaller than your hand? List the birds you can see:
biggest bird to smallest bird.
3. How long is its beak? Is it straight or curved? How long are its legs?
Does it have separate toes or webbed feet? How long is its tail? Is the
tail longer than its own body?
4. What colour is its beak, eyes, skin around its eyes, feathers, back,
tail, belly, wings, throat, head, under its tail?
5. Does it have marks on its throat, bars on its wings, marks on its shoulder?
Does it have any other marking?
6. What shape is the bird seen from the side? Draw the bird as seen from
the side. First draw the body, then draw the head, then draw the tail,
then draw the legs and feet, then draw the beak and eye. Draw the markings
on the bird.
Extra Activity: How many different kinds of birds can be seen in your home
or school? 2.5 Protect birds See diagram 9.1.5: Nesting houses, bird feeders
Be able to explain why they should protect birds because they are part of
your natural heritage. Some birds are pests because they eat crops but they
should not be killed because they are part of the food web. Some birds appear
on postage stamps: Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail, Grey Duck, Kingfisher,
Lory, Cormorant, Dove, Lorikeet, Heron, Quail, Frigate Bird, Dollar Bird.
Birds have been a natural resource because they provide food and the feathers
are used for decoration. However, many kinds of birds are in danger of
all being killed because the human population is increasing. Many people
have shotguns. Many people no longer respect the old laws against killing
certain birds or eating bird's eggs. Chemicals used in plantations can
kill birds. Make sure that you have birds near the school.
Whole class
1. Describe the birds near the school. Can you imitate the voice of those
birds? Are birds friends or enemies? They are friends because they eat
lots of insects that damage food crops. Birds they are pleasant to look
at and hear. Birds can provide food for us. Birds are part of the natural
food web of all the different plants and animals in the country.
2. How can they protect birds? They can tell people that birds are important
animals and should not be killed with shotguns, tell people not to eat birds
or their eggs unless very hungry, tell people not to destroy their nests.
Extra Activity: Display of drawings, birds near your school.
Sentence completion: They can protect birds if they tell people not to 1.
[shoot them] 2. [eat their eggs] 3. [break their nests.] 2.6 Care of birds See diagram 9.1.4: Female and male parrots
Be able to care for a pet bird.
You will need a pet bird in the class, e.g. a parrot. There are other kinds
of parrots that can be tamed as pets such as the lory, lorikeet, cockatoo,
and the pygmy parrot. Some people keep pigeons. The Eclectics parrot is
found in coastal forests. When flying it makes a horrible "kraal" noise
but when feeding it says "chew". The female has brighter colours than the
male. This is unusual in birds. The female is mainly red and blue with a
black beak. She has blue around her eyes. The male is mainly green with
a yellow beak. Parrots can be tamed if you talk to them a lot and do not
shout loudly. They can be tethered to a tree or put in a very large cage
with plenty of freedom. They like to walk on the ground besides sitting on
a perch. They should be fed with fruit, nuts, grass and shell grit. They
need lots of clean water. They like to move out of the sunlight when it is
hot. Parrots are funny friends if you care for them. They can learn to talk.
1. Show the tame bird. Do you have a tame bird at home?
2. Can you describe the colours of the bird? Can you describe the song of
the bird?
3. Can you look after a tame bird? Do you know how to tie it up so as not
to hurt it? Birds need good food, water and shade. You can make the bird
friendly by talking to it a lot.
Extra Activity: Can you get a pet bird for the class and teach the children
to care for it? 2.7 Bottle sounds See diagram 26.3.1.6: Bottle sounds
Be able to make different sounds using bottles.
You will need to collect 8-10 bottles the same size. Practice putting water
in them and hitting them with a coin to make sounds.
1. Sounds can be made with bottles. Show how to blow across the top to make
a sound. Hitting an empty bottle can make a sound.
2. Pour some water in the bottle then hit it, pour more water in and hit
it again. What is the difference in the sounds? [The sounds are higher
or lower.]
3. Pour different amounts of water in each bottle to try to make the sounds
(pitch) of an octave. Can you play the tune "twinkle, twinkle, little star"?
Let the children try to play a tune.
4. Try blowing across the different bottles.
Extra Activity: Keep the bottles in the classroom to let the children play
different tunes. 2.8 Dull and bright in the sun See diagram: 4.36: Dull and bright drink cans
Dull, dark coloured things absorb most of the heat reaching them, while
the shiny light coloured things reflect most of the heat. Light coloured
things reflect most of the heat. When an object absorbs heat, it gets hotter.
Consequently, dark coloured or black objects get hot much faster than white
or shiny things. So light coloured clothes, houses, cars, are cooler in hot
sunny places.
Be able to describe the effect of dull and bright surfaces in sunlight.
You need:
1.1 Two drink cans. Leave one drink can clean and shiny. Paint the other
drink can black
1.2 One piece of black or dark-coloured cloth, or piece of paper, and one
white cloth, or piece of paper or aluminium foil
1.3 A sunny day
1. Give each pair one painted black drink can and one shiny drink can,
a piece of white cloth and a piece of dark-coloured cloth, or paper.
2. Take the children outside and tell them to hold one of the drink cans
in each hand. Note what happens after a few minutes? [The hand holding the
black drink can feels hotter.]
3. Put a black cloth over one hand and a white cloth over the other hand.
Note what happens after a few minutes. [The hand covered by the dark cloth
is hotter than the hand covered by the white cloth.]
4. Fill each of the drink cans with water and leave them in the sun for
as long as possible. Feel the water in each drink can after thirty minutes.
Note what you feel. [The water in the black drink can is hotter than the
water in the drink can tin.]
Extra Activity: If you have a pair of very old shoes, paint the left shoe
white and paint the right shoe black. Stand in the sun. Your right foot
becomes your hot foot. 2.9 Melt different substances
Be able to describe substances which can be melted with a candle flame.
Melting occurs when a substance is heated and it then changes from solid
state to liquid state. You will need: candles or a spirit burner (alcohol
lamp) or a fire. List A: margarine or butter or animal fat. List B: Plasticine
or wax, or ice, or candle. List C: salt or stones or nails or lead. List
D: sugar or paper or feathers. Also, you will need clothes pegs, or tongs
or two sticks to hold things over the candle flame.
