PRIMARY ACTIVITY PACK 6 - 15 March 2020 britishscienceweek.org - NET - British Science Week
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PRIMARY
ACTIVIT Y
PACK 2020
6 – 15 March
k.org
britishsciencewee
IV
R D ER
OU
SE
PL AN
ET
Managed by
Supported by
This resource pack is your D IVER
‘one-stop shop’ for supporting R
OU
SE
you during British Science Week,
but it can be used at any time.
PL AN
Feel free to adapt or extend
the activities to suit your
children’s needs and the ET
curriculum you are delivering.
This year our activity pack theme
In addition to the activities in this pack, there are lots is ‘Our Diverse Planet’ - celebrating
of other ways to enthuse and engage your children
the amazing diversity we see across
throughout British Science Week. In developing this
pack, we have looked for activities which break down the world. From biodiversity to
the stereotypes surrounding science, technology, cultural and societal diversity, from
engineering and maths (STEM) and that promote the diversity of knowledge to STEM
cross-curricular learning. We encourage you to use careers and subjects. There are lots
British Science Week as an opportunity to link STEM of ways to explore this theme - we’
to other curriculum subjects and to your children’s d
love to hear some of your ideas too
own backgrounds, lives and interests. !
This year, we’ve got some fantastic activities to
#BSW20
complete in school, plus some designed for students
to take part in at home with their families.
Events
You can either create your own club, class or school
event, or search for things happening near you. Last
year we reached more than 180,000 people. Help
us make British Science Week 2020 even bigger and
better! Visit britishscienceweek.org
Poster competition
Look out for the paintbrush symbol
at the top right corner of the page
for activities that could be used to
make your poster.
2
Contents
Making the most of volunteers 4
British Science Week at home 5
Gathering resources for your classroom or home 6
Beyond the Week 7
Get children leading the way 8
Diverse places
Journey to Antarctica 9
Antarctica discovery fact sheet 10
Surviving Antarctica 11
Don’t tip the ship! 12
Diverse people
Playground games 14
Build your body clock 15
Is everyone’s body the same? 17
What kind of taster are you? 18
The world around us
Clever camouflaged creatures 21
Which metal? 22
How can we grow mushrooms? 23
Start your own farm 24
Invertebrate hotel 25
Assembly ideas 27
Poster competition 28
3Making
the most
of volunteers
Volunteers could be a wonderful Volunteers come from a range Check out STEM Learning’s website
asset to your British Science Week of careers and experiences, from for some handy tips on how to get a
adventures. Volunteers like STEM engineers, designers and architects to STEM Ambassador:
Ambassadors offer their time and scientists and technicians – be sure to stem.org.uk/stem-ambassadors/
enthusiasm to help bring STEM take advantage of this so students can find-a-stem-ambassador
subjects to life, demonstrating see all the options available to them in
their value in life and careers. The the future! Visit Inspiring the Future’s website for
Inspiring the Future website can some helpful ideas of events you can
match you up with someone who has use volunteers at:
the skills you’re looking for. inspiringthefuture.org/schools-and-
colleges/resources-and-guides
Here are some ideas and tips on
how you could utilise volunteers
this British Science Week:
Kick off with a volunteer-led talk/de
mo, to get the
children excited about taking part in
the rest of the Week.
Invite a different visitor each day to
keep children
engaged throughout.
Where available, choose volunteers/a
mbassadors who
go against stereotypes the children
might have of
people who work in or engage with
science, e.g. female
engineers.
Reserve visitors early (many speake
rs get booked up
during British Science Week), have a
clear idea of what
you want them to do and communicat
e this with them
ahead of time with a brief.
4British
Science Week
at home
Want your children to enjoy British 2 Get parents thinking about how 4 If you know that parents may
Science Week at home, but not their own jobs might link to science struggle to engage with British
sure how? Here are our top tips for and technology subjects and Science Week at home, invite them
engaging parents and carers so the encourage them to chat with their on school trips or use resources such
fun doesn’t stop at school. children about this. You could do as: http://bsa.sc/oxford-sparks
this via a newsletter.
1 Make the most of your parent 5 Send an experiment idea home
newsletters, the Parent Teacher 3 Encourage exploring the outdoors during the Week which may spark
Association (PTA) and text in the community or in local mealtime discussions around
messaging services, if you have cultural spots. This could be STEM. Try and make it as easy
them. Let parents know what you anything from local parks to the as possible. It can help if it’s
have planned and how you’d like streets around children’s homes. something the children have tried
them to be involved in advance of Parents and families can get or seen at school first, so they feel
the Week (at least a month before). involved by going on a nature walk, like ‘experts’ when they do it at
They might be able to collect/ exploring science related events home with family, allowing them
donate materials for use during and activities in their local area, or to lead the learning. Crafty Rafts
the Week, and if you want them to visiting places such as museums or from our SuperStar resources
try any experiments at home, they science centres. Many of our CREST is ideal for this: primarylibrary.
may need time to plan and collect activities are quick and easy to crestawards.org/all-superstar-
materials for themselves. The do as fun outdoor challenges too: challenges/61747644 Or you could
PTA may be able to support you library.crestawards.org use the ‘Camouflaged creatures’
financially to run the Week or help activity on page 10 of this pack.
drum up parent volunteers.
