Learners across the Watergrove Trust have celebrated British Science Week with a dazzling array of hands-on investigations, demonstrating curiosity, teamwork, and scientific rigour. From exploring the mysteries of plant life to testing the laws of physics, the schools showcased their commitment to engaging and practical STEM education.
Young Scientists
In the early years, the focus was firmly on the world around us. Nursery children investigated “How Does Your Garden Grow?” by planting seeds (left by fairies!) and learning what plants need to flourish. This led them to a colourful experiment to discover how plants drink water, using daffodils and celery.
They also enjoyed exploring physics by experimenting with ramps, making them higher and lower, and observing how different-sized cars and balls travelled. Reception followed suit, making predictions on what three different seeds would grow into and successfully constructing boats that float, inspired by the story of Rosie the Engineer. They also delved into life science, discovering how humans are similar and different to other animals.
Investigating Everyday Phenomena
Older students tackled big questions with careful testing:
- Year 6 held the “Great British Biscuit Dunk,” hypothesising that the strongest biscuit, the custard cream, would take the longest to collapse in warm water—a prediction that was proven correct. They also explored electricity, concluding that increasing the number of cells in a circuit makes a bulb significantly brighter.
- Class 8 fearlessly investigated the old adage, “Does toast always land butter side down?” After changing variables like height and type of bread, they concluded: “sometimes it does… and sometimes it doesn’t!”.
- Year 2 explored health and materials science, investigating the effect of exercise on heart rate and determining the best material for a tent, considering factors like waterproofing and flexibility.
- Year 5 tackled gravity, asking, “Do heavier objects fall quicker than lighter objects?” and also pondered the nature of the cosmos, discussing if constellations are “real shapes in space, or… pictures our brains create”.
Class 4 and Class 11 conducted fascinating human biology investigations, asking, “Do taller people have bigger feet?” and “Does the size of your feet or the length of your legs affect how far you can jump?” (with no correlation found for the latter, despite Mrs Hayward having the longest legs and jumping the furthest!).
Watergrove Engineers and Innovators in the Making
Many classes applied engineering principles to their learning:
- Year 1 investigated a STEM career and successfully demonstrated how to “make something fly” by using deflating balloons attached to straws on a string.
- Year 3 tested the effect of size on descent speed, discovering that a larger paper helicopter took longer to fall due to greater air resistance. They also tackled an environmental challenge: designing the best environment to keep vulnerable Komodo dragon eggs safe using insulators.
- Year 4 focused on friction and aerodynamics, comparing different paper flying machines and testing which materials would help baby Komodo dragons climb to evade predators.
- Year 6 also looked at teamwork, concluding that active listening, positive communication, and fairness are the “key ingredients for great teamwork”.
- Class 10 investigated “How do boats float?” by testing paper boat designs to see which could hold the most marbles before sinking, concluding that a “wide base, high sides” was the most successful design.
This incredible week of discovery highlights the engaging and practical approach to science taken by all schools in the Watergrove Trust.