1. Hard things are called solids. Soft things which you can pour are called
liquids. When some solid substances are heated, they change from solid
to liquid. You say that these substances melt.
2. Give out substances from each list. Heat each substance and notice whether
you melt.
3. Do these substances melt: List A? [Yes.] List B? [Yes.] List C? [No.]
List D? [No, these things become black and catch fire.] After a few minutes,
ask the children if the substances are still melted. [No, they can become
solid again.]
4. List C substances can be melted if you are heated to a very high temperature,
e.g. making lead sinkers.
Extra Activity: Can you think of something which is liquid but gets hard
when you heat it? [An egg, first the yolk then the white turns from liquid
to solid, but later it burns, as in List D. 2.10 Magnetic pin chain See diagram 29.2.3.2: Pin chain and dancing pins
Be able to use a magnet to: 1.1 find out which things are attracted by a
magnet and which things are not attracted by a magnet, 1.2. make a chain
of pins or paper clips, 1.3. make pins dance.
You will need to collect some things which are magnetic and some things
which are not magnetic.
Magnetic: things made of iron, pins paper-clips, staples, nails, screws,
bottle tops. Some black sand on the beach is magnetic.
Non-magnetic: plastic, most stones, paper, wood, rubbers, pencils, coins,
chalk. 1 magnet for each group.
1. Show a magnet. Say this word. Look after the magnet carefully and not
drop it. Give the children a magnet and tell them to pass it around the
class.
2. Give each group a mixture of some magnetic things and some things which
are not magnetic. Which things can the magnet pick up? [Pins, paper-clips,
nails. Which things can the magnet not pick up? [Chalk, plastic, paper.]
3. Give each group lots of pins or paper-clips or very small nails. Tell
the children: what happens when you put the magnet near all the pins? [The
magnet pulls all the pins towards it.]
4. Pull all the pins off the magnet. Then tell the children to pick up the
magnet and put one pin on the end of it. Then put another pin on the first
and then more pins to make it a chain of pins. Now tell the children to hold
the first pin and take away the magnet. Do the pins remain together in a
chain? Who can make the longest chain of pins?
5. Dancing pins. Put some pins on a piece of paper or glass or a plate.
Move the magnet under the paper and the pins will dance. Why does the magnet
make the pins dance?
Extra Activity: Tie a piece of string around the middle of two magnets.
Hold each magnet up by its string, then bring them together. Can you get
the end of the magnets to touch each other? [No.] 2.11 Balanced parrot See diagram: 8.11: Balanced parrot
1. Cut out the shape over the page using the stiff cardboard. Let the parrot
hang on a stick. Push its tail. Does it fall over? [No, it balances.]
Sentence completion: A spinning top (balances / falls over), but when it
stops spinning the top (balances / falls over.)
2. Balancing bird
Make a bird perch on your finger. Use the diagram of a bird on this page
as a ‘template’ to draw a bird on cardboard. Cut out the bird. Try balancing
the bird so that it will perch on your finger. If not, attach some plasticine
on the lowest point of the bird's tail. Does the bird balance on your finger
now? How much plasticine do you need on the tail for the bird just to balance?
Make other animal shapes and try balancing them. Try making a tightrope
walker. Design things too hold onto so that the tightrope walker maintains
balance while doing stunts. (Based on ICASE experiment) 2.12 Siphon and water spray See diagram 12.4.1.0: Siphon | See diagram 12.4.1: Siphon fountain
Be able to make a water spray and can transfer liquids using a siphon.
You need 1.1 a rubber, 1.2 an old pencil about two cm long, 1.3. an old
tin, e.g. milk tin with a nail hole in the bottom, 1.4 large containers
(buckets or dishes of water), 1.5. many jars, bottles or tins.
1. Use a siphon. Put a rubber tube under water until it is completely filled
with water so no air remains in the tube. Close each end of the tube with
a finger and lift the tube full of water out of the container. Hold one
closed end in an upper jar full of water Remove the fingers from the ends
of the rubber tube. Water will siphon up into the rubber tube then down into
the lower empty jar.
1. Push the water jet into one end of the rubber tube. Force the other end
of the rubber tube through the nail hole in the bottom of the milk tin. Hold
the equipment upright in a U-shape and place a finger over the water jet.
Tell one the children to fill the milk tin with water. Take your finger off
the water jet. What do you see? [Water shoots out like a fountain.]
2. Lower the jet and asks what happens? [The water spurts higher.] Raise
the jet and asks what happens? [The fountain is smaller.] Repeat raising
and lowering the jet slowly so that the children can see it clearly what
happens to the water. [The fountain gets bigger and smaller.] Refill the
tin with water as needed.
3. If you can tell you how to stop the fountain working without closing
it with a finger? [Raise the jet above the height of the tin.] Let groups
of children play the water fountain.
4. Take two jars. Put one on the table and the other on a chair next to
the table so that the second jar is lower than the first. Fill the jar on
the table about three quarters full of water. You have to transfer the water
from the top jar to the lower jar without moving or tipping the top jar.
Show a piece of rubber tubing. Who can use the siphon tube to transfer the
water? Show the siphon to the class. Take turns at filling the tube and
letting water flow from the top jar to the bottom jar using the siphon.
Extra Activity: What are the uses of siphons? [Siphons are used to empty
the dirty water from an aquarium or fish tank, to "suck out' petrol from
a petrol tank, to transfer blood from a bottle into the arm of a patient.] 2.13 Count your teeth See diagram 9.226: Teeth 1 | See diagram 9.226.1: Teeth 2 | See diagram 9.226.2: Teeth 3
Be able to count the different kinds of teeth in your mouth.
Milk teeth have four incisors, two canines, two premolars, and one molar.
Permanent teeth have four incisors, two canines, two pre-molars, and three
molars.
1. Sit in pairs and look in each others' mouth.
2. Count the biting teeth (incisors) How many teeth are there each side
in the top jaw and in the bottom jaw?
3. Count the tearing teeth (canines) tell that dogs have big tearing teeth.
4. Count the grinding teeth (molars) tell the children that cattle have
big grinding teeth.
5. Show how the teeth work.
5.1 Biting teeth more up and down to bite. You can see your marks in some
food.
5.2 To use tearing teeth you pull back, like a dog.
5.3 Pretend to chew something. Describe how your jaws move. [They move from
side to side, grinding the food into little pieces.]