D IV E R S
E
O UR
As well as this pack, there are
P L A NE
always lots of other useful
downloads for take-home T
activities, such as:
rigb.org/families/experimental
5Gathering resources
for your classroom or home
Try to collect materials all year Alternatively, check whether there Look at childrensscrapstore.co.uk
round: empty bottles, toilet rolls, is a scrap shop/store/club in to find a UK directory of scrap
cereal boxes, elastic bands, your local area. These shops are stores, or, use Google to find your
newspapers, etc. This way you will often membership-based and can nearest.
have lots of great things to use provide a brilliant, inexpensive or
during your British Science Week. free resource for card, plastic, bits Look out for the ‘At home’ tasks in
of material – all sorts. These things this pack for more ideas.
can be turned into rockets, cars,
spaceships; you name it, the kids
will think of it!
6Beyond the Week
The exploration and curiosities don’t Children could take part in a Think about incorporating the
need to stop once British Science CREST Award, spending anywhere Science Capital teaching approach
Week is over! between five and 10 hours on a into your methods: ucl.ac.uk/
project that they lead, on a topic ioe/departments-and-centres/
Below are some ideas of how you they’re interested in. For more departments/education-practice-
can continue the fun in the future. information, take a look at the and-society/science-capital-
different CREST levels available: research/science-capital-
Set up a STEM club or run a crestawards.org/which-level teaching-approach
Curiosity Lab once a month during
science class. Older students could run a CREST Keep an eye out for the ‘Next steps’
Star Award with younger children, tasks in this pack for more ideas.
and work on their communication
skills. Learn more about CREST Star
here: crestawards.org/crest-star
Consider sharing your British
Science Week learnings by
running a continued professional
development session for other
PRIMARY
teachers in your school or, where
relevant, academy chain.
Getting started guide
Find out how you can use CREST Star and
iTy:
SuperStar to give primary children their first
R aCTiv
experience of pupil-led problem-solving
eXaMple sTauRe
an T
adven
challenges set in a real-world context.
aniMal
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find
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7Get children
leading the way
A great way to encourage young Encourage children to run their The children could research events
people’s interest in STEM subjects is own events during British Science or programmes happening in your
by letting them lead the way. Here’s Week. They could recruit STEM community, particularly those that
how you can help them along: Ambassadors or Inspiring the at first don’t seem to be obviously
Future volunteers to come in and science related. Take a look at
present in class or at an assembly, some of the community groups we
or ask classmates’ parents with work with during British Science
knowledge and experience of any Week for inspiration on where to
STEM-related subjects to speak start: britishscienceweek.org/
about their own backgrounds. plan-your-activities/support-us/
community-grant-case-studies/
STEM Get children running their own
CREST projects and use this as
Ambassad inspiration for a science fair or
or other related event. We have lots
of handy CREST resources on our
website: library.crestawards.org
8Diverse places
Journey to Antarctica
About this activity
2020 marks the 200th anniversary
of the first sighting of Antarctica.
Since then it has been a destination for
explorers and scientists whose voyages
t
help inform us of the role this continen
plays in our world. In this activ ity you
will write a diary based on what you
know about the explorer Bransfield’s
journey to Antarctica.
Kit list
Pens and pencils
Paper
Access to the internet
(optional) Instructions
1 Students should work in groups of
Time: 1 hour around three to five.
2 Read about Bransfield’s journey to
Antarctica in 1819-1820 in the fact
sheet on the next page.
3 Think about what equipment
Bransfield would have needed to
take with him on his trip including
food, clothes and any scientific
equipment.
4 Next look at the route that
Bransfield took on his way to
Antarctica. There is not much
evidence of the route he took up
until he arrived in South America.
How might he have travelled to
South America from the UK?
5 Think about the wildlife that
Bransfield might have seen Next steps
on his journey to Antarctica. Why not take a look at more recent
coolantarctica.com adventures to Antarctica? For
example, British group Expedition Ice
6 Use the information you have Maiden became the first all-female
learned about Bransfield’s journey team to use muscle power alone to
to write a diary of his travels to ski coast-to-coast across Antarctica:
Antarctica, making it as accurate exicemaiden.com How might their trip
as possible. Think about the kind of be different to Bransfield’s?
entries he would have included and exicemaiden.com
anything else he may have seen on
his way there, and even while he For more facts on Antarctica visit
was in Antarctica too. ukaht.org
9Diverse places
Antarctica
discovery fact sheet
Antarctica is a continent
like no other. It was the last to
be discovered, the only continent
without a human population and is
the coldest, windiest and driest place
on Earth.
Edward Bransfield sighted Trinity
Peninsula, the northernmost point
of the Antarctic mainland, in January
1820. At the same time, a Russian
expedition spied an ice cliff in another
part of the continent.
The journey was fraught with danger
– the small vessel had not been
strengthened against the ice and
had sailed without a support ship
in notoriously turbulent seas, where
cross currents, high winds and ice
were a constant threat.
