Unleash the Jitterbug! A thrilling engineering activity using electric excitement with off-centre cam magic!

Science2Life’s Science iT! Activities takes everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative science projects.

In this activity Scientific Sue uses a simple circuit with a motor and off-centred mass to turn a pot into a Jitterbug! In fact the vibrating circuit could be attached to a range of items. What would you like to see vibrate across the floor?

This activity allows your children to learn to build electrical circuits in a unique, engaging, fun and achievable way!

We supply the items required to bring your bug creation to life. Hear it buzz and watch it skitter across the table or floor.

With a little more ingenuity  you can turn this Jitterbug into a Drawbot! Just add felt tipped pens as legs and turn your design into a drawing machine. Switch on the motor and watch your creation come to life to wiggle and vibrate across the page. The Drawbot Click on this link to see it in action!

Contents:

• 350 ml pot with lid x 30
• Battery holder with wires and switch x 30
• AA Battery x 30
• Motor tag connectors x 60
• 5 V motor x 30
• Off-centre Cam x 30
• Motor clip x 30
• Sticky glue dots x 300
• Lolly pop sticks x 100
• Wiggly eyes x 60
• Bag of craft materials
• Teaching notes

What you need:

What will your creation look like?

Art materials to turn your machine into the most unique bug!

This kit makes use of a rapidly spinning off-centre mass to cause movement.

In these images the circuit is placed on top the lid – the lid is then connected to the item you wish to turn into a jitterbug.

Our bug with the battery and motor inside the pot.

The Jitterbug!

Click on the link above to see my creation in action! The art materials are not included –  our creations  are just intended to show you how easily the vibrating lid or pot can be modified.

The circuit can be placed on to of the lid or pot or inside the pot – If inside the pot you will find there is more scope for decorating your vibrating creature.

If the motor mount is on top pipe cleaners and other items can be added to the yellow cam to creating a spinning nose or tail!

Jitterbug_Teacher_Curriculum_Sheet – Click here to view the full curriculum links for Ireland, Northern Ireland, England & Wales.

Curriculum Links:

• construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including battery, wires, switch and motor.
• recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether the motor spins or not.
• develop and design an innovative, functional and appealing product that is fit for purpose.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

The inclusion of the arts component into STEM makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

All of our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

All of the above can be upscaled to become workshops. Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

Sparks of imagination are at the heart of creativity!
                                                                                   – Scientific Sue

The post JITTERBUG ACTIVITY CLASSROOM KIT (30) appeared first on Science2Life.

• Hands-on educational project

• Online support for setting up and delivering the programme

• Virtual workshop given by Scientific Sue

Want Scientific Sue to run this session in your school, for your event or even to create a bespoke session for you? That can be arranged too!

Although we have called this activity ‘Pneumatic Mini-Beasts‘ your children can use the contents to make any toy which uses the inflated balloon to open or move it. This creative activity helps to develop children’s understanding of control through investigating simple pneumatic systems and designing and making a model of a toy that has moving parts controlled by moving air – pneumatics.

Enough material to make 30 models

• Balloon pump
• Balloons x 40
• Paper plates x 60
• Double sided stickers/sticky dots x 250
  

  Is this a friendly spider?

• Pipe cleaners x 300
• Plastic tubing x 30
• Ping pong balls x 60
• Wiggly eyes x 60
• Wire ties x 40
• Plastic ‘throat’ rings x 30
• Rocket balloon
• Pneumatic Monsters Art Kit:
• 30 Creature Design Sheets with Name Cards
• 30 Boolmarks
• 30 Mini-Beast (Monster) Profile Cards
• Teaching notes

The children create a toy which can be opened using air moving out of an inflated balloon.

Extra balloon pumps can be order by clicking this link.

Teaching notes included

This creative activity can also be used to investigate camouflage as an adaptation and why it helps organisms to survive. The activity can reinforce the usefulness of being able to ‘hide’ in an environment in a fun way – and which child doesn’t like playing hide-and-seek?!

Engage your children in an exciting hands-on activity by introducing them to a simple pneumatic toy project. This delightful creation, powered by the inflation of a balloon, offers an excellent opportunity for students to explore basic principles of air pressure while unleashing their creativity.

In this project, children construct a charming creepy crawly toy with a unique twist—the toy’s mouth is animated by the inflation of a balloon. This dynamic feature adds an element of surprise and fosters curiosity among students. Not only does it serve as an entertaining toy, but it also provides an interactive platform for learning about pneumatic systems.

Encourage students to personalise their creepy crawlies by decorating them with vibrant colours and patterns. This creative aspect opens the door to discussions about camouflage in the animal kingdom, making the project an interdisciplinary learning experience.

Through this hands-on activity, students will not only grasp the fundamentals of pneumatic systems but also gain insight into the fascinating world of adaptation and survival strategies. This project not only enhances their understanding of science and engineering but also cultivates artistic expression and critical thinking skills.