Extra Activity: Bring some skulls and teeth of animals to school. 2.14 Measure your body in hand spans See diagram 2.0.9: Hand spans
Be able to measure the body in hand spans then draw a stick figure using
these measurements. Use pencils and paper.
1. Show how to measure your arm in hand spans. [One hand span to elbow and
three hand spans to shoulder.]
2. Show how to draw the arm equivalent in length to four hand spans by one
finger width equal to one hand span.
3. Now tell the children to try to draw your whole body as a stick diagram
using hand spans, e.g. foot to hip (six hand spans), hips to shoulder (three
hand spans), arms (four hand spans), neck (one hand span), head (one hand
spans).
Extra Activity: Measure your height in hand spans. 2.15 Measure with your body
Be able to measure things using parts of the body.
Use a one metre scale. This lesson is designed to teach children to get
into the habit of measuring the size of things against their own body and
later relating these measurements to a scale. Note the measurement in centimetres
of the following:
1.1 Width of a path, hand or foot spans
1.2 Length of a path (in metres), paces
1.3 Depth of a hole or a drain, stand in hole
1.4 Length of a rope or a long piece of string, arm lengths
1.5 Heights of a hedge or a fence, length of leg
1.6 Circumference of a flagpole, hand spans
1.7 Length and breadth of a banana leaf, hand or foot spans
1.8 Length of a pencil or a piece of chalk, knuckles
1.9 Area of a leaf, hand areas four litre kerosene cans
1.10 Size of a cupboard, number of people you could put inside
1.11 Height of the roof, estimate multiples of your height.
1. Show the children how to measure some things inside the classroom using
parts of their body.
2. Go outside and measure the things you have already measured. Write down, e.g. hole, up to my knee, path, 10 hand spans wide.
3. Now let the children measure themselves against the scale and write this
in their books. Which child measured most accurately?
4. Tell the children how you would measure other things outside the school,
using their bodies.
Extra Activity: How would you measure very small things with a piece of
string, ten pieces of string = one finger. 2.17 Move your eyes See diagram: 28.1.1.6: Human eye
Be able to name parts of the eye and observe how you move.
1. Work in pairs and take turns in doing each of the following activities:
Show each activity before you do it. Look at your partner's eyes carefully.
Find each part on the blackboard diagram. Clap your hands in front of your
partner's face. What happens? [The child blinks. Tell your partner to watch
your finger as you move towards the nose. What happens to the eyes? [The
child blinks. Tell your partner to walk slowly around you in a big circle.
Follow with your eyes but do not move your head or body. See how long you
can keep your partner in sight. Put your hand up when you can no longer
see your partner. By moving your eyes only and not your head, see how far
you can move your hand up and down in front of your face and keep it in
sight. Put your hand up when you can no longer see your partner. By moving
your eyes only and not your head, see how far you can move your hand up and
down in front of your face and keep it in sight.
2. One Eye Game
Face your partner and kneel on the floor. Put a piece of paper or bottle
top or stone between you on the floor. Cover your right eye with one hand.
See who can pick up the paper first. Play the game again using the other
hand and the other eye.
3. Blinking Game
Stare into your partner's eyes and try not to blink. The first one to blink
loses the game.
4. What do you use your eyes for? [Seeing. What are the small hairs around
the eye called? [Eyelashes. What do the eyelids and eyelashes do? [Protect
the eye. What happens when something gets into your eye? [Our eyes water.
Tears form to wash the eye clean. What does the black spot in the eye do?
[It lets light into the eye so that you can see.]. Why do you blink? [To
protect your eyes and keep them wet.] 2.18 Smelling game
Be able to use the sense of smell to distinguish between different substances.
The safe way to smell something is to fan the gas towards the nose with
the hand and sniff cautiously. If you detect no odour, move closer and try
again. See diagram 1.13
You will need to collect different substances which have different kinds
of smell. Warning: Do not let children smell petrol, methylated spirit,
alcohol, pesticides, correcting fluid and dry cleaning fluid.
Kinds of smells: 1.1 "Fruity", from ripe fruit, 1.2 "Fragrant", from flowers
and perfume, 1.3 "Onion", from onion, garlic, sulfur, 1.4 "Burning", from
burning meat, coffee, tobacco, feathers, 1.5 "Sweaty", from sweat, old
cheese, goats, 1.6 "Foul", from rotten meat, rotten vegetables and faeces.
1. What do you use to describe things? [Sight, sound, hearing, touch, taste
and smell, the five senses.]
2. Name some good smells and bad smells.
3. Pass around examples of different smells, e.g. ripe bananas, fragrant
flowers, cut onion, burnt feather, old shirt, humus and damp earth. Describe
the smells.
4. Smelling game
Give out the examples to the groups. Each child shuts its eyes, is given
something to smell and then must say what it is. The child with the most
correct answers wins.
Extra Activity: Show how animals smell things? Which animals smell things
a lot? [Dogs and cats.] Which animals do not smell things much? [Birds.] 2.19 Skin and hair
Be able to describe your skin and hair.
You will need magnifying glasses, ink, pencils, white paper.
1. Give each group a magnifying glass and white paper.
2. Look carefully at your bodies and name places where hair grows? [Head,
arms, legs.] Does hair grow on the palms of the hands? [No.] Does hair
grow on the bottom of the feet? [No.] Look at the hair on the head of the
person next to you. What colour is your friend's hair? Is your friend's
hair fuzzy, curly or straight? Can you find the longest hair in your friend's
head?
3. Take turns using a magnifying glass to look at the hairs on your arms
and the hairs on your friend's arms. Carefully pull out a hair from your
head with a quick pull and put it on the sheet of white paper. Draw one hair
including the tip of the hair and the root.
4. Look at the skin with the magnifying glass: on the back of the hand,
on the palm of the hand. Can you see where the hairs come out of little holes
called pores of the skin? Put ink or pencil on the skin. Can you see the
pattern of the skin? Draw the pattern of the skin.
Extra Activity: your fingerprints: Look at the skin of your thumb with the
magnifying glass. Can you see a pattern? Put a small drop of ink on paper
or cloth. Press the thumbs down on it, then press the thumb on clean paper.