Ernest Shackleton led a famous
expedition in 1914 when his ship
became stuck in ice in the Weddell Sea
and was eventually lost. Shackleton
rescued all his marooned men after a
courageous journey to South Georgia
in a small boat.
c
Today, ships are a vital part of scientifi
research and exploration. Rese arch Valparais
o
ships like the newly-built RRS Sir
ARGENT
David Attenborough are well equipped INA
E
to survive in these harsh conditions
CHIL
and explore parts of Antarctica few
have ever visited. A recent British Cape Ho
and American expedition to West rn
Antarctica involved three ships
installing a new science programme to Antarc
study the Thwaites Glacier. Peninsutic
lar
For more facts on Antarctica visit
ukaht.org Weddell
Sea
10Diverse places
Surviving Antarctica
About this activity 1 Your aim is to find out what 7 As a class you should share your
Antarctica is one of the most material is the best thermal results and select three materials
extreme environments on Earth. insulator. Split into groups, each to make your coat from.
A satellite recently recorded a equipped with at least one beaker
temperature of -98°C. At the National (ideally two or three) and potential 8 Design a prototype of your coat
Maritime Museum, there are letters insulation materials. using your chosen materials. Think
by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton about what else the coat may
describing the Antarctic winter. He says 2 Wrap identical screw top beakers in need:
that on a warm day, the temperature different materials.
reached the equivalent of -17°C which Should it be waterproof?
is about as cold as a freezer. What can 3 Give beakers to your teacher to be
explorers dress themselves in to stay filled with hot (not boiling) water Might it need pockets or a
warm in such conditions? You will be from the tap, making sure their lids hood?
designing a prototype of a coat to be are screwed on.
worn in Antarctica. Discuss what problems there
4 Place beakers in a freezer (or in an might be using these materials
cool box filled with ice). To ensure to keep a person warm.
Kit list a fair test, you must leave equal
Hot (but not boiling) water space between the beakers. Next steps
Freezer (or a fridge or coolbox) What difference does it make if
5 After an hour your teacher should your materials get wet before you
Matching plastic beakers with
collect the beakers and return put them around the beaker (Use
lids (ensure these have screw
them to your group, removing cold tap water rather than hot
tops)
the lid. water for this)?
Stopwatches
Elastic bands 6 As a group, use your thermometer What factors do you need to
Tray to record the temperature of your consider to ensure a fair test?
water and identify which material
Wool
kept the water the warmest. Your
Thermometers teachers can show you how to
Measuring cylinder do this and how to record your
Cloth/fabric findings.
Cotton wool
Corrugated card
Tissue paper
Bubble wrap
Cling film
Time: 2 hours
Watch out!
Be careful with hot water.
11Diverse places
Don’t tip the ship!
About this activity
Cargo ships have been around Instructions boat. On a real ship the weight
for thousands of years, transporting 1 Fill a tub or tank with water. is carefully spread across it to
goods around the world. The Cutty Sark Place it on a mat or tray so your prevent it from tipping.
was built in 1869 to bring tea from surfaces don’t get slippery with
China to London. In this activity, you will spilled water. 7 Repeat the experiment and
build boats and investigate how much compare your results with other
weight can be added to the boats 2 Take a piece of squared paper. Create groups.
before they sink. a rectangle of 6 x 7 squares. Cut this
out as shown on the next page. 8 Now try different designs. Does
Kit list the size or shape of the boat
1cm2 paper 3 Fold up the four sides (shown in change how many weights it can
Ice cream tub, or any green). Tape the corners together hold? The only limit is the size of
tub or tank to make it watertight. the tub!
Small weights or coins 4 Count the number of squares in 9 Discuss your results as a class.
Sellotape the base of the boat.
Scissors Next steps
Cloth to mop up spills quickly 5 Gently place the boat in the tub of Why not use different materials to
water - it will float! make and test your boats?
Optional extra materials for
boat building e.g. foam, foil,
6 Add weights one after the other Find out more about the Cutty Sark
plasticine
until the boat sinks. For best and how to visit at
results, place the weights equally rmg.co.uk/cuttysark
Time: 1 hour and in a balanced way around the
Watch out!
Quickly mop up any water that you
spill – wet floors are slippery and
can cause accidents.
121 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20
13Diverse people
Playground games
About this activity
Get thinking about disabilities and
creating games that are accessible
and inclusive to everyone.
Kit list
Games equipment such as
bean bags, balls, cones, poles,
etc.
Bells and other nnoisy things
Torches and other lights
Ear plugs 5 Try out one or more of the games
you’ve researched or invented,
Low-vision simulation
considering:
glasses (accessible online via:
inclusivedesigntoolkit.com/
What games can you play outdoors?
csg/csg.html)
Are there any markings for games?
Time: 45 minutes What could you do so that other
children can join in?
What new games can you create?
Instructions
1 Try bowling while wearing low- What rules will your games have?
vision simulation glasses. What
difference does it make if you can’t How will you make sure your
see very well? What ways can you games are safe?
change the game to make it easier
for everyone to play together? 6 Now test your game. How
accessible is it? If you do not have
2 Discuss what it is like/might be a disability, you may need to try
like having a disability such as low your games by using low-vision
Watch out! vision. How do you think this would simulation glasses, earmuffs,
affect you when joining in with sitting in a chair, and so on.
