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Year 5 - Levers and Pulleys
Year 5 explored the fascinating world of levers and pulleys in science! From pushing, pulling and dragging to testing forces in action. The children worked together to investigate how these simple machines make lifting easier. A hands-on lesson filled with curiosity and discovery!
Mad Science Club- Lab Works
Today in Mad Science Club, we became real scientists. The children got to use real lab equipment to stir, swish, and swirl different mixtures. It was a hands-on introduction to laboratory techniques, and everyone participated in the experiments and had great fun.
Year 1 Science and RE- Spotting Signs of Spring (New Life)
This afternoon, Year 1 went to Whitehall Park to look for signs of Spring (new life). They went in search of bird nests, flower buds, flowers, blossom, birds, bees, ladybirds, squirrels and butterflies. They spotted lots of flowers including daffodils, pansies, forget me not and crocus, flower buds, seedlings, birds and were even lucky enough to spot a squirrel.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Today our Reception children explored a different area of Whitehall Park. The children created bug houses and dens together. They also found some sticks and pretended to create fires and also used them as drum sticks. Some of the children tried to climb trees and it was lovely to see how brave they were all being whilst developing their fundamental skills. In addition, the children collectively walked 75km to contribute to our Lent Challenge. Well done!
Reception Firefighter visit
Today the Fire Service visited our Reception classroom to talk about how they help to keep us and the community safe. Lee reminded us that we must check our smoke alarms as they are the best way to keep us safe at home. He also told us about the different ways they help in emergencies, from putting out fires to rescuing trapped animals. He showed us their special uniform and the tools they need to perform their jobs. We then had a look at the fire engine and even experienced a quick shower from the very powerful fire hose. A big thank you to Darwen Fire Service for a brilliant morning.
Year 6 Science Museum
Year 6 also visited the London Science Museum and took part in an interactive gallery called Wonderlab:The Equinor Gallery. The interactive experience ignited their curiosity, fuelled their imagination, and inspired them to see the world around them in new and exciting ways. They enjoyed lots of hands on experiments, live science demonstrations and revealed the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives. They particularly enjoyed the friction experiment using slides with different surfaces that they could zoom down and see which one had the most friction! For all of the photos from the Year 6 London trip, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-6-london-trip-2025
Year 4 - Science: Electrical Circuits and Testing Hypotheses
This week in Year 4, we were hands on with our learning. We began by recapping scientific symbols and then practised drawing scientific diagrams. We then built the circuits we had drawn to test whether they would work. We then made predictions about whether or not different circuits would work and tested them out by building them. There were some super explanations for why certain circuits wouldn’t work, showing a firm understanding of the key components and conditions needed to make a working series circuit.
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Year 5 - Friction
Today, Year 5 explored the effects of friction in a hands-on science lesson! Using whiteboards and a variety of materials. The children measured the amount of push needed to make a toy car move over different surfaces. The children made predictions, recorded their findings, and discussed how friction impacts movement in real life. It was a fantastic lesson full of curiosity, investigation, and teamwork!
Reception: Muddy Monday
The children in Reception walked 3.5km each this week to contribute further to our Big Lent Walk in aid of CAFOD. They walked to Whitehall Park and continued with their outdoor learning. This week the children found pine cones, climbed trees and found minibeasts. They also enjoyed creating dens and roleplaying around a camp fire!
Mad Science After School Club- Slime Time-The Science Behind the Goo!
Today, our young scientists had an exciting, hands-on adventure in the world of Mad Science Slime! The children explored the science of polymers while creating their own colourful, stretchy, and squishy slime. Each child chose their favourite colour, mixing and experimenting like real chemists to bring their slimy creations to life. The children put their slime to the test in our Mad Science Slime Olympics, stretching, bouncing, and squishing their creations to see whose slime was the stretchiest, stickiest, and most creative.
British Science Week- Year 5- Building Sand Timers and Sweet Reactions
This afternoon, Year 5 had a brilliant time getting hands-on with science, exploring time and sweet reactions. First, the children took on the challenge of building their own sand timers. They worked in teams to create timers measuring one, two, and five minutes and then tested them to see how accurate they were. Our Science Ambassador, Mathew, was on hand to support them, and it was fantastic to see the children applying their scientific knowledge and working together. Then, we moved onto a heart shaped sweet experiment. The children investigated what happens when heart-shaped sweets are placed in different liquids: water, vinegar, and a fizzy drink. Before they started, everyone made predictions about what they thought would happen. They then carefully observed the changes, noting how the sweets reacted in each liquid. This led to some lively discussions about dissolving, chemical reactions, and the properties of liquids. It was a fantastic day of scientific exploration, where the children learned about time and chemical reactions whilst enjoying the teamwork and excitement of discovery. We certainly lived life in its fullness, celebrating British Science Week with engaging and educational activities.
British Science Week- Year 6- The Great Biscuit Dunk: Exploring Material Properties and Absorbency
This afternoon, our future scientists carried out the "Dunking Biscuit" experiment to celebrate 'British Science Week'. They made predictions about which biscuit would crumble first when dunked in room temperature water, ensuring it was a fair test by changing only one variable the type of biscuit. With the support of our Science Ambassador, Noah, the children carefully observed the results and concluded that certain biscuits, such as the [digestive], crumbled first due to their texture and composition. The science behind this experiment involves understanding the properties of materials, such as porosity and absorbency, which affect how the biscuits react when exposed to liquid. The children enjoyed discussing their findings, reinforcing their understanding of material properties, and of course, sampling the biscuits afterward! It was a fun and engaging way to apply scientific inquiry, develop critical thinking skills, and explore how materials behave in different conditions.