Can you see the pattern of the skin? This is called a fingerprint. It is
used by policemen to discover who stole something by comparing fingerprints. 2.20 Spirit burner, alcohol
lamp
See diagram 3.2.0.1: Spirit burners 1. Make a spirit burner
You will need: a small bottle such as an empty ink bottle, a small piece
of tin to make a tube with, Plasticine and a wick.
1.1 Make a hole in the lid of the bottle.
1.2 Bend the piece of metal to form a chimney. Fix the chimney into the
hole in the lid. Hold the chimney in position with Plasticine.
1.3 Insert a wick through the chimney.
1.4 Half fill the bottle with methylated spirit.
1.5 Replace the lid on the bottle.
1.6 Light the wick.
Hold a piece of very thin wire such as iron wool in the flame. The hotter
the flame, the brighter it glows.
2. For heating different quantities of water. You will need two drink cans
of the same size, two candles or spirit lamps.
Measure water into the first tin. Measure twice the amount of water into
the second tin.
3. Heat the drink cans at the same time with the two candles or two spirit
lamps. In which tin does the water boil first?
4. Measure water into the first tin. Measure the same amount of water into
the second tin
5. Heat the tins at the same time. Heat the first tin with the candle. Heat
the second tin with the spirit lamp. In which tin does the water boil first? 2.21 Heat different substances See diagram 23.24 Charcoal burner
When you light a candle you first heat some of the wick which burns to produce
heat. This heat melts solid wax to become a liquid, then a gas. This gas
burns to form the candle flame and produce heat.
Study changes caused by heating
1. Collect different solids, e.g. stone, grass, metal foil, bone, wood,
clay, plastic, paper, iron, wool,
2. Hold each solid with tongs and heat it over a spirit burner.
3. Observe carefully what happens to each substance. Does the substance
change? How does it change? Does it burn? If it burns is anything left when
it stops burning?
4. Collect the following substances: flour, sugar and wax.
5. Heat each of these substances in turn in a spoon, or on a tin lid, held
over the spirit burner.
6. Observe carefully what happens to each substance. Does the substance
change? How does it change? Does it burn? If it burns is anything left when
it stops burning?
7. Do all substances change the same way when they are heated? Which substances
change when they are hot but go back to their original form when they cool
again? Which substances
change permanently?
Some of the metals you find are mixtures.
Solder metal is used to join metals. together. It melts at low temperatures.
Solder is a mixture of lead and tin.
Brass is a hard yellow metal used to make taps. Brass is a mixture of copper
and zinc.
Steel is mainly iron with some carbon. Steel is very springy and strong
and is used to make razor blades.
Coin coins are made of a mixture of copper and nickel.
Studying corrosion
Collect some old bits of metal. Look at them carefully. Some of the pieces
will no longer be shiny. Many metals go dull when they are old and left
lying about. Lead becomes covered with a dark grey substance. Iron gets
covered with a brown substance called rust. The outside of the lead and
the iron changes. You say it corrodes. Corrosion destroys metals. The commonest
form of corrosion is the rusting of iron. 2.22 Copy with a rubber band See diagram 2.0.7: Map draw
You will need a rubber band, a pencil and some drawing paper.
1. Draw a diagram a piece of paper.
2. Fix one end of a rubber band to the paper with a drawing pin.
3. Tie a knot in the rubber band and place a pencil in the other end of
the band.
4. Stretching the rubber band so that the knot can follow the outline of
the drawing. Move the knot over the diagram and let the pencil draw. Compare
the copy with the original.
5. Copy again with the knot closer to the drawing pin or closer to the pencil.
Compare this second copy with the original. 2.23 See-saw balance See diagram 4.21: See-saws | See diagram 4.13: Beam balance
1. To show and apply the balance condition of lever, use a strong board
about 3 m long and a saw horse to make a see-saw or use a playground see-saw.
Select two students of similar weight. Tell them to sit at either end of
the board so that they balance and the see-saw is horizontal. Measure the
distance from the balance point to each student. Observe that they are similar
distances from the fulcrum. For each student multiply the distance by the
student's weight and compare the moments, they should be equal.
2. Select a heavier student and a lighter student and repeat Part 1. . 3.
Select a heavier student and two lighter students. Tell them to sit on the
board so that they balance. The two lighter students may not necessarily
have to sit together. Measure the distance from the balance point to each
student. Multiply the distance by the student's weight. Add the moments
for the two lighter students and compare it to the moment produced by the
heavier student. Each case shows that for an object in equilibrium the sum
of the moments in one direction is equal to the sum of the moments in the
opposite direction. 2.24 Steelyard balance See diagram 8.13 Steelyard balance
The steelyard is a weighing machine with unequal arms. Hang the object to
be weighed from the end of the shorter arm and move a weight along the longer
arm until they balance.
This balance can be made in the playground. It can weigh people.
1. Suspend a long pole from a tree with a strong rope.
2. Make a scale this way:
2.1. Put 10 litres (10 kg) of water in a bucket.
2.2. Hang the bucket where people will sit.
2.3. Hang a heavy stone on the other side of the pole. Move it along the
pole until it balances.
2.4. Mark the pole, 10 kg, at this place.
2.5. Fill the bucket with 20 litres of water.
2.6. Move the stone further away until it balances.
2.7. Mark this position, 20 kg.
2.8. Measure the distance between the 10 kg and 20 kg marks. Use this distance
to mark the
whole pole: 30 kg, 40 kg.
3. Use your balance to weigh people. Move the stone along until the pole
balances. Read off the weight of the person from the scale. 2.25 Ruler balance See diagram 8.10: Ruler balance
You will need a ruler, a rubber band, a pencil or a split bamboo cane and
two similar books.
1. Fix the pencil to the ruler with the rubber band. The diagram shows you
how.
2. Balance the pencil on the two books.
3. Move the ruler slightly until it balances.
4. Collect together things to weigh such as pencils, pens, matchboxes and
small drink cans filled with different things, and bottle tops filled with
Plasticine.
5. Which is heavier, a pen or a pencil? Which is heavier, a tin of stones
or a tin of water?
6. Predict the results before weighing then use the balance to see whether
your predictions are correct.
7. How many bottle tops are needed to balance a book? Use the bottle tops
filled with Plasticine as units. Should the bottle tops be at the same
distance from the centre as the book?
