Have you been reading the interview with Kate Biberdorf in Whizz Pop Bang’s KABOOM: EXPLOSIVE SCIENCE issue where she tells us how to make oobleck? Or perhaps you just want to watch an oobleck slime video? Here’s the non-Newtonian, gloopy, sticky, drippy stuff in action!
The Slow Mo Guys made some oobleck (check out our recipe below), coloured it red, put it on a speaker, turned on some music and filmed the gloopy fluid dancing. It looks unreal!
Wondering: what is oobleck? Kate Biberdorf says:
“If you mix water and cornflour in a bowl, you can make this freaky non-Newtonian fluid. It’s one of the craziest things to hold because the oobleck will drip through your fingers even though the solid feels like a solid.”
Here is the Whizz Pop Bang recipe for oobleck:
Mix 225 g of cornflour with around 230 ml of water (and a few drops of food colouring, if you like). This will create a goo that feels liquid when you handle it gently, but solid if you hit it with a spoon.
Do you know a mini entomologist who would like to show off their love of minibeasts? These books feature beautiful, accurately illustrated tattoos of real insects (that can be cut out, stuck on to skin and washed off) alongside stacks of brilliant bug facts!
Five lucky Whizz Pop Bang fans will win CREEPY, CRAWLY TATTOO BUGS and FLUTTERY, FRIENDLY TATTOO BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER INSECTS – that’s two books, or 141 tattoos, for each winner!
Answer this question in the comments to be in with a chance of winning:
Which one is a type of insect?
Praying mantis
Spraying mantis
Neighing mantis
This competition closes at midnight on 31st October 2019. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms
🌎🌖 World Space Week runs from the 4th-10th October, and is an international celebration of all things space. It focuses on science and technology and its role in the past, present and future of mankind, a way of not only promoting the work that countries do together to explore space, but also how important space technology is to life on Earth. This year’s theme is “The Moon: Gateway to the Stars.”
To help you celebrate, try our FREE air-powered rocket activity – keeping scrolling to find a download containing all you need to print and cut your own rocket!
Have you been reading 10 Awesomely Amazing Explosions in the Wild in Whizz Pop Bang: Explosive Science? Or are you intrigued by bombardier beetles and curious about squirting cucumbers? Then scroll on, because we have got some incredible videos for you!
From spreading their seeds to escaping from predators, there are all sorts of reasons for wildlife to burst, boom and blast. See some of these incredible exploding creatures and plants in action here!
When under threat, Bombardier beetles mix two chemicals together in its abdomen, causing an explosive reaction that fires out jets of boiling toxic liquid. This makes a predator vomit the beetle out to safety!
Watch what happens when an unlucky toad eats a bombardier beetle, capable of shooting out jets of boiling toxic liquid:
This video shows the poisonous squirting cucumber detaching from its stem and firing seeds explosively at the touch of a finger:
You wouldn’t want to find a squirting cucumber in your salad – it’s poisonous!
The dung-dwelling pilobolus fungus uses a ‘squirt gun’ mechanism to fire its spores far and wide. The spores that land on plants are eaten by cows and then pooed out, and the cycle begins again!
See pilobolus fungus’s ‘squirt gun’ mechanism in action here.
The dynamite tree has toxic, pumpkin-shaped pods that explode with a loud ‘boom’, shooting out seeds at speeds of over 200 km/h!
Read more about exploding ants and termites, pistol shrimp, Himalayan Balsam, hairy bittercress exploding beached whales and more in 10 Awesomely Amazing Explosions in the Wild in Whizz Pop Bang: Explosive Science, on sale now!
The new Ofsted framework for primary schools has shifted the focus away from data and put more emphasis on a broad, engaging curriculum. This means that Ofsted inspectors are now shining more of a spotlight on science. So, what will Ofsted inspectors want to know when they take a ‘deep dive’ into science at your primary school?
Would you like help to improve primary science in your school?