Note: The balloon can be inflated by the children directly blowing down the tube or with the aid of a balloon pump.

The Mini-Beast Art Kit will allow your children  to:

 Activity 1: Creature Design Sheet

 Objective: Children will sketch and decorate their own creepy crawly creature.
 Focus: Shape, colour, pattern, camouflage techniques, body structure (legs, wings, antennae).
 Top Tip: Encourage them to think about how their creature hides in its habitat—leaf patterns? Muddy textures? Bark-like colours?

 Add-on: Give their creature a name and write one “super power” or adaptation that helps it survive.

 Activity 2: Creature Fact Bookmark

 Objective: Children will choose a real-life insect, bug, or small animal that inspired their pneumatic toy and create an information bookmark.
 Focus: Name, habitat, adaptations, diet, and a fun fact.

 Challenge: Can they link their design to something real? (e.g., “My creepy crawly is based on the stick insect—it’s almost invisible in the woods!”)

 Activity 3: Monster Profile Card

 Objective: Create a “Meet My Monster” profile card.
 Focus: Drawing of the final creature, a short story, character traits, habitat description, and what makes it unique.

 Optional Prompt:

• My monster’s name is…
• It lives in…
• It eats…
• It hides by…
• When it feels threatened, it…

 Extension Idea: Use the envelope to create a habitat pocket! Decorate it and tuck the creature design or profile inside.

Bonus Idea: Display Wall

Create a class gallery of monsters! Use string and pegs or a wall board to hang:

• The Monster Profile Cards
• The Bookmarks
• Photos of the finished pneumatic creations

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

The inclusion of the arts component into STEM makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Mini-Beast Kit x 4
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

Sparks of imagination are at the heart of creativity!
– Scientific Sue     

The post PNEUMATIC MINI-BEAST ACTIVITY CLASSROOM KIT (30) appeared first on Science2Life.

Part of Science2Life’s SCIENCE iT! Series

Turn everyday objects into exciting science projects with Scientific Sue! This buzzing, wiggling Jitterbug activity lets children explore the science of movement and simple electrical circuits in a creative, hands-on way.

What is it?

In this fun STEAM activity, your child will build a simple electric circuit using a 5V motor and an off-centre spinning weight. Attach it to a colourful pot, do some creative decorating and buzz! – you’ve got a jittering, skittering bug that zooms across the floor or table!

With a little extra imagination, your Jitterbug can become a Drawbug – just add the felt-tip pen legs and watch it scribble wild, spinning patterns across the page!

 Click here to see it in action!

What Will They Learn?

• How to build a simple electrical circuit
• What happens when you add an off-centre spinning mass
• How to experiment with motion, vibration, and balance
• How creative thinking turns science into fun

What’s in the Kit?

Everything you need to make your bug jitter, skitter and draw:

• 1 x 5V motor
• 1 x motor clip
• 1 x off-centre cam wheel
• 1 x battery holder with switch
• 1 x pot with lid
• Sticky glue dots
• 3 legs
• 3 felt-tip pens
• 1 x AA battery
• 2 x googly eyes
• 4 x Colourful pipe cleaners

 You’ll need: Your own art and craft materials to personalise your creation – extra pipe cleaners, pompoms, sequins, feathers… whatever brings your bug to life!

Curriculum Links

• Build a simple series electrical circuit using motors, wires, switches and batteries
• Understand how switches control current and movement
• Design and make a unique, functional vibrating product
• Explore energy transfer and forces in action

Top Tips

• Place the motor inside the pot for easier decorating
• Or mount it on top to add spinning tails, noses or hats!
• Try attaching the circuit to other objects – what else can you make move?

Ready to buzz into action?
Whether you’re building a bug or creating a Drawbug masterpiece, this kit is the perfect way to mix science, engineering and creativity in one unforgettable experience.

What will your creation look like?

The Jitterbug!

Click on the link above to see my creation in action! The art materials are not included –  our creations  are just intended to show you how easily the vibrating lid or pot can be modified.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

The inclusion of the arts component into STEM makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

All of our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

All of the above can be upscaled to become workshops. Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 10 JITTERBUG – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

Red cabbage – which is purple! – is a natural acid/base indicator

Pronunciation: /AH-mor-TEN-see-ah

Description: Causes target to be strongly attracted to a particular witch or wizard.

Contents:

• Pop-up Wand
• Red Cabbage Magic
• 3 x small clear measuring cups
• 1 x 60 ml measuring up
• 2 x 50 ml bottles with flip top cap
• 2 Pipettes
• Tub of Baking Soda – 40 g
• Tub of Citric Acid – 40 g
• 4 x wooden stirring spoons
• Liquified Ogre’s Bogeys label
• Dragons drool Label

In this video Scientific Sue will show you how you can use the red cabbage powder in a very magical spell.