8. Measure other objects using bottle tops as a unit. 2.26 Balance bottle tops
1. Place a bottle top at one end of the balance. Where should you put two
bottle tops at the other side to balance it?
2. Make a prediction. Make the bottle tops balance. How many centimetres
from the centre are the bottle tops?
3. Draw the balance showing the distances on it. Where should three bottle
tops be placed to balance one? Predict first, then try it.
4. Balance more bottle tops. Place three bottle tops on the balance as in
the diagram. Do not move them.
5. Can you balance them by moving the pencil? To which side should you move
the pencil?
6. Balance one bottle top against three bottle tops. How far are the bottle
tops from the centre of balance? 2.27 Nail balance
A. Making the balance
Use a straight piece of wood about 40 cm long, a bamboo cane for the stand,
a large tin of sand and some nails.
1. Find the centre of the piece of wood by resting it on a pencil. Move
the wood until it balances. When you have found the resting place, make a
mark
on it. This is the centre.
2. Hammer a large nail in the upper part of the mark. If the nail is placed
in the lower part the balance will not work.
3. Measure with the ruler five equal distances from the nail on both sides.
4. Hammer in a nail at each mark. Number the nails. This piece of wood
is called the arm of the balance.
5. Cut notches in the top of the bamboo cane. They should be deep enough
to let the arm move freely.
6. Fix the cane in the tin of sand to form the stand.
7. Mount the arm on the stand. Does the arm stay straight? If not, what
should you do to make it stay straight?
B. Using the balance
You will need bottle tops, a nail and a hammer.
1. Hammer the bottle tops to make them flat.
2. Use the nail to make a hole in the centre of each one.
3. Hang one bottle top on nail 4 on the left of your balance. Hang two bottle
tops on nail 2 on the right of your balance. Do they balance?
4. Put one bottle top on nail 5 on one side. Balance it with two bottle
tops on the other side. On which two nails did you put the bottle tops?
5. Try to balance one bottle top on nail 5 on one side with three bottle
tops on the other side. On which nails did you hang them?
6. Balance other arrangements of bottle tops. Record your results in a table
like this:
-
L
E
F
T
-
-
R
I
G
H
T
Nail
5
4
3
2
1
-
1
2
3
4
5
No. Bottle tops example 1
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
" " " example 2
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
-
" " " example 3
1
-
-
-
-
-
1
2
-
-
-
" " " example 4
-
-
1
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
1
" " " example 5
-
-
-
3
-
2
2
-
-
-
2.28 Beam balance See diagram 16.13: Beam balance | See diagram 8.12: Balances
Be able to make a simple beam balance and use it to weigh things.
You will need three pieces of string each about 35 cm long, a wooden ruler
that you can cut, or a smooth stick, two match boxes, a knife. Cut a small
v-shape in each side of the ruler or stick. Tie one end of a piece of string
around where the V's are, when you hold up the ruler by the other end of
the string it should balance horizontally. Make four holes in the corners
of two matchbox trays. Thread one end of the string through the holes as
shown, then tie the two ends. Pull the string so that the knot is at the
top. You will need some chalk and little stones. Move the matchbox trays
on the ruler until it balances horizontally. Notice the positions on the
ruler.
1. Show how you tie the string to the ruler and then show it balancing horizontally.
2. Show how you made the matchbox trays. Show them balancing horizontally
from the ruler.
3. Place a large piece of chalk on the left hand tray, it goes down. Put
little stones in the right hand tray until the ruler is horizontal again.
The weight of the chalk is now equal to the weight of the stones.
4. Draw the following on the chalkboard. Which objects are heavier and
which objects have the same weight? 2.29 Drinking straw balance See diagram 8.12: Drinking straw balance
You will need a matchbox, a drinking straw, a small screw, a clothes peg,
a piece of paper to make a scale, and two pins.
The diagram shows you how the balance is made. The screw can be pushed further
in, or pulled further out, of the straw to let it balance. This balance is
very sensitive. You will be able to use it to weigh tiny insects, threads
of cotton and wool and tiny pieces of paper. What else can you weigh? What
units will you use? 2.30 Leaf pictures
Be able to record the structure of leaves by rubbing with a pencil.
Leaves, pencils, paper, different types of flat leaves.
1. Arrange 2-3 different kinds of leaves on a page of an exercise book.
2. Place a second page over the leaves, rub the page with a pencil then
draw the outline.
3. 3.1 In what way are the leaves the same? [All have a midrib and veins.]
3.2 How are the leaves different? [There are many different shapes.] 3.3.
Can you see the leaf veins? [Yes.]
Extra Activity: Try again with more unusual leaves. How are they the same?
How are they different? 2.31 Collect flowers See diagram 9.98.7: Flowers
Be able to collect and classify different flowers.
Each child should bring five different flowers to school.
1. Put all the flowers you have collected on your desks. Place each kind
of flower in separate piles.
2. Hold up each kind of flower. What colour it is?
3. Explain where you found it.
4. Show the petals on the flowers. How many petals can you see on each kind
of flower? [The numbers of petals for dicotyledons are 5 or 10 or 15 or multiples
of 5 or many. The numbers of petals for monocotyledons are 3 or 6 or 9 or
multiples of 3 or many.]
5. Can see other parts of flowers that are in 5's or 3's? [Sepals, male
parts and female parts.]
6. Flowers attract bees and birds because flowers contain nectar, i.e. honey.
Put your little finger into the flower and try to find some nectar, just
like a bee or a bird. Does nectar taste sweet? [Yes.] Put your little finger
into a flower and try to find the nectar.
7. Put the flowers into two different groups: big / small, colourful / not
colourful, parts in 5's / parts in 3's, have nectar / no nectar, red / not
red, many flowers on a branch / one flower on a branch.
Extra Activity: Draw the flowers you have collected. 2.32 Collect seeds
Be able to recognize the difference between different seeds.
Make a collection of 4-5 different kinds of seeds, e.g. peanuts, other legumes,
corn, pumpkin, melon, tomato, pandanus, papaya. You will need 12 seeds of
each kind and a clock face.
1. Divide the children into groups so that each group has 12 seeds of one
kind, e.g. Group A: 12 pumpkin seeds, Group B: 12 peanut seeds, Group C:
12 papaya seeds.
