| Hi Sue. |
| Hi Mike. |
| So what happened to you last week? |
| Oh, I was sick with the flu. |
| What's this I hear about a big assignment we've got to do? |
| Oh, well, basically, we've got to find two science experiments |
| to do with a group of 8-year-old children at the local primary school, |
| and we've got to complete it by the end of the week. |
| That sounds like hard work. |
| Where are we supposed to get the ideas for these experiments from? |
| Well, I managed to get hold of two books from the library. |
| Oh, well done! |
| How about if we take a look at the experiments in this book first |
| and see if anything looks suitable? |
| I can make notes as we go, about equipment and the purpose of the experiments. |
| Okay, let's see... |
| the first experiment is called 'Make your own hovercraft', |
| which sounds very ambitious! |
| Mind you, you only need 20 balloons and a table - |
| you don't need any special engines or anything like that! |
| What do you do with it all? |
| Er, you blow up the balloons and you balance the table on them, |
| upside down of course, and the kids get to ride around on it. |
| You know, the other kids sort of push them around the room. |
| The main purpose is to show how hovercrafts work, |
| and how things hover around on just a cushion of air. |
| Okay, that doesn't sound too bad. |
| Okay, ready for number two? |
| Now this one is called 'Unusual Measures of Lengths', |
| and you basically use lots of paperclips. |
| The kids go around the class measuring things - |
| you know, how long the desk is, and that sort of thing, |
| and then they all compare their answers. |
| And, basically, because not all paperclips are the same lengths, |
| they should come up with some strange answers. |
| It's supposed to demonstrate the importance of having fixed units of measurement. |
| Yeah, that's not bad. |
| Okay, now for number three you need rock salt or copper sulphate. |
| Oh, I'm not sure about that! |
| Well, just put down the rock salt then... |
| apart from that you only need a jar of water. |
| And basically you dissolve lots of salt into the water |
| and watch the crystals form, |
| so it basically teaches the kids about growing crystals. |
| Yeah, I suppose it would be nice to grow something. |
| Hmm, let's move on and have a look at number four. |
| Okay, this one is called 'Spinning colour wheel'. |
| It looks like you get some cardboard and draw a circle on it, |
| divide it into six equal segments and colour each one in using different colours, |
| then you thread a piece of string through the middle. |
| So we'd need some string as well. |
| Yes, sorry... |
| and you spin the wheel around |
| and if you can get it spinning fast enough, |
| hopefully the colours all merge and show up as white. |
| Oh, I didn't know that. |
| What's the principle behind it? |
| Well it's pretty elementary physics, really. |
| It teaches them about how white light or ordinary light is made up. |
| Hmm, well that doesn't sound too bad. |
| Now there's only one more left in this book isn't there? |
| What does that one say? |
| Um, well it's another one where they'd get to make something. |
| Sounds very interesting. |
| You need quite a lot of equipment actually - |
| a hand drill, an old record, |
| a pin or needle, some paper and a bolt. |
| Hmm, go on, what do they have to do? |
| Well, they basically make a record player. |
| The main idea is to teach them about recording sound, |
| but hopefully they'd also see that you need motion and an amplifier to make the sound heard. |
| Okay, well it does sound interesting. |
| Shall we go through all of those again and decide if any of them are going to be suitable? |
| Right, number one. |
| I thought this one sounded nice: there'd be lots of activity |
| and it doesn't need too much in the way of equipment. |
| Yes, that's true, but... |
| don't you think it's a bit risky to get a group of 8-year-olds pushing each other around a classroom like that? |
| Someone could get hurt. |
| No, I don't like the sound of that one at all! |
| Maybe you're right. |
| What about number two, with the paperclips? |
| It sounds tame enough. |
| Yes, a bit too tame if you ask me. |
| I think it needs to be something a bit more active and interesting than that, don't you? |
| Yes, I suppose you're right. |
| We won't get a very good mark if the children don't actually enjoy the experiments, |
| and I suppose we could turn them off science for good! |
| Well, what about the next one, number three? |
| Now, I quite like the idea of this one. |
| Yes, so do I, |
| but I seem to remember when we did it at high school |
| we had to wait up to a fortnight before we saw any halfway decent results. |
| Oh, yes well, that won't be any good then. |
| We'll only see the kids for one or two hours at the most. |
| Yes, and we have to do the experiments and write up our results within a week, |
| so that one won't do at all. |
| Okay, well, what did you think of number four? |
| I like the idea of it, but |
| do you think it will be a bit elementary for them? |
| Well, they are only eight you know! |
| I know, but you know what I mean. |
| Don't you think the activity itself is a bit babyish? |
| Hmm, maybe you're right. |
| They might have fun but, I mean, cutting out a circle and colouring it in? |
| Okay, well, what about number five? |
| I thought this one sounded a bit too good to be true - great equipment! |
| Yeah. |
| But don't you think it's a bit ambitious for this age group? |
| I mean, I don't want to start off something and then have to abandon it if they just can't cope with it. |
| I could see us ending up doing just about all of the work for them. |
| I guess you're right. |
| Oh well, maybe we could store that idea away for later. |
| Yep, let's hope this second book has something better! |