"Working scientifically is the lifeblood of each and every area of science subject matter, and is what gives life and sustenance to learning new knowledge and developing understanding within Science. It is a large part of the science curriculum and is embedded throughout all the topics."

Science in Action at St. Michael's RC Primary School and Nursery

Welcome to Science in Action at St. Michael's RC Primary School and Nursery!

We are committed to making science an exciting and engaging part of our students' learning journey. Our curriculum encourages children to explore, experiment, and discover the world around them through hands-on activities and interactive lessons. Whether it's investigating the natural world, experimenting with materials, or delving into the mysteries of space, we aim to spark curiosity and inspire a lifelong love of science.

At St. Michael's, science is not just a subject; it's an adventure in learning that promotes critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Come join us as we make science come to life for all our pupils!

🌱🔬 Year 3 Students Become Junior Scientists! 🔬🌱

This week, our Year 3 students have been diving deep into the world of plant science by planning and conducting their very own investigations! 🌿💡 They’ve been exploring the question: What happens when one element that a plant needs to survive is removed?

After researching and discussing the essential elements plants need – like water, light, air, and soil – the children carefully designed their own experiments to test how removing one of these factors affects plant growth. 🌞💧

Each investigation has been thoughtfully planned, and the students have set up their experiments to observe over time. They can’t wait to see the results as they monitor their plants’ growth and draw conclusions! 🌱📊

What a fantastic way for our budding scientists to apply their knowledge and learn through hands-on exploration! Stay tuned for updates on their findings! 🌿🔍

#Year3Science #YoungScientists #PlantExperiments #LearningThroughExploration #STEM #GrowingCuriosity 🌱✨

🌞🔍 Year 3 Scientists at Work! 🔍🌞

Our young explorers have been diving into the fascinating world of shadows! 🕵️‍♂️✨ The children used their scientific skills to investigate how shadows change size when the light source is moved closer. 

They began by setting up their experiments with various objects and a flashlight, observing the differences as they adjusted the distance. 📏💡 The excitement was contagious as they recorded their findings in different ways: drawing charts, taking photographs, and even writing descriptive notes! 📊📸📝

The students discovered a clear pattern: as the light got closer, shadows grew larger! 🌟 They worked collaboratively, sharing ideas and asking questions, and it was amazing to see their curiosity in action.

What a wonderful way to learn about light, shadows, and the scientific process! Great job, Year 3! 👏💚 #Year3Science #Shadows #STEMLearning #CuriosityInAction

St. Michael’s Space Competition: A Stellar Effort!

The children of St. Michael's were given a special challenge: to participate in the Space Competition, which encouraged them to explore the wonders of space from the comfort of their homes. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the number of entries, and we are incredibly proud of each student for their hard work and dedication.
- Research Skills: The students tapped into their curiosity about space, conducting research to gather interesting facts and ideas. They explored topics like planets, stars, space travel, and even alien life, using books, websites, and other resources to help them understand more about the universe.
- Creativity: With their research in hand, the children used their creativity to bring their ideas to life. Whether they created space-themed models, artwork, posters, or even stories, each entry reflected the students' imagination and passion for space.

Well Deserved Praise:
The amount of effort and enthusiasm shown by the students and parents was truly inspiring. Each entry was a unique representation of their individual ideas and interests. It's clear that the students worked diligently, and we want to commend them all for their outstanding effort. They should be incredibly proud of themselves for taking part and showing such enthusiasm for the subject.

A Huge Congratulations:
Thank you to everyone who participated! Whether they won or not, each student demonstrated a love of learning and creativity that we can all be proud of. Keep up the great work, and keep exploring the universe—who knows what amazing ideas will come next!

Duggie Dug Dug Inspires St. Michael’s with Faith and Wonder through Science!

We were thrilled to welcome Duggie Dug Dug to St. Michael's RC Primary School and Nursery for a truly unique and inspiring session that brought together Religious Education and Science. Duggie's engaging presentation showed our students how small acts—like seeds planted with kindness and faith—can grow into something extraordinary. Using the wonders of science, he demonstrated how even the smallest actions, when rooted in love and care, can have a big impact, much like how faith can inspire greatness in the world around us.

Through fun and interactive activities, Duggie helped our children see the link between scientific discovery and the values of love, compassion, and wonder that we cherish in RE. It was an unforgettable experience that sparked curiosity, deepened faith, and encouraged our pupils to dream big and make a positive difference.

KS1 Science Club: Growing a Rainbow!