2. Are all the seeds the same size? [No.] Put the seeds in one line, biggest
to smallest, then count the seeds? [12.]
3. Show a clock face. Arrange the seeds like the numbers on the clock face.
Put the biggest seed on the one and the smallest seed on the one.
4. Are the seeds on the five and six are big or small? [Middle size.]
5. Do all the seeds have the same pattern and the same colour? [Most will
be the same, but there are some differences.]
6. Give each group has three seeds of each kind.
7. Repeat steps three and four with the different kinds of seeds.
Extra Activity: Collect different kinds of seeds in the school playground
and at home. Who can find the most seeds? 2.33 Grow plants from seeds See diagram 9.113.1: Seeds | See diagram 9.113.2: Plant bean seeds
Be able to explain what seeds need to make them grow.
This is the first lesson in a series to teach the different ways of forming
new plants: seeds (sexual reproduction) and using pieces of plant cuttings,
layering, divisions (vegetative reproduction). In this lesson the emphasis
is upon what the seed needs to make them grow. The seed is already alive
but given the right conditions of moisture and air it will grow to form
a new plant. You will need some bean seeds or any other big seed that germinates
quickly, some dry soil, cans with holes punched in the bottom, and a can
or jar with no holes in the bottom.
1. What can seeds do? [Grow to make a new plant.].
2. What do seeds need to make them grow? [Do not tell the children the answer
but discuss an experiment to find the answer. The experiment is designed
to tell us what seeds need to make them grow. The seed in the soil in B
should grow best because seeds need water and air to make them grow.]
Extra Activity: Do seeds need darkness to grow? In the experiment some seeds
are in the light and some are in the dark. What does this experiment tell
you? 2.34 Three kinds of food
Be able to identify the three different kinds of food when shown samples.
Collect samples of: 1.1 potato, sweet potato, rice, 1.2. meat, fish, beans,
1.3. vegetable oil or peanut butter, fruit, edible greens, 1.4. salt, milk.
1. Show the different samples of food.
2. Potato, sweet potato or rice. Taste them raw. You can taste starch. If
you eat plenty of these foods, you will not get tired easily. These are energy
foods.
3. Meat, fish and beans. These foods will make children grow big and strong.
These are growth foods.
4. Vegetable oil, peanut butter, edible greens. These are protective foods.
Protective foods keep you healthy and protect you from sickness.
5. Salt is needed in small amounts. Milk is needed because it contains calcium
to make strong bones. Salt and calcium are called minerals.
6. Each day eat the three kinds of food: 6.1 Energy food, 6.2
Growth food, 6.3 Protective food, 6.4 Milk and salt. What are the different
foods you eat each day at home?
Extra Activity: Contact a health worker to talk about healthy
diet for children. 2.35 Paint with plant juices
Be able to use juices from leaves and flowers to draw things.
You will need some plants that produce colourful juice when you break the
stem. Before the lesson, check which plants grow in the school grounds that
the children can pick or they must bring to the class before the lesson.
1. Show how to break stems and squeeze leaves and flowers to make plant
juices of different colours.
2. Draw circles with each kind of leaf and flower juice. How many different
coloured circles can you draw? Can you write their name in plant juices?
3. Can you draw a flower using plant juice?
4. Hang up all the drawings on the wall. Look at them the next day, are
the colours the same?
Extra Activity:
1. Competition for the best drawing using plant juices.
2. Try to draw yourselves using the plant juices. 2.36 Examine rocks with a magnifier
Be able to describe what you can see inside a rock.
The most common kinds of rocks are as follows:
1.1 Reef limestone is found near the coast because you are formed from old
coral reefs. They have a white grey, stony appearance. You cannot see crystals
and it cannot be split into layers. It fizzes if put in acid.
1.2 Sedimentary rocks are formed from mud, sand and little stones compressed
together. Sometimes you can see crystals and layers.
1.3 Volcanic rocks formed when the lava from old volcanoes has cooled.
1.4 Basalt is a dark coloured rock with fine crystals. Sometimes it contains
little holes but it is never in layers.
1.5 Andesite is light coloured with very tiny crystals although there may
be some scattered large crystals in it. Do not tell the children the names
of the rocks. You will need magnifying glasses and a collection of different
kinds of rocks. Put the rocks in a cloth bag and hit them with a hammer to
get clean faces.
1. Give out the magnifying glasses and your rock collection to each group.
2. Look carefully inside a piece of rock. What do you see inside? Is it
all the same inside or is it different? Can you see the layers? Can you see
shiny crystals? What colour is the rock? Can you see holes?
3. Take another piece of rock and describe it.
4. Look at both pieces of rock. What are the differences between them? Divide
all your rocks into 3-4 piles. The rocks in each pile should have the same
description, e.g. all white all layers, all have shiny crystals.
Extra Activity: Make a display of different kinds of rocks based on what
you saw inside them. Stick the rocks on cardboard and hang this in the
wall. 2.37 Collect different soils See diagram 6.36.1: Soil profiles 1 | See diagram 6.26: Soil profiles 2
Be able to collect different soil samples and state three ways in which
the samples are different.
Use many sheets of old paper to wrap small samples of soil in, digging tools
(spades) or digging sticks, 10 sheets of stiff paper or cardboard, glue or
paste, ready mixed. Be sure you can get three very different kinds of soil,
e.g. garden soil, forest soils, soil from a bare area or near a beach.
1. Give out the prepared materials, give out soils, or tell the children
to go outside and collect soil samples.
2. Look at the colour of the soil, to feel it, to see what is in it, how
well it holds together, to wrap small samples of soil in separate pieces
of paper, to write on each parcel where the soil came from.
3. After 15 minutes of collecting bring the children back into the classroom
and quickly find out which group has collected which soils. You are going
to display your soils for other classes to see.
4. Display your soil samples by gluing strips of soil two cm wide down the
cardboard. Write above each strip where you found this soil.
5. Name three ways in which soils can be different? [Colour, "feel", size
of particles, amount of plants / animals present. What different types
of soils did your group collect? [Different answers from different groups.]
Describe each soil. Which group collected the most different soil samples?
