St Mary's School Calne

Science and Sports Activities Day

On Friday 5th May, Year 5 pupils from five primary schools attended a Science & Sports Activities Day.  Divided into 3 teams – 'Rockets', 'Flames' and 'Carnivores', the children took part in activities run by the Science and PE departments at St Mary’s.

Four chemistry activities took place in St Mary’s’ well-equipped science laboratories.  All the activities focussed on colour.  The children had great fun finding out the colours in chemicals by putting them in a Bunsen flame.  They also investigated whether the colours in both felt tip pens and smarties were pure or mixed colours.  Finally, the pupils looked at colour in leaves.

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The physics activities took place outside and focussed on rockets and projectiles.  Enormous fun was had as the children launched air rockets at different angles to establish which angle would give the longest range.

The biology activity explored Food Chains to try to gain an understanding of why big fierce animals are rare.  

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Finally, the pupils undertook 3 activities in the swimming pool, looking at drag, water displacement and the effect of water on weight.  There were shrieks of laughter as the children were lifted into the water using the disabled hoist and weighed using a spring balance before being lowered into the water and weighed again.  It was amazing to note that a child weighing 35kg out of the water, weighed only 3kg in the water.

The schools attending the Science/Sports Activities Day were St Margaret’s Preparatory School, Hilmarton Primary School, Godolphin Preparatory School, St Swithun’s Junior School and Somerfords Walter Powell.