A few primary science coordinators have shared their experiences of the Ofsted inspections under the new framework, and we have to say, the inspections seem very thorough! To help take away the fear and uncertainty for science coordinators, we’ve put together this short summary to show you what to expect in an Ofsted deep dive into science, and we also share our top tips of what you can put in your coordinator file.
1.Curriculum coverage
Make sure you know what each year group is teaching and how these topics progress across the years. It’s really important you understand what is covered in EYFS; if this isn’t your area of expertise ask your colleagues in FS2. The National Curriculum states clearly what each year group should cover. If this is followed, you will ensure there is progression across your school. Although it is tempting to buy into a scheme, this can be very expensive; it’s perfectly possible to teach science well without one. Here is a link to a useful progression on enquiry skills.
Keep a list of all CPD that members of staff have attended. Make sure it also includes any support that you have given them, even the times when a member of staff has asked you for advice and you have pointed them in the direction of a useful website or resource. As part of the deep dive into science, Ofsted inspectors will be scrutinising the way in which teachers explain science to their pupils. It’s therefore really important to support the less confident members of staff. Ask the staff to tell you if there are any areas that they are required to teach in science that they are not sure about. This will help you to prioritise their CPD. Don’t forget to keep a record of any staff meeting you have run and a copy of handouts you have given to teachers.
3. Scientific vocabulary
It is important that pupils use the correct scientific terminology, and Ofsted will be looking for this in lessons and in pupils’ books. Encourage staff to have a science vocabulary wall in their classroom, or word mats for the pupils to have in their books at the start of each topic. Pupils asking and answering questions is a key part of their learning. Here is a useful document shared by a teacher with the science curriculum mapped through ‘big questions’.
When you look at the
books, make sure the whole school is recording learning objectives at the
beginning of each piece of work and that the pupil activity relates to it. Make
sure there is clear progression and all the content links to your overview.
5. Curriculum links
Make a list of all of the ways that your school teaches science through other subjects such as reading, maths or history. Collect a couple of examples of lesson plans or pupils’ work for evidence.
6. Resourcing and trips
Make a note of any
science trips that take place and how they fit into that year’s science
coverage. Consider the resources needed for each topic so you can be sure that
you, as the science coordinator, have made the appropriate provision.
7. Action plan
Make sure your action plan is up to date. If there is an area that is a weakness, it’s important to be honest about it. It’s far better to identify the issue and state the steps you are putting into place to resolve it, rather than to ignore the problem.
8. Lesson observations
If you haven’t already, make sure that you find the time to observe a science lesson with a member of SLT; ask for this to be part of your performance management. There is a chance you will be expected to observe science lessons with the Ofsted inspector. It’s better to have had the opportunity to have done this with a friendly face first!
If you’d like to improve science at your school, Whizz Pop Bang magazine and the downloadable teaching resources can help:
Downloadable science lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, hands-on investigations and science reading comprehensions written by primary school teachers
Linked to the National Curriculum, ensuring correct coverage.
All resources are year group specific, ensuring progression between the years
Cross-curricular links to other subjects such as English, maths, history, geography, design and technology and PSHE.
Prices from as little as £190 per year for a copy of Whizz Pop Bang magazine through the post each month and whole-school access to our ever-growing library of downloadable teaching resources, with unlimited teacher logins. Click here to find out more.
Hello teachers! Our newest resources are available to download, and they make the perfect accompaniment to the awesome The great science bake off edition of Whizz Pop Bang
Not yet a subscriber to Whizz Pop Bang downloadable teaching resources? Start a subscription today!
An investigation for year 5 and P6, linking to the topic properties and changes of materials and properties and uses of substances. Yeast is a living thing. In this investigation, pupils will try to discover the best habitat for yeast in order to make the best pizza dough.
This downloadable pack includes:
A differentiated lesson plan, which includes a scientific explanation.
A PowerPoint presentation explaining what yeast is.
A printable set of group instructions.
Instructions for a speedy science activity on popcorn (this is a quick, 10 minute science demonstration done by a teacher).
What is the job of each ingredient in a cake? The fastest way to find out is to leave one ingredient out and see what happens! A fun investigation for year 5 and P6, linking to the topics properties and changes of materials and properties and uses of substances.