[Name the group.] Extra Activity: Bring to the class different soil samples
from near your home to add them to the display. Soils can be different from
each other in several ways, e.g. colour, textures (or "feel"), amount of
black sticky humus, amount of decaying plant and animal matter present, how
the soil holds together, and the size of the particles. There are three main
types of soils: 5.1 sandy soil, 5.2 clay soil and 5.3. loam or garden soil.
Sandy soils are usually loose and free flowing with large particles and a
rough texture. Clay soils are smooth and sticky with small particles. Garden
soils have plenty of humus and usually have a mixture of small and large
particles. Before the lesson try to find places around the school
where these different types of soils can be found. You can then direct the
children to these areas when you are collecting. To display the soil samples,
use a glue brush to make a 2 cm strip of glue on a piece of cardboard. Sprinkle
the soil sample on the strip of glue. Write the name of the place where the
soil came from on the cardboard. 2.38 Shake soil in water
Be able to separate soil into different components and discover how soil
is formed.
You will need some topsoil taken from underneath some old leaves, glass
jars, water.
1. Take the children outside to dig up some soil just underneath some old
leaves.
2. Feel the soil by rubbing it between the thumb and finger. What do you
feel? [Most of the soil feels gritty but the black part of the soil feels
sticky.]
3. Add soil to the jar containing water then shake the jar. Put the jar
on the table and leave it to let the soil settle down.
4. What do you see? [4.1 Some bits of plant are floating.] [4.2 Bigger stones
fall down first, then the large sand particles, then the small sand particles.]
[4.3 The water remains muddy for a time because of the smallest particles
do not fall down.] [4.4 After a long time all the smallest particles and
a thin layer of black stuff fall down and the water becomes clear.] [4.5
If you bump or shake the jar the water becomes muddy again.]
5. Point to the different layers in the water: stones, big particles of
sand, small particles of sand, mud, floating parts of plants. Where do the
layers come from? [The layers that feel gritty come from broken rocks. The
black stuff that feels sticky and the floating stuff comes from plants and
animals.]
6. Rocks can be broken into small particles by the weather and rivers but
it takes many years. The dead bodies of plants and animals form the black
sticky stuff after some years. Soil takes a long time to form so you must
not let it get washed away.
Extra Activity: Good soil contains different sizes of stone particles and
the black sticky stuff. Bad soil contains stone particles only. Where do
you find good soil and bad soil in the school grounds? [Good soil is found
in places where you find lots of old dead leaves.] 2.38.1 Shake sand, garden soil and powdered clay in water
Be able to observe how soil settles in water.
Use samples of sand, garden soil and powdered clay (for each group, glass
jars, 10 containers of water.
1. Put a small amount of clay in a glass jar. Almost fill the jar with water.
Stir the mixture. Hold the jar up to the light. Look carefully at the mixture.
What do you see? [The clay does not settle in the water.] Place the jar on
a piece of paper and write the word CLAY on the paper. Do not empty the jar.
2. Repeat step one for both sand and garden soil. In each case tell the
children what happens? [Sand settles quickly and soil separates into different
parts.] Place each jar on a piece of paper and label them "sand" and "garden
soil".
3. Place the three jars on your labels in a safe place where you will not
be moved and allow them to stand for a day and night.
4. Show a jar of muddy water from a river and a jar fill of clean water.
How can you make the clean water look like the river water? [Add clay or
soil to the water.]
5. How did the river water become muddy? [Sand settles much faster than
clay because the particles are much bigger and heavier. When sand and clay
are washed into a river, the sand settles but the clay cannot settle because
the water is moving. So the river looks muddy if there is lots of clay
in it.]
Extra Activity: Collect samples of muddy water from rivers and pools. Put
them in jars and see how long they take to settle. 2.38.2 Shake good soil and bad soil in water
Be able to explain what they see when good soil and bad soil are shaken
in water and left to settle.
You will need some good soil and bad soil, jars with lids, a ruler. The
good soil can be topsoil from the garden especially if it is a new garden
that has been recently cleared from the bush. The bad soil could be subsoil
or soil that is on a slope and partly washed away. The good soil will have
roughly equal amounts of sand and clay and much plant matter. The bad soil
will have little plant matter in it.
Show the good soil and bad soil. Give each group two jars. Fill the jars
with water, pour equal amounts of soil in, shake the jars and let them
stand. What do you see? [The soil falls down and the water stays muddy,
plant matter floats on the water.] After a few more minutes tell the children
what you see. [The muddy water is starting to clear.] Show the layers of
stones, clay and sand. Where did the clay come from? [It was floating in
the water before the water cleared.] Measure the depth of the stones, sand,
and clay with your finger or a ruler. Describe the difference between what
you see in the jar containing good soil and the jar containing bad soil.
[Good soil contains more black plant matter, surface soil will have little
clay and the muddy water will clear first, bad subsoil may be nearly all
clay and the muddy water will clear last.] 2.39 Water through soil See diagram 36.6.3: Water through soil
Be able to observe how much water passes through different kinds of soils.
Use tins with holes punched in the bottom, sandy soil, good soil, clay
soil, two glass jars.
1. Give out to each group: one tin with holes, sandy soil, good soil, clay
soil, two glass jars.
2. Show how to fill the tin with soil, then tip in the first jar of water.
The second jar is used to catch the water passing through. Do this with
three different soils.
3. Through which soil does the water pass fastest? [Sandy soil.] Through
which soil does the water pass the slowest? [Clay soil. The water may not
pass through the clay at all.]
4. Use your fingers to measure the depth of water in the first jar before
pouring it through the good soil. After five minutes, pour the water in
the second jar back into the first jar. How much water remains in the first
jar?
Extra Activity: Repeat 4. but leave it to drain for a whole day. How much
water is held in the soil after one day? 2.40 Soil air See diagram 35.6.4: Soil air
You will need four jars or glasses of the same size.
1. To find which soil contains the most air, fill one jar with clay soil
and the other with sandy soil.
2. Place full jars of water over each jar of soil. Any air in the soil will
bubble out and displace water from the jars. Which jar collected the most
air? Which soil contained the most air?
3. Test the air content of the soil in your school garden. Cover a full
glass of water with a card or plastic sheet. Turn the glass upside down.
Place the glass on top of a full glass of dry soil. Remove the plastic sheet
or card. 2.41 Mix and dissolve
Be able to show that some things mix with water and dissolve in it.
You will need some sugar, salt, fertilizer, chalk powder and clean sand.