Before restricting sight, hearing games and play? Decide how you will know if the
or movement, ensure the children game is a success.
are in a safe space and have 3 Think about what you can do
appropriate support. to understand more about how Next steps
certain games might limit access to This activity can be put towards a CREST
Watch out for any children showing people with disabilities. SuperStar Award and there are plenty
signs of distress. more online activities you could try for
4 Think about how well outdoor free. For more information, follow this
Follow your organisation’s games are designed for children link: crestawards.org/crest-superstar
guidelines for outdoor work. who have low vision or difficulty
hearing, have limited movement At home
Make sure that any alterations or use a wheelchair. You could Create a plan of your ideal playground
.
made to sports equipment are safe do some research on games that with games marked on it. You could
people with disabilities play, for share it with adults – they may like to
example goalball. use your ideas!
14Diverse people
Build your body clock
About this activity
Did you know that your body has
its own built in clock? Your body uses
chemical messengers called hormones
to decide when to do things. It tells
your body when to wake up, when to
sleep, when to eat and when you are
full. Different hormones increase and
decrease in waves throughout the day.
Kit list
Clock template
Scissors to cut out the clock
template
A green pencil
A blue pencil
A normal pencil
A green, red, yellow and blue
felt-tip pen or small stickers
Time: 30 minutes Instructions control when we wake up.
1 Cut out the clock template on the
following page.. b. Ghrelin
Made by our stomachs, ghrelin
2 What time do you wake up and tells our brain when we are
what time do you go to sleep? hungry.
Use a ruler to draw lines showing
these times. Colour in your ‘awake’ c. Leptin
time with a green pencil and your Made by fat cells, this hormone
‘asleep time’ with a blue pencil – tells our body when we are full.
using pencils means you can draw
things on top! d. Melatonin
Made by a tiny gland in our brain
3 What time of day do you feel most which releases more melatonin
hungry? Draw a picture on your as it gets dark. This hormone
clock of your favourite food at the makes our body feel sleepy.
time you get most hungry.
Next steps
4 The more of a hormone there is Hormones play lots of different roles
in our blood, the bigger the effect in our bodies. As well as the ones
it has. Read the descriptions of you’ve learned about today, there are
the following hormones. For each other hormones which help you grow,
hormone, mark on your clock when let you feel love or help you run away
you think there is going to be a lot if you get scared. Visit yourhormones.
of it in your blood. (Use a different info to find out more about hormones.
Watch out! colour for each hormone):
At home
Be careful cutting out your a. Cortisol Adults and children’s body clocks run
template. made and released by glands on different times. Ask your parents
in our kidney. Cortisol helps about their body clock and see how it
is different from yours.
1516
Diverse people
Is everyone’s body the same?
About this activity
Have you noticed that although our
bodies are alike in some ways, there
is no one else in the world who looks
quite the same as you? We are all
different! In this activity we will think
about and compare different parts of
our bodies to see what makes
us unique.
Advance activity for teachers
Ensure that you have access to
adequate space (e.g. school hall) to
carry out the drawings for this activity
and have an area ready for display.
Be alert to the possibility of children
acting inappropriately, and make sure Instructions 4 Stick your picture up on the wall
pupils treat each other with respect. 1 Play ‘Simon says…’ with your next to your classmates to create a
classmates, taking turns to give life-size gallery of bodies.
Kit list instructions. Which parts of your
Mirrors body can you name? 5 Look carefully at your pictures.
Large sheets of paper or a roll Does everybody have brown hair?
of lining paper 2 Find a partner and compare Are you all the same height?
Coloured chalks or wax crayons different body parts. Remember Are your arms the same length?
that everyone’s body is different, What other questions can you
Tape or wall fixing and that is something to be ask to compare your bodies? Use
celebrated! For example: your gallery to answer as many
Time: 1.5 hours questions as you can. What makes
Who has the longest legs? you unique?
Who has the biggest hands? Next steps
Visit collins.co.uk/SnapScience for
Use a mirror to look carefully at more information and fun activities.
your face. Have you both got the
same colour eyes? Have you At home
both got freckles? Think about the similarities and
differences between you and the
What else do you notice? other members of your family. You can
do this together. Do you look alike?
3 Create a life-size drawing of How are you unique?
‘you’. Lie down on the floor on a
large piece of paper and ask your
Watch out! partner to draw carefully around
the outline of your body. Work
Show respect to your partner when
together to draw in details like
drawing their outline and make sure
your hair, eyes and fingernails
you have enough space around you.
(don’t forget to use a mirror to
help you). Then work together
Make sure all body types are
to draw your partner.
respected.
17Diverse people
What kind of
taster are you?
About this activity
Are you a supertaster? Supertasters Instructions
experience bitter tastes more strongly 1 Everyone taking part should wash
than other people; this is because their hands.
they have a higher number of taste
receptors within the fungiform papillae. 2 Look at the glossary at the end of
These are the big pink bumps on your this activity to make sure you
tongue that contain your taste buds understand what all of the
and enable you to taste. In this activity, words mean.
you will determine whether you are a
supertaster, taster or non-taster. 3 The person who is going to
have their fungiform papillae
Kit list (pink bumps) counted first
Bottle of natural blue food dye needs to sit down with
Cotton buds their elbows on the table,
supporting their chin.
