From the Classroom... Room 10

Mix Masters

So far this term the Year One/Two’s have been experimenting with mixtures for their integrated studies. They have played the role of Chef, Scientist and Wizard as they make predictions, experiment and record their findings.

 

Room 10 has been working with Room 9 to investigate what happens when different things are mixed together. Relying on the senses of sight, sound, smell and touch. To be Covid-safe we have steered away from taste testing any of the edible mixtures.

 

In Week 2, our first experiment involved food: predicting the outcome before making mixtures with icing sugar, cocoa powder and puffed rice. The predictions ranged from making cordial to making a cake. It wasn’t until mixing everything together that we realised that it was homemade cocoa pops on the menu.

 

Week 3 involved the students stepping into the world of fantasy and becoming modern day wizards. In groups of threes, the students were provided with corn flour and water to mix together. Predictions were made first. With the instructions calling for too much water, the mixtures were a tad runny and resembled milk. But just like a lot of experiments we used some trial and error and added more cornflour and used less water to achieve the final product of slime. The texture and consistency came as a surprise. It was soft when you mixed it slow and seemed more solid when trying to mix it fast. It was like magic.

 

This Week involved the students becoming scientists. The properties of oil and water were explored. The two do not mix together. The oil and water separate and the oil sits on top of the water. Such a weird phenomenon for two liquids to not mix. Once the dishwashing liquid was added, then scientific magic occurred. The dishwashing liquid acts as an emulsifier which then allows the oil and water liquids to mix together.

 

A homework sheet was sent home last week about identifying and recording mixtures at home. We have allowed for an extra week to have it completed and returned to school to share during next Monday’s class.