Also you will need cups, glass jars and clean sticks for stirring. If you
intend to allow the children to taste the water, make sure the water is
clean and suitable for drinking.
1. Give each group some sand, sugar, a stirring stick and a glass jar. Pour
a little sand and sugar into the dry glass jar. Can you see the sand and
sugar in the jar? [Yes. Mix the dry sand and sugar with the stirring stick.
Can you still see the sand and the sugar? [Yes, but they are not easy to
see.] Add water and stir again. Can you still see the sand? [Yes.] Can you
still see the sugar? [No.] Where did the sugar go? [The sugar goes into the
water. The water dissolved the sugar.]
2. Give each group some salt and a cup of water. Taste the dry salt. Taste
the water. Put salt into the cup and stir it. Can you see the salt? [No.
Let the children taste the salty water. Where did the salt go? [The salt
goes into the water.] How do you know the salt is in the water? [You can
taste the salt. The water dissolved the salt.
3. Put some chalk dust into the water and stir it. Can you still see the
chalk? [Yes.] Is it in the water? [No, the water did not dissolve the chalk
dust.]
4. What can be dissolved in water? [Salt and sugar.] What cannot be dissolved
in water? [Sand and chalk.]
Extra Activity: Put some fertilizer in water and stir. Will it dissolve
with water? [Yes.] Add more fertilizer to the water. Will it all dissolve?
[No.] 2.42 Mix liquids
Be able to show that some liquids will mix with water and some will not.
Use the following: 1.1 Large containers of water for rinsing jars and bottles,
1.2 A large container of soapy water for washing jars and bottles, 1.3 Samples
of as many different liquids as possible, e.g. methylated spirits, kerosene,
cooking oil, engine oil, coconut oil, iodine, ink, detergent, cordial, vinegar.
1.4 Jars or bottles, 1.5 Clear sticks for stirring, 1.6. Some liquids that
mix with water are alcohols, e.g. methylated spirits, vinegar, cordial, detergents,
iodine and ink. 1.7. Some liquids that do not mix with water, e.g. kerosene,
oils.
1. Half fill the jar with water, put in some methylated spirit, stir. What
happens to the mixture? [The methylated spirit mixes with the water. It spreads
throughout the water. It does not float on top or sink to the bottom of the
water.] Empty the jar, then wash it in the bucket containing soapy water,
then rinse it in the bucket of clean water.
2. Repeat the experiment using kerosene instead of methylated spirit. Does
the kerosene mix with the water? [No.] What happens? [It floats on the top.]
3. Repeat the experiment using each liquid in turn. Do all the liquids
mix with water? [No.]
4. Name one liquid that mixes with water? [Fruit juice, ink, methylated
spirits.]
Extra Activity: Can insecticides or weedicides mix with water? [Yes, but
they mix better if you add soap or detergent.] 2.43 Different metals
Collect different metal fro the home and the school.
1. Identify metals
Iron is a shiny metal which goes rusty. Nails, knives and tools are made
of iron. Most metal in a can is iron. This metal, unlike most others, can
be pulled by a magnet. Lead is a soft metal, usually grey. It looks like
silver when it is scratched. Found in old water pipes and old car batteries.
Aluminium is a shiny metal. Used for making silver paper (foil).
Copper is a red brown metal. It is quite soft and it is used to make electrical
wire.
Zinc is a grey metal. It is found in cells. It is used to cover things made
of iron, e.g. galvanized iron roofing and fencing wire.
Chromium is a shiny metal, e.g. the shiny parts of a motor car. These parts
are usually made of steel, covered with a thin layer of chromium.
Tin is a shiny white metal. It is used to cover cans made of iron.
2. Some of the metals you find are mixtures.
Solder metal is used to join metals. together. It melts at low temperatures.
Solder is a mixture of lead and tin.
Brass is a hard yellow metal used to make taps. Brass is a mixture of copper
and zinc.
Steel is mainly iron with some carbon. Steel is very springy and strong
and is used to make razor blades.
Coin are made of a mixture of copper and nickel.
3. Study corrosion
Collect some old bits of metal. Look at them carefully. Some of the pieces
will no longer be shiny. Many metals go dull when they are old and left
lying about. Lead becomes covered with a dark grey substance. Iron gets
covered with a brown substance called rust. The outside of the lead and
the iron changes. You say it corrodes. Corrosion destroys metals. The commonest
form of corrosion is the rusting of iron. 2.44 Candle flame See diagram 3.2.0.0: Candle flame | See diagram 3.2.0.2: Candle burner | See diagram 4.20: Copper coil candle snuffer
A. Study burning candle
Fire can be useful. It can also be dangerous. Its heat can cook food. Its
heat can also burn you. In this experiment you will study fire. You must
study it carefully and safely, or you could be burned and scarred.
Always obey these instructions:
1.1 Fires made from things that burn quickly, e.g. paper, must be made outside.
Keep away from dry grass.
1.2. Do not touch hot containers with your hands.
1.3. Keep a bucket of water and a bucket of dry sand near you to put out
fires.
1.4. Avoid sudden movements.
1.5. If you burn yourself, cool the burnt part in the cold water. Keep it
cool for 10 minutes then get first aid from your teacher
1. Stand a candle on a table so that it is not in a draught.
2. Light the candle. Watch the flame carefully. What shape is the flame?
Is the shape always the same? What colours can you see in the flame? Is
the candle wick straight or bent?
3. Draw a picture of the flame and colour the picture.
4. What happens to the candle? Does the candle get smaller? What happens
to the wax just below the flame? Where does the melted wax go?
Graph showing length of candle as it burns, at different times of day
8 a.m. 10.0 a.m. 12 noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m.
Times in hours
5. The graph shows how the length of a candle changed while it burned. How
much of this candle burned in each hour? At what time do you think the candle
would have completely burned away? Could the candle be used as a clock?
6. Candle experiments
You will need 2 candles and several jars of different sizes.
6.1 Put a large jar over a burning candle. Did the candle continue burning?
How long did it keep burning?
6.2 Place a smaller jar over a burning candle. Did the candle continue burning?
How long did it keep burning?
6.3 Light two candles. Cover one candle with a jar. When the flame goes
out, remove the jar and place it immediately over the second candle. What
do you observe?