This downloadable pack includes:
A differentiated lesson plan, which includes a scientific explanation.
A PowerPoint presentation explaining cake chemistry.
Y5 and P6 Interview with star baker and research scientist Rahul Mandal
An interview with a superstar baker and research scientist for year 5 and P6, linking to the topics properties and changes of materials and properties and uses of substances. Rahul Mandal explains how cooking and baking are the perfect combinations of chemistry, physics and biology.
This downloadable reading pack includes:
An A3 reading spread for you to print.
Reading comprehension question and answer sheets, differentiated using our magnifying glasses key (on the bottom right). One magnifying glass indicates easier and two means harder.
A short discussion topic, suitable for year 2 and all of KS2, linking with the topics properties and uses of substances and properties and changes of materials. This is a super-close-up photograph of yeast cells, taken using a scanning electron microscope.
Jelly is great fun because it sets in the shape of its
container. But did you know that it’s really hard to engineer a jelly more than
10 cm tall that can stand up on its own? Try it yourself!
Use normal jelly (as many packets as you like), made using
the volume of water shown on the pack. Anything you add to strengthen your
structure must also be edible.
Take a photo of your engineered jelly next to a ruler and email it to win@whizzpopbang.com with the subject ‘Jelly challenge’ to be in with a chance of winning one of five awesome Whizz Pop Bang lab coats. Prizes will be awarded to the tallest or most inventive constructions, judged by the Whizz Pop Bang team.
Send in your entry by October 8th 2019 and don’t forget to
include your name, age, and address.
UK residents only. For full terms and conditions go to www.whizzpopbang.com/terms
Make junk into toys with this super-creative, eco-friendly toy! Each kit contains a variety of accessories (including wheels, paddle wheels, floats, rubber band drives and more) along with plenty of clip-on and magnetic fixings that can be combined to turn household junk into almost anything you can imagine.
Invented by a dad who wanted to avoid throwaway plastic toys, Junko is fully reusable and made from recycled plastic in England. Its system of clips, magnetic fixings and accessories take junk modelling up a notch, encouraging imaginative play, problem solving and serious FUN!
One lucky Whizz Pop Bang fan will win one ZOOMER!, one WATER! and one BUILD! kit, which are worth over £94 and contain everything you need to turn junk into all sorts of working cars, boats and buildings.
To enter, answer this question to be in with a chance of winning.
Scroll right to the bottom of this blog post and enter your answer in the comment box. If you can’t see the comment box, click this link to see the full blog post.
Which one is NOT a type of boat?
Narwhal
Banana
Dragon
This competition closes at midnight on 30th September 2019. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms
We’re all hoping for some glorious weather this August bank holiday and what could be a better way to prepare than to win a brilliant POCKET SWING from Hape?
If that sounds good to you, then hurry – this competition is only open for a few days so we can make sure that the winner receives their swing in time for the long weekend.
We’ve got one NATURE FUN POCKET SWING to give away!
It comes in a pouch small enough to toss into a backpack, but when set up between two strong trees between 1.5 m and 2 m apart, it makes a swing or seat that can support up to 100 kg with no drilling or fixings required.
Even better, each swing is made from polyester recycled from an average of three PET bottles. What a clever bit of kit!
To be in with a chance of winning, complete the name of this song:
Swing low, sweet…
wheelbarrow
chariot
dumper truck
This competition closes at midnight on 19th August 2019. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms
Have you ever wondered how popcorn is made? It starts as a kernel, which is a seed containing a little water and a lot of starch. When this is heated above 100 °C, the water boils and becomes water vapour. This gas takes up more space than liquid water, so the pressure inside the kernel builds up. Suddenly, the hard skin splits and the starchy insides burst out, pushing against the bottom of the pan and flipping the popped corn into the air. All this happens in a fraction of a second!
Discover the science of baking, including loads of fantastic food facts, in Whizz Pop Bang’s extra-special 50th edition: THE GREAT SCIENCE BAKE OFF!
