Primary school workshop materials
Microscopy: The playground uncovered
Year: P-4
Time required: 60 minutes
Explore and discover what lies in and under the playground. Designed to stimulate enquiring minds and show that there is more than meets the eye to everyday things.
- Teacher guide for the Microscopy: The playground uncovered workshop (PDF file, 302KB)
- Student worksheet for the Microscopy: The playground uncovered workshop (PDF file, 9KB)
- Risk assessment for the Microscopy: The playground uncovered workshop (PDF file, 2MB)
- Presentation for Microscopy: The playground uncovered workshop (PDF file, 2MB)
Earth under the Microscope
Year: 4-7
Time required: 60 minutes
Students investigate how rocks and soils change as a result of natural processes. Students examine samples using microscopes and test rocks and soils to learn more about their characteristics.
- Teacher guide for Earth under the Microscope workshop (PDF file, 273KB)
- Student worksheet for Earth under the Microscope workshop (PDF file, 49KB)
- Risk assessment for Earth under the Microscope workshop (PDF file, 5MB)
Water works
Year: 4-7
Time required: 60 minutes
Designed to get students thinking about water quality including hands-on water treatment and testing. Perform tests for turbidity and pH and use microscopes to examine pond life.
- Teacher guide for Water works workshop (PDF file, 222KB)
- Student worksheet for Water works workshop (PDF file, 139KB)
- Risk assessment for Water works workshop (PDF file, 4MB)
Investigating Electrical Energy
Year: 5-7
Time required: 60 minutes
This workshop is designed to give students some hands-on experience in building and testing electrical circuits. Students use 'clip circuit' kits, which are safe and easy to use. This workshop develops science inquiry skills through the students' observation and collection of relevant data, and through questions relating to simple cause-and-effect relationships.
- Teacher guide for the Investigating Electrical Energy workshop (PDF file, 929.84 KB)
- Presentation for the Investigating Electrical Energy workshop (PDF file, 1485.52 KB)
Alternative Energy
Year: 5-7
Time required: 60 minutes
This workshop is designed to give students a background to energy and its role in our society, including 'traditional' sources of energy. The workshop also introduces different types of alternative energy available, and how they are used to generate power. Students then use solar panels, and investigate how different environmental variables affect their energy output. This workshop develops science inquiry skills through the students' observation and collection of relevant data, and through questions relating to simple cause-and-effect relationships.
- Guide for the Alternative Energy workshop (PDF file, 489.58 KB)
- Presentation for the Alternative Energy workshop (PDF file, 469.47 KB)
What's in stuff?
Year: 5-7
Time required: 60 minutes
This chemistry workshop is designed to get students thinking about chemical and physical, reversible and irreversible changes. Students make sherbet to investigate the ingredients that make it fizz, make slime, and test for acids and bases.
- Teachers guide to What’s in stuff workshop (PDF file, 432KB)
- Student worksheet What’s in stuff workshop (PDF file, 122KB)
- Risk assessment to What’s in stuff workshop (PDF file, 4MB)
Fair testing
(add-on only for What's in Stuff?)
Time required: 30 minutes
This add-on presentation explains how ‘fair tests’ are used to make a good experiment.
The case of the Dudesville bank robbery
Year: 5-7
Time required: 60 minutes
Students become forensic detectives for the day when they investigate a fictitious bank robbery. They will get to use microscopes and scientific techniques to analyse all the evidence from the scene of the crime.