Disposable ‘mini cups’
A4 card 4 Place a cotton bud into the blue
Hole punch food dye until it is covered. Ask the
Scissors person taking part to stick their
tongue out. Using the cotton bud,
Damp cloth
coat the front third of the person’s
Cup or bag on each tongue with the dye.
table for waste
Anti-bacterial surface cleaner NB: Only dip the cotton bud in the
Torches (optional) food dye once. Place the cotton The results
bud in a container such as a plastic 9 Look at the chart at the end
Magnifying glass (optional)
bag which will then be thrown of this activity and see how
away. your classmates’ sense of taste
Advance teacher activity compare to the rest of the nation!
Cut the A4 card in to 16 strips 5 The blue dye will stain the tongue Use the chart on page 19 to collate
and punch a hole in the end but slide off the fungiform papillae. your class results.
of each strip. Ensure you have Did you know that each bump
enough for each child to have contains three to five taste buds? 10 What percentage of your class fits
their own strip. into each category?
Split class into groups of three. 6 Next, ask the person to carefully
place a hole-punched card on their 11 Does your class follow the national
Pour a little food dye into the tongue over the blue food dye. distribution for each category?
mini cups so that each group
has one cup. 7 Looking through the hole in the 12 Did you observe a pattern
strip of paper/card, someone in between the number and density
Time: 1 hour your group should count how of fungiform papillae?
many pink bumps they can see on
the tongue inside the hole. Next steps
Find more exciting activities by
Watch out! 8 Count the number of fungiform visiting bbc.co.uk/teach/terrific-
papillae twice to find an average scientific
See page 19 for details.
amount. Record your results on the
student sheet (See page 19). When At home
you have finished with the card, Why not try this activity at home, with
throw it away like you did with the family or friends? You could see how
cotton bud. compare to your classmates.
18Pupil Worksheet:
Super taste test results!
What kind of
taster are you?
Number of What kind of
Watch out! fungiform taster are you?
papillae a. Non-taster
Ensure the person preparing and (pink b. Taster
handing out the holed card has First name bumps) c. Supertaster
clean hands, uses new card and
has clean scissors and hole-punch.
Prepared card should be kept in a
new freezer bag or similar.
Used cotton buds and card strips
should be discarded into a waste
container immediately after use and
the container then placed in the bin.
Ensure all pupils wash their hands
before and after taking part in the
activity. Only allow children to dip
their cotton bud once into the food
dye. If more dye is needed, get a
fresh cotton bud. Have a receptacle
on each table for waste.
Have paper towels, antibacterial
surface wipes or cleaner on hand to
wash up any mess or spillages.
Make sure pupils know that there
is nothing wrong with being any of
the different kinds of taster. How to interpret results
lts show that you are a non-taster,
Use this table to work out if your resu
taster or supertaster.
How common
Number of fungiform in population
papillae (pink bumps) Type of taster
Non-taster One in four (25%)
0 -5
Taster One in two (50%)
6 - 10
Supertaster One in four (25%)
11 +
Class super taste test results
Please collate the number of non-tasters, tasters and supertasters in your class.
Type of taster Number in our class
Non-tasters
Tasters
Supertasters
19Glossary
What kind of
taster are you?
Fungiform papillae Scientific name for the big, round pink bumps on
the tongue which contain taste buds.
Taster chart A chart used to indicate whether a person is a
supertaster or not.
Non-tasters A percentage of the population that has fewer
fungiform papillae (pink bumps) on their tongues
than most and are less sensitive to bitter tastes.
Tasters A percentage of the population that has an
average amount of fungiform papillae (pink
bumps) on their tongues.
Supertasters A percentage of the population that has more
fungiform papillae (pink bumps) on their tongues
than most and are more sensitive to bitter tastes.
Cotton bud A small wad of cotton wrapped around one or
both ends of a short rod.
Taste Sense which helps us experience salt, sweet, sour,
bitter and umami flavours with our tongues.
20The world around us
Clever camouflaged
creatures
About this activity
This activity will get you thinking
about creature adaptations and
understanding the diverse world
around them.
Kit list
Butterfly shapes cut out of
brown or grey paper (sugar
paper or wrapping paper is fine)
Crayons, scissors, pencils and/
or felt tip pens
Instructions
Blu-Tack 1 Use the cut-out paper butterflies to Where are they difficult to see?
Objects to ‘hide’: explore camouflage by finding ways Why do you think that is?
A piece of brightly coloured to hide them around the room. Talk
wool or pipe cleaner about how camouflage works. Where can they be seen very
Plastic animals in their easily? Why do you think that is?
natural colours 2 How easy is it to hide creatures
that are a plain colour? Some Can you do other things to help
A square white sheet of paper
animals, such as snakes, use to camouflage them?
(6 cm x 6 cm approx) and some
patterns to hide. Others, like stick
patterned wrapping paper
insects, use their shape to try to Next steps
Any other objects (optional) stay hidden. There are other ways This activity can be put towards a CREST
of camouflaging as well. SuperStar Award and there are plenty
Time: 45 mins more online activities you could try for
3 Take it in turns to hide the other free. For more information, follow this
objects as quickly as you can. You link: crestawards.org/crest-superstar
are not allowed to cover them up.
