Classifying materials

 

This week we have looked at classifying materials. The students examined a bike and identified all the products used to make it. This included everything from the paint to the foam inside the seat. They grouped these matarials into metals, plastics/synthetics, and other.

We then looked around the room and classified as many things we could into the following categories:

• Wood
• Plastics/synthetics
• Composites
• Ceramics
• Metals
• Natural fabrics

We took a deeper look into metals. We examined a variety of metals and then the students researched a particular metal and shared back their expertise. The students looked into the metal's melting point, conductivity, malleability and all sorts of other information. Mercury and titanium were fascinating metals to look into. Georgia made a clever link between melting point and malleability. Nicholas asked a great question around why mercury is a metal when it is liquid. This led to a great discussion around what is a metal. This is a definition of a metal:

 Any chemical element that is an effective conductor of electricity and heat can be defined as a metal.

Some definitions:

• Alloy - a metal made from a combination of metals, e.g. steel (iron and carbon), brass (copper and zinc), Bronze (copper and tin).
• Galvanised - coated in a protective layer of zinc.
• Stainless steel - steel with a high amount of chromium which stops it from corroding.
• Malleability - how easily its shape can be changed. 

Combustion

We have looked at what combustion is. Simply put, it is the burning of something. In more detail it is the rapid chemical combination of something with oxygen. When this happens heat and light is produced. Oxidise means to combine chemically with oxygen.

We looked at some examples of spontaneous combustion, such as linseed oil when it is exposed to oxygen. We also did an experiment combining potassium permanganate and glycerine which combusts.

The most important ingredient for combustion is oxygen. The main product of combustion is carbon dioxide (CO2) which is not good for our environment. There are other products though.

We burnt a candle and put a spoon in the flame which got black all over it. We discussed how the fuel (wax) has carbon (C) in it and the wax doesn't completely burn up (incomplete combustion). Small particles of carbon are released which gather on the spoon or as black smoke. We also covered the candle with a container. The candle went out as the oxygen in the container got used up.

We also identified some flammable things in the home. If something is flammable it easily oxidises/combusts.

Introverts and Extroverts

We had a great discussion today around personalities. We looked at what introverts and extroverts are. It was great for the children to identify where on a continuum they see themselves fitting.

We also discussed how people's personalities will affect how they interact and participate in groups during class. We talked about how sometimes extroverts need to give time for introverts to contribute. We also discussed how introverts need to acknowledge that they will need to push themselves to take risks in sharing in groups.

We watched a couple of videos to help us understand the two personalities. Here they are.

Breaking up a molecule

Today we split a molecule. This is called decomposition. We had hydrogen peroxide and separated it into water and oxygen. We used a catalyst to cause a chemical reaction to break them apart. The catalyst was potassium permanganate. We explored what both chemicals are and what they are used for.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) - is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in every living thing (including people) as well as in things like snow, rain, lakes, and rivers. We use it for all sorts of things such as bleaching our hair and as a disinfectant.

Potassium permanganate (KMnO4)- is a substance created by scientists. It is used for things such as preserving fruit and treating water.

The reaction was quite spectacular. Because of the heat generated the water escaped in its gas form - steam.

We did a second experiment where we added detergent and water to the same reaction. The detergent trapped the steam and oxygen as it escaped creating lots of bubbles that looked like 'elephants toothpaste'.

There was quite a lot of heat generated (one feature of some chemical reactions). When heat is generated it is called an exothermic reaction.

Here is a video of the reaction.

Some more stunning writing

Here are a couple more pieces of stunning writing from our authors. These are from Nicholas and Ieuan.

The Wait - Nicholas

The only sound was that of my heart softly beating inside my frozen chest. Our coats were blanketed in thick layers of pearly white snow. Creaking pine trees frowned down at us with thick clumps of white hair upon their frosted heads. Our fingers, stiffened by the icy winds that swept around us, painfully reached at the triggers of our silent guns. Snow fell softly around our still, black figures slowly stiffening our cramped and aching muscles. There was no sound, except that of our ragged breathing that sent plumes of steam into the frosty air.
My strained and tired eyes swept across the deathly still terrain that imprisoned us. We were all still thinking the same thing, They must be out there, somewhere beyond this frozen landscape. I knew that the ice with it's frozen piercing teeth was slowly sucking the life out of me.

Behind me I could hear the quiet muttering of my friends.Then in the distance I heard gun fire and shouting which shattered the stillness.

I smiled grimly.

The wait was over.

