Science Week
This week, our budding scientists at St Helena’s have been diving into the wonders of the universe through hands-on experiments that spark curiosity and excitement!
In Pre-Primary was full of colour, bubbles, excitement as we explored a fizzy reaction using everyday kitchen ingredients bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.We began by placing small puddles of bicarbonate on a tray, hiding a few drops of food colouring. Then came the fun part the vinegar! As soon as the children dripped vinegar onto the coloured bicarb, it began to fizz and foam like a miniature rainbow volcano.The children learned that this is a chemical reaction, making a fizzing carbon dioxide gas. The gas escapes as bubbles, carrying the colours up and around in magical patterns.
Our Year One students were set challenge: create a boat from aluminium foil that can float and carry as much “treasure” as possible without sinking.Using foil, the children shaped their boats in all sorts of vessels! Once built, they placed them gently in a tub of water to see if they would float. Then came the real test… loading the boats with “loose parts treasure” (wooden pegs, corks, bottle tops and dry pasta) We discovered that the shape of the boat makes a big difference. Wide, deep boats could hold more treasure because they pushed more water out of the way, keeping them afloat. This is called buoyancy - if an object pushes away (displaces) enough water to hold its weight, it will float. If it can’t, it sinks!
Year Two enjoyed a fruit disco! The children took part in the Dancing Sultanas Experiment, and it was fizz-tastic.First, we poured fizzy water into a clear glass and dropped in a few sultanas. At first, they sank to the bottom… but then the magic (well, science!) began. Tiny bubbles from the fizzy drink stuck to the sultanas’ wrinkly skins and lifted them up to the surface. When the bubbles popped, the sultanas sank back down again - only to be lifted up once more!The children learned that this happens because the bubbles are made of carbon dioxide gas, which helps the sultanas float. When the bubbles burst, the sultanas become heavy again and sink. Up, down, up, down… a perfect fruity dance party!
Meanwhile, our Year 3 and 4 students explored the fascinating world of Liquid Stacking. Using everyday liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and oil, they created colourful towers that demonstrate the concept of density. Each liquid has a different mass per unit volume, which determines whether it sinks or floats when layered. This experiment helped students understand how molecules are packed in different substances and why some liquids don’t mix.
Our Year 5 and 6 students took part in the ever-popular Mentos and Coke experiment, exploring the explosive reaction between carbonated soft drink and mint candies. This fizzy spectacle is more than just fun—it’s science in action! The reaction occurs due to the rapid release of carbon dioxide gas when the Mentos disrupt the surface tension of the Coke, creating a dramatic geyser effect. We had some trouble getting the Mentos into the bottle quick enough!
Science Week has been a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and discovery. Through these engaging experiments, our students are truly decoding the universe—one question at a time!