Did you know? Think about: Why not take photos and make a collage
of lots of different creatures that often
In 2019, the Wallace’s giant bee Which object do you think will use camouflage? Use the facts below to
was rediscovered as the Largest be easiest to hide? do some research, if you like.
species of bee, females can reach Why do you think this?
up to 4.5 cm long – 4 times longer 1 Animals such as big cats have
than the average honeybee! Where will it be best to hide them? spots or stripes to blend with their
surroundings. Zebras’ stripes make
Found only in the plains of Kenya
Will anyone be able to find them? it difficult for a predator to know
and Ethiopia, the Grevy’s zebra is
where one animal ends and the
the Rarest species of zebra with
What if you change the colour other begins.
a population of only 2,680 (as of
of things?
2016).
2 Some animals have special skin
Find out more from: What about their shape? Can you that can change colour. Chameleons
kids.guinnessworldrecords.com see a pattern that might help? are the most famous of these.
Do you think some places are 3 Female animals are sometimes
better for hiding the objects? better camouflaged than the males
Why do you think this is? (e.g. pheasant). This is so that they
Watch out! are not seen when sitting on the
Try putting each of them in nest or looking after young.
Do not climb on anything to hide different places.
your creatures.
21The world around us
Which metal?
About this activity
In this activity you will investigate
how some metals rust when exposed to
oxygen in the air and water. You will learn
about some metals that do not change,
corrode or rust easily and so have
special uses, particularly in reducing gas
emissions on highly polluted roads.
Kit list
Range of common objects this to happen. You could use a
made from different metals magnet to identify metal items
Saucers or petri dishes that contain iron or steel.
containing water
4 Think of your own ‘rusting’ enquiry
Fine steel wool pads questions, such as: can iron or
Extra things you might need steel rust when there is no water?
could include mild white Instructions Does salt speed up rusting? Can
vinegar, lemon juice or salt 1 Carry out a ‘rust hunt’ to observe I prevent rusting? Plan and carry
Magnet (optional) how some metals change colour out your investigation; you can ask
and become weaker (corrode) for extra ‘kit’ if you need it.
when they react to substances in
Time: 2 to 3 hours
the environment. 5 Research how some metals,
with ongoing observations over
such as gold, silver, platinum and
several days
2 Investigate which metals rust by palladium, are unique because
placing everyday metal objects they do not react easily, change or
in saucers of shallow water. Over corrode. These ‘precious metals’
several days, observe which objects are often used to make jewellery
start to show signs of rust and which as well as catalysts which are
do not. Steel wool pads can be used fitted to car exhaust systems to
to test for signs of rusting. turn harmful gases produced in
the engine into safe gases.
3 Begin to form conclusions about
which metals rust and what causes Next steps
This activity is taken from CIEC’s
Watch out! Sustainable stories and solutions for
our planet, which contains two
Be particularly careful when introductory activities and four
handling metal objects because they further main activities with industry
may have sharp corners or edges. A
stories to help young children develop
few metals, especially lead, are toxic
an understanding of sustainability.
but can be handled briefly if hands
Thank you to Thomas Swan and Co.
are well washed afterwards.
Ltd
for funding the development of this
Protect your eyes from acidic Companies such as Johnson
solutions such as vinegar by publication, which can be downloaded
Matthey in England are world
wearing safety goggles. leaders in making catalysts. for free at http://ciec.org.uk/
Their scientists and engineers use sustainability.html
Wash hands thoroughly after precious metals to help make the At home
completing the investigations and air cleaner and reduce pollution. Find out if corrosion can be removed
clean up responsibly. To find out more visit from metal by rubbing old coins with
matthey.com/STEM acidic substances, such as vinegar,
lemon juice or even cola.
22The world around us
How can we
grow mushrooms?
About this activity
Consider the benefits of following
a more sustainable diet as an
alternative to obtaining meat from
animals as a source of protein. You
will be challenged to grow a crop of
mushrooms as a sustainable food
source before learning about one
company’s solution to producing
protein-rich food in a sustainable way.
Kit list
Commercially available
mushroom growing kit
Without a growing kit, a
comprehensive guide and list
of equipment can be found at
grocycle.com/how-to-grow- Instructions 3 Grow your own mushrooms using
oyster-mushrooms (check 1 It is important to consider the a ready-made growing kit. The
the health and safety section ‘sustainability’ of the diets we mushrooms often take two to
to ensure you source any eat. This means that when food is four weeks to grow and then the
mushrooms safely) produced it uses a limited amount growing cycle can be repeated
of land and water and creates little twice more.
or no greenhouse gases.
Time: 1 to 2 hours
4 Keep a growth journal over a few
with ongoing observations over
2 Many people believe that a healthy, weeks; this could include scientific
several weeks.
sustainable diet today should diagrams, photographs or time
include lots of plant-based foods lapse video, measurements and
which can be grown with less written explanations.
Watch out! impact on the environment, as well
as mushrooms, which are a type 5 Think about how scientists and
e
Some fungi are very poisonous so mak of fungi from the group of living engineers are finding more
sure you obta in the spaw n from a things called microorganisms. sustainable ways to produce
reliable source – do not be tempted to sources of food.
gather your own from the countryside.
