YEAR 4 News

MATERIALS MATTER

As part of their Chemical Science Unit, these young scientists, under the guidance of Dr Steph Spincer, examined the properties of a range of human- made and natural materials. They then used this information to describe and group the materials.

The Year 4s explored waterproof and absorbent materials, those that floated or sank, and used a light source to help determine which were transparent, translucent or opaque. They looked at raw and processed materials, magnetic and non- magnetic, and flexible and brittle materials. 

The work station set up to separate conductors from insulators was a popular one. Students learnt that conductors allow electricity to flow freely through them, whereas an insulator is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through. In conductors, some of the electrons are free electrons and can move. In insulators, the electrons cannot move freely and therefore no electric current can be produced.