Welcome to our first blog post from Miss O’Donnell and Primary 5 within the Junior/Senior Department of our school.

Primary 5 have been investigating the importance and uses of water, and this week we decided to do some experimenting.

The boys and girls had learned about soluble and insoluble substances and they wanted to try it for themselves. After lots of discussion, they decided to investigate if salt, brown sugar and crushed chalk would dissolve in hot and cold water.

The pupils then collected all the equipment which they needed – salt, brown sugar, crushed chalk, water, tubs, spoons, etc and set about experimenting.

There was lots of fun and amazement in the class as the children saw the salt and brown sugar dissolve before their eyes especially when the sugar changed the colour of the water. The children had thought that the crushed chalk had dissolved in cold water but we decided to check by filtering the solution through the filter paper.

Sadly, the chalk hadn’t dissolved to form a solution and the children learned that chalk was insoluble.

The boys and girls had lots of fun. Watch out – Scientists are about!

Check back regularly for updates from the Junior/Senior Department.