The Wait - Ieuan
...
“Its them” I whisper. "The Russians." I catch a glimpse of a green over coat as rifles dart through the trees.
Still I do not move. Then Hans spun around and sent a round through the trees. I hear shouts and the splintering of wood and then I see the 50 Russians coming at us. Bringing round my gun I send barrage after barrage cutting them down left right and center. I catch a bullet in my arm and fall back hard. Hans grabs my gun and fires them both simultaneously. But it isn’t enough. He is hit first in the neck and then square in the head he falls back dead as a door nail. I roar springing up. And my flesh is mutilated by bullets. I fall back and think “Hans, Fritz the wait is over."  

Spoonerisms

We had some fun yesterday with spoonerisms. We looked at some poems by Shel Silverstein in which he used spoonerisms to create humour. A spoonerism is when you accidentally get the first sounds in a couple of words mixed up. The students translated a poem, created a spoonerism with their own name, and then wrote a poem. It was lots of fun and the students created some hilarious poems.

Alison Shanks - Olympic Cyclist

We were lucky enough to have an Olympian visit today. Alison Shanks is a world and Olympic champion in the 3000 meter cycle sprint. She told us about her story towards becoming an Olympian. She also got us excited about the upcoming Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

She told us about her dreams of becoming a netballer and how they got redirected to cycling. We learnt about all the training that goes into the sport. She also talked lots about the mental battle of a race. Using your mind to control your performance, nerves, and body. She inspired us towards dreaming big. She bought her bike along and Sydney got to play act being her in a race. Here are some photos from the session.

Dry Ice Fountains and Bubbles

We had an amazing session with Mrs Graham exploring dry ice today. Dry ice is the solid state of carbon dioxide. It is -78.5 degrees (So gloves were essential). It is an example of something that goes straight from a solid to a gas (This is called sublimation.). There is no liquid state of it.

We had a meths and dry ice solution which can freeze flowers. We put in a piece of fern which froze.

We also ate some grapes frozen in dry ice which had turned fizzy as the CO2 had seeped inside the grape.

We also each had a cup of dry ice which we put detergent into. We then put in hot water which created some amazing fountains as the solid CO2 changed to the gas form of CO2.

CO2 is heavier than air so this helped with blowing some really big bubbles.

Thank you Mrs Graham for such a great session.

Smelly hands investigation

Today we followed the process of a scientific investigation and explored different ways to get rid of fish smell from hands. 10 students got fish smell all over their hands and then each one tried a different product to get rid of the smell. We then had some 'smellers' who went through and voted for the most effective product.

Here are the results:

1. No product - control (no votes)
2. Lemon Juice (9 votes)
3. Block of soap (13 votes)
4. Vinegar (4 votes)
5. Watery detergent (8 votes)
6. Toothpaste (10 votes)
7. Salt (no votes)
8. Baking soda (2 votes)
9. Water (no votes)
10. Stainless steel (1 vote)

We then had a discussion around the variables and the quality of the experiment. We realised that there was lots of variables that made the experiment not very accurate and reliable. These included:

• The amount of fish smell on each set of hands could have been different.
• The fish could have being contaminated by previous hands leaving oils, etc.
• Peoples hands could react differently to the smell and the products.
• How well each person washed with the product and then rinsed clean.
• Peoples ability to smell or how 'controlled' their smelling was.

We then discussed how this experiment could have been improved. Here are some of the ideas:

• Use an eye dropper and put the same amount of fish oil on each hand.
• Wash all hands before the test.
• Increase the sample size of the testers and the smellers.

Creative Writing

We did some creative writing on Friday titled The Wait. Here are two great sentences from a couple of students.

A droplet of icy snow landed on the back of my neck and slowly slithered its way down my spine.
-Declan 

As the sun sunk down the moon shot up creating a white shimmer on top of the snow. 
-Kiran 

Here is a stunning piece of creative writing by Madeline.

The Wait

No one told me it would be like this. Silver icicles hung silently from the rich smelling pines above. My hands were frozen to the icy rock that shielded me from the deep sound of bullets coming from far away. I tried to move my feet but it was hopeless they were practically glued to my boots with gaping holes so if I moved an inch they would fill with snowy water. I started to shut my eyes from exhaustion but they wouldn’t budge. suddenly our General Curtis said in a quiet whisper “Move forward men, and stay low” I tried to move but my legs were refusing, I needed to eat. Soon my legs gave in and started to move with the men, then we stopped again and began another long wait. I looked up to the dark cyan sky and began thinking about my family back home, when a bright yellow object caught my eye.

It was a banana! The eye of food gave me the strength to move. I started to slowly climb up to pine towards it, But I wasn’t even half way before Curtis screamed at me “Get down from that tree!,’ I didn’t understand so kept climbing I reached the banana, but as soon as I grabbed the banana a shot hit me right in my gut, and I went toppling to the ground. I landed with a thud, Curtis came running over to me just as I had pealed, and slipped the banana into my freezing mouth and started to wait for the bullet to kill me.

Madeline