Next steps
Before and after working with This activity is taken from CIEC’s
,
mushrooms, spawn or growing material Sustainable stories and solutions
you must follow strict hygiene rules by for our planet, which contains two
cleaning your hands well with hot soapy introductory activities and four
water and wiping down all surfaces you further main activities with industry
are working on with a cleaning spray. stories to help young children
develop an understanding of
You should not eat during the activity sustainability. Thank you to Thomas
or handle items such as notepads. Swan and Co. Ltd for funding the
Companies like Quorn in England development of this publication,
We do not advise cooking and eating produce a sustainable protein which can be downloaded for free
the mushrooms you have grown. from fungi. Many people say at http://ciec.org.uk/
If you do you should follow the that it looks like meat and tastes
sustainability.html
guidelines in The ASE booklet Be like meat and so is an excellent
safe! (4th edition), which has a safety substitute made in a more
code for food hygiene. environmentally friendly way.
23The world around us
Start your own farm
About this activity
Around 70% of Britain is farmland. Instructions
Farmers work hard every day to 1 Today you are going to become a 2 Think about all four of these
produce the food we eat but how do farmer. When choosing which crop factors and then choose the seed
they choose what they are going to to grow, you need to think about of the fruit or vegetable you’d like
grow? In this activity, you are going to four things: to grow.
become a farmer and investigate which
crops would be ideal for your new farm! Climate: what weather conditions 3 Fill the pot with compost, poke a
does your plant need to grow small hole in it and add your seed.
Kit list in? Tropical fruits like bananas
Seeds (check the ‘Watch out!’ need warm temperatures and 4 What do plants need to be able
section to make sure seeds lots of sun. What is the weather to grow? Cover it over with a
are handled safely). Suitable like in Britain? Which fruits and little more compost, water it and
examples could be: vegetables grow well in this leave it in a sunny place. Water it
Sugar snap seeds climate? regularly.
Radish seeds Peas
Seasonality: different crops grow at 5 Watch and see how your crop
Beans Sweetcorn different times of the year. Which grows.
Cress Mungbean crop seeds can be sown at this
Compost (check the ‘Watch time of year? Next steps
out!’ section to make sure Why not use your ingredients to start
compost is handled safely) Demand: it’s important to find your own farm shop business? Visit
out what other people like to https://education.nfuonline.com/
Biodegradable or recycled pots
eat so you can grow something stemterprise and gain your CREST
Small watering can people want. Carry out a survey Discovery Award.
Pencil in your class. Create a bar chart
or pictogram to show which crops Do you want to try and speed up
Time: 30 minutes have the highest demand. your plant growth? You can design
and make your own propagator:
Plant life cycles: some plants farmvention.com
take a very long time before they
bear fruit whereas others grow At home
quickly. For this project, we want When you visit the supermarket, check
something we can harvest as soon the fruit and vegetables. Where have
as possible. they come from? Could they have
Watch out! been grown in Britain instead?
Remember to wash your hands
after handling compost.
Ensure all pupils wash their hands
thoroughly after handling any seeds.
Some seeds are very poisonous,
e.g. castor oil and laburnum. French
beans or red kidney beans are
poisonous unless cooked.
If using compost from your school
compost heap, be aware of the
possibility of releasing huge
numbers of fungal spores which
could provoke an asthma attack.
24The world around us
Invertebrate hotel
About this activity
Our amazing planet is home to a Instructions
variety of different animals. Within 1 Go on a tour of your school 6 After two weeks, visit your
their habitats, all living things have an grounds and make a note of which invertebrate hotel to observe if
important role. Learn about nearby creatures can be found and what any creatures have decided to
habitats and help protect creatures the environment is like there, e.g. stay in it.
found there by designing and building was it dark or bright? Was it damp
an invertebrate hotel – an ideal place or dry? You can use the worksheet Optional extras
for your favourite minibeast. overleaf to record your findings. Write a delicious room service menu
for your invertebrate, including all its
Kit list 2 In the classroom, choose a favourite things to eat.
Paper creature you found and list the
Pencils type of environment this creature Film an advert for your hotel, showing
would love to live in. Use books or why the invertebrate would love to
Natural materials such as logs, websites to find out more about stay there.
twigs, leaves, bark, rocks, soil what it eats and what places it likes.
Water You can see an image gallery with Next steps
Structural materials such as examples of different designs in For a powerful video on habitats,
cardboard, string, tape, scissors STEM Connect, linked on next steps. why we need to protect them and an
Spot the invertebrate introduction to the invertebrate hotel
worksheet 3 Design an invertebrate hotel challenge, head to STEM Connect and
for your creature. Label its key look at the ‘Helping local habitats’ unit.
Time: 1 hour features and the materials used
to make it. Make sure these are all Find out more at:
easy to find. www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/
STEMConnect
4 Find a place outside where your
hotel will be unlikely to get The ‘Invertebrate hotels’ image
knocked over or damaged and gallery on STEM Connect also shows
won’t need to be moved. The area examples of invertebrate hotels to use
should not be contaminated by as inspiration.
broken glass or cat and dog fouling
and similar hazards. At home
Think of your favourite mammal, bird
Watch out! 5 Using natural materials and or reptile and design a hotel that
structural materials, build your would be perfect for it, including a
All living things are important and invertebrate hotel in your chosen dinner menu.
need to be treated with care and safe place outside.
respect.
