In response to recent reports in the news (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37772399), pupils designed and conducted their own fair experiment to test where or not “flushable” wipes really are suitable for flushing. According to the voluntary code that guides manufacturers, wipes should break down in the water system within 3 hours, but the sooner the better, so as not to block pipes and sewage systems.
After 3 hours, we found that only the toilet paper had broken down:
After 1 WEEK, the only “flushable” wipe to break down to any degree was Andrex, the rest were ripped in places but almost whole.
Lucy(P7) reports: “After 3 hours only the toilet paper broke down but after a week Andrex broke down too.”
Maya (P4) reports “Out of the wipes the Andrex was the best and the least best was the Kirkland Signature.”
Ellen (P5) reports: “I learned to not flush wipes down the toilet even if they say “flushable” on them”.
À votre avis, quels fruits flottent? Quels fruits coulent?
Une fraise flotte ou coule?
Un citron vert flotte ou coule?
Une poire flotte ou coule?
Un grain de raisin flotte ou coule?
Investigating whether or not different types of fruit float or sink. IN FRENCH!
On Thursday 26th March, the pupils from Abernyte were joined by the pupils from Blairingone, Logiealmond and Glenlyon to form the B.L.A.G. Joint Forensic Science Task Force.
Pupils worked together in collaborative groups to solve the mystery of the contaminated powdered milk from the teacher’s break-time coffee. Investigating different white solids to test how they reacted when mixed with either water or vinegar, pupils had to use careful observation, noting down their findings in an organised table. These results were then cross matched with the reactions of the sample from the crime scene to identify the mystery white solid that had been used.
Pupils also learned more about separating mixtures, using chromatography to identify which black pen had been used to write the note found at the crime scene.
Pupils of all schools enjoyed working together to solve the mystery!
Glenlyon wrote, “Thank you so much for inviting us to your school. We loved the experiments and it was good to work with all the other children”.
On Wednesday 14th May, P4-7 visited the Forth Replacement Crossing education centre as part of their Science and Technology topic on Bridges.
Pupils learned about the work of Civic Engineers (who design bridges) and the forces that act on bridges. They learned about some of the different types of bridges (when the new bridge opens in 2016, the Forth will boast three different types of bridge – cantilever, suspension and cable stay – from three different centuries) and about the construction techniques being used to build the new bridge.
Pupils worked co-operatively to build tetrahedrons (triangular based pyramids) to investigate the structural strength of triangles and worked with plan and elevation schematics to build a truss bridge. We may just have a few budding engineers in our midst!
As part of our topic on The Human Body, the parent of one of our pupils came in to give a talk to the class about his work as an anaesthetist (a doctor who puts people to sleep for their operations).
Pupils were treated to a very interesting discussion on the human body, covering surgery, infection, the heart and blood, and the kidneys and urine.
Pupils got to dress up in surgical scrubs and were walked through an appendix removal!
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