Our KS1 Science Club recently embarked on a colourful experiment where they “grew a rainbow” using water and tissue. The children were amazed to watch as the water absorbed through the tissue, causing the colours to blend and run together, creating a beautiful rainbow effect!

This hands-on experiment helped the children understand an important scientific concept: absorption. They learned that some materials, like tissue, are absorbent, meaning they can soak up liquids. As the water travelled through the tissue, the colours from the markers mixed and moved along, showing how different substances interact with water.

Through this experiment, our young scientists practiced a variety of science skills:
- Observation: They carefully watched how the water moved and the colours spread.
- Prediction: They made guesses about what would happen as the water absorbed into the tissue.
- Exploration: They experimented with different colours and materials to see how absorption worked.

By using their curiosity and hands-on skills, our KS1 pupils discovered how simple materials can demonstrate fascinating scientific principles, all while having fun!

Year 3 Light Experiment: Exploring Darkness and Light

In Year 3, our young scientists recently explored the concept of light and darkness through a fun and hands-on experiment. They learned that darkness is the absence of light, and they could see this in action by observing what happened inside a box.

First, the children looked through a small peep hole to see if they could spot any objects inside the box. When there was no light inside, the objects were hidden in darkness, demonstrating how the absence of light makes things hard to see. Next, they applied a torch and instantly the objects became visible, showing how light reveals what is hidden in the darkness.

This experiment helped our Year 3 pupils develop important scientific skills:
- Observation: They carefully observed how the objects inside the box changed when light was introduced.
- Prediction: Before using the torch, they predicted whether the objects would become visible in the light.
- Testing and Experimentation: They used the torch to test their ideas and see the effect of light on what was inside the box.
- Recording Results: The children discussed and recorded their findings, noting how light made the unseen objects visible.

Through this simple yet powerful experiment, Year 3 not only grasped the idea that light is necessary to see things but also practiced key scientific thinking and investigation skills.

An EGG-cellent Experiment!

This is a great experiment for Year 4 students to understand the effects of different liquids (especially sugary ones) on teeth.

The eggshells in this experiment represent the enamel of teeth. The students placed four hard-boiled eggs (which have a shell similar to tooth enamel) into different drinks: Coke, Apple Juice, Milk, and Water. They left the eggs in the liquids for a week to observe the effects. The idea is that the drinks, particularly sugary and acidic ones like Coke and apple juice, might cause the "enamel" (eggshell) to weaken or dissolve over time, simulating what happens to teeth when exposed to sugary or acidic drinks.

- Observation over time: The students observed the physical changes in the eggs over the week—looking for signs of discoloration, softening, cracking, or dissolving of the eggshells. This skill is important in all scientific experiments, helping them to record the results carefully.

- Hypothesis: Before starting the experiment, they made a prediction (hypothesis) about what might happen to the eggs in each liquid. For example, they might have predicted that the eggs in Coke and apple juice would be more damaged than those in milk and water.

- Recording Data: Throughout the experiment, the students kept a record of their observations at different points (e.g., daily or every few days). This is an important scientific skill, as it helps them track changes over time and compare results.

- Fair Testing: To ensure a fair test, the students made sure that all eggs were treated equally, except for the liquids they were placed in. 

- Drawing Conclusions: Based on their observations, the students can conclude which liquids are most harmful to tooth enamel, reinforcing the idea that sugary and acidic drinks can cause damage to teeth, leading to cavities if consumed frequently.

- Communication: The students shared their findings, either through writing or presenting their results. This helps them practice how to communicate their scientific understanding clearly.

Science in a heartbeat!
The Year 6 students participated in an extraordinary workshop from 'HandsOnScience,' where they learned about the heart, how it works, and what it's made of. They got to explore the structure and function of the heart in a fun, interactive way. By using hands-on activities, they explored different parts of the heart, like the atria, ventricles, valves, and blood vessels.

What They Learned:
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body. It has four chambers (two atria and two ventricles), and it works by contracting and relaxing to send oxygen-rich blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.
The children handled real-life models of the heart to see and touch its different parts.
Scientific Skills Used:
- Observation: The students closely observed the heart's structure and how it functions, noticing how different parts work together.
- Practical Exploration: By using physical models and hands-on tools, they actively engaged with the science, which helps them better understand abstract ideas.

- Communication: After the workshop, they shared what they learned with their classmates and teachers, practicing how to explain scientific concepts clearly.

To infinity, and beyond!

Year 5 had the exciting opportunity to create a Mars lander to land on Mars in a special workshop. They created a prototype for a package to land on Mars using an egg and everyday items.