Avoid areas where there is broken *** * *
glass, fouling by cats or dogs and
*
similar hazards.
After the activity everything should
be left exactly as you found it
outside.
Wash your hands thoroughly after
working with natural materials from
outside.
25Name Date
Spot Our
the invertebrate
Name
Diverse Planet worksheet
Date
SpotSpot
the the
Name invertebrate
invertebrate Date
Spot the invertebrate
Bee Butterfly Caterpillar Centipede
Bee Butterfly Caterpillar Centipede
Bee Butterfly Caterpillar Centipede
Bee Butterfly Caterpillar Centipede
Earwig Millipede Slug Snail
Earwig
Earwig Millipede
Millipede Slug
Slug Snail
Snail
Earwig Millipede Slug Snail
Spider
Spider Beetle
Beetle Woodlouse
Woodlouse Worm
Worm
Spider Beetle Woodlouse Worm
© Discovery Education Europe Ltd.
26 Spider Beetle Woodlouse Worm
© Discovery Education Europe Ltd.Assembly ideas
Why not start British Science Week off You could reflect on important Profile a specific person who
with a bang by holding an assembly scientific discoveries or inventions has contributed in some way
to get your children excited about the in the last century, with a special to the diversity of a STEM
Week ahead? Tell the British Science focus on the diversity and range field; from opening doors for
Association about your assembly ideas of both subjects and the people underrepresented communities,
by tweeting or sharing images with who discovered or invented them. to contributing new ideas,
the hashtag: #BSW20 Try focusing on people from understanding or knowledge.
underrepresented backgrounds,
Kick start an assembly with a simple but whose work may have been Invite a special guest or someone
impressive demo. Make a cloud in a bottle overshadowed at the time. See if from the school community to
britishscienceweek.org/cloud-in-a-bottle there is anyone from your area come talk about a related topic. See
who fits this bill. page 3 for information on how to
Remember, a demo is a good way get volunteers.
to get children’s attention, but it Get the children thinking about
shouldn’t be the whole focus of the how diversity is a part of people,
assembly. materials, animals, nature or
anything else in their everyday lives.
Here are some other ideas to
include during your assembly:
Tell your children about the plan for
a
British Science Week and give them
challenge related to the them e. If you
ent,
are sending home a family experim
maybe you could intro duc e/d emo it
during the assembly
n
Where has the topic of diversity bee
in the news? Is there any way you can
discuss this in an assembly?
Launch the poster competition
(see page 28 of this pack)
27Our Diverse Planet
Poster competition
About this activity
Get creative and enter the British
Science Association’s annual poster
competition. You can make your poster
about whatever version of ’Our diverse
planet’ you like and enter our UK-wide
competition with the chance to win
some exciting prizes. You can enter
one of the activities found in this pack
for the poster competition - simply
look for the paintbrush symbol. Or you
can use them as inspiration to get you
started.
Research your poster Make your poster
Kit list Investigate and imagine ‘Our diverse Once you’ve done your research,
Paper (A4 or A3) planet’ and everything that makes it it’s time to get creative! Your poster
Creative materials, e.g. special. Here are some topic ideas to must be:
pens, pencils, scissors, glue, get you started:
watercolours, paint, colouring 2D (flat) – if you make a model, you
crayons, pipe cleaners, Why not think about biodiversity? need to just send us a photo of it on
felt, thread, wool, foil, clay, From the diversity in your own A4 or A3 paper
string, beads, stamps, foam, garden, to the diversity at the very
pompoms. bottom of the ocean, research You can use pop up pictures, pull
all the amazing creatures and out tabs or materials such as paint,
organisms that live on our planet. drawing pencils, crayons and paper.
N.B. try to avoid using straws
or glitter - these plastics can The diversity of science and STEM Send us your poster
damage our planet and harm subjects. Have a think about all the Posters will be judged on creativity, how
the diverse creatures and diverse ways that science affects well they fit the theme and how well
ecosystem that live there. our lives and who you know that the poster has been made or drawn.
uses science every day. Is there
science in baking and cooking? Once the poster is complete, write your
Guinness World Records are proud
What about making a film or taking children’s information on the back, fill
to sponsor this year’s poster
a picture? Or how about operating in the online registration form, and
competition.
planes and cars? Remember that then post your entry to us at:
There are many forms of discovery science is everywhere, you just British Science Week Poster Competition,
in the world which go hand have to look for it! British Science Association,
in hand with records, such as 165 Queens Gate, London, SW7 5HD
exploring uncharted terrain, but Think about the other kinds of
‘discovery’ comes in many forms diversity our planet contains – from Next steps
- there are no limits on how you the variety of the molecules that Celebrate! For more details, along
‘discover your world’! make up essential parts of life, to with the full set of rules and tips for
the different ways our towns and educators, check out our website
Find record-breaking inspiration
cities are built, and the variation of britishscienceweek.org/plan-your-
for your poster entry here:
people’s tastes and interests. activities/poster-competition
guinnessworldrecords.com/
records/hall-of-fame
Our planet is unique, but why not
investigate what makes it different
from the other planets in our solar
system?
28You can also read