From the Latin amor (love) tentamen (attempt or effort), Amortentia is a powerful love enchantment. The spell doesn’t actually create love, but causes the target to be strongly attracted to a particular witch or wizard. Both muggles and wizards can fall under the spell of AMORTENTIA!

This video will take you through the steps you need to take to wow  your audience – Science Magic – Fun Guaranteed!

Secrets for Success:

Potions and Explosions Spell Book Click on this link for the full version of this and other spells!

Add a spoonful of the dried cabbage powder into the 60 ml cup. Top up with 40 ml warm water. Leave for 10 minutes. Use a sieve to remove the rehydrated cabbage leaves. You now have some “Dragon’s Drool’ to use in your AMORTENTIA Spell!

Prepare the cups before your audience arrives: place a spoonful of Dried Skin of Basilisk (Citric Acid) into one clear cup and Horn of Bicorn (Baking Soda) in to another.

Watch the video to give you an idea of a possible story line. Don’t forget this is your spell so you can make up any story to go with the colour changes.

Test other powders and liquid in the kitchen and bathroom, with adult supervision. Can you get any other colours? Use the Red cabbage card to give you some ideas.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

With the inclusion of the arts component into STEM it makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 2 THE MAGICAL AMORTENTIA SPELL – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

Super Bouncing Bubble Kit – A Magical Science iT! Activity from Science2Life

Special Appearance:
Lucy Carrol, age 7, helps out at Scientific Sue’s dazzling Science of Bubbles show during Science Week Ireland at the Institute of Technology, Sligo.
(Photo by James Connolly, 12NOV17)

Make Science Bounce—Literally!
Discover the awe and wonder of hands-on science with our Super Bouncing Bubble Kit. Specially designed for young scientists and bubble lovers, this STEM-inspired kit turns everyday play into an exciting scientific adventure.

What’s Inside the Kit?

Everything you need to start your bouncing bubble experiments right away:

• 50ml Super Bouncing Bubble Solution

  

  Boy holding a bubble

• 2 Magic Gloves (so you can catch and bounce bubbles)

• 1 Bubble Blower

• 1 30ml Mixing Cup

• Step-by-step Instructions

How to Make Bouncing Bubbles:

1. Open the bubble solution and carefully remove the seal.

2. Pour the bubble solution into the small plastic cup.

3. Slip on your magic glove.

4. Dip the wide end of the bubble blower into the solution.

5. Gently blow a large, tennis-ball-sized bubble – with the blower pointing downwards.

6. Raise your hand.

7. Flick the bubble into the air and catch it with your gloved hand.

8. Can you make it bounce? Try again and again!

9. Now bounce it from hand to hand – You are officially a Bubble Juggler!

Let’s Investigate:

Encourage scientific thinking with these bubble-based challenges:

• How many times can your bubble bounce before it pops?

• Does bubble size affect bounceability?

• What happens if you blow harder or softer?

• Can you bounce a bubble on wool, cotton, or rubber gloves?

• Which surface works best for bouncing?

Perfect for solo play or family fun, this activity builds skills in observation, prediction, and experimentation—all while having a blast!

Perfect For:

• STEM experiments at home or in the classroom

  

  Blowing bubbles

• Birthday party activities

• Christmas stocking fillers

• Science fairs and festival workshops

• Curious minds aged 5+

Educational Benefits:

Science2Life’s Science iT! Activities are developed by real educators to promote:

• Early engagement with science and engineering concepts

• Critical thinking, creativity, and logic through play

• Lifelong curiosity and a love for learning

These STEAM activities transform toys, tools, and household items into powerful learning opportunities—making science accessible, fun, and unforgettable!

Safety First!

Recommended: Young children should wear safety goggles when playing with bubble solution to prevent soap splashes in their eyes.

If a bubble bursts in the eye:

• Rinse immediately with lukewarm water using a clean jug or shower stream.

• Young children may be wrapped in a towel for comfort during rinsing.

Warning: Bubble solution may cause slippery surfaces. Clean up spills right away to prevent accidents.

Linked to the Curriculum

All Science2Life kits are aligned with key STEAM learning goals and are perfect for:

• Supporting school topics like forces, surface tension, and states of matter

• Introducing key scientific practices such as hypothesis testing and recording results

• Being scaled up for classroom workshops, festivals, or science birthday parties

Explore More Science iT! Activities:

Science2Life offers a full range of hands-on kits including:

• The Magical EVANESCO Spell

• The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell

• Make Your Own Fossil Kit

• Colour-Changing Bracelet Kit

• Pneumatic Monsters

• Creative Circuits

• The Magical Wandarama

• Gone Fishing

• The Jitter Bug

Each one can be scaled up into a workshop programme. Want to know more? Get in touch!

Email: ScientificSue@science2life.com
Call or WhatsApp: +44 7970 884728
Visit our website

Join Scientific Sue on a Bubble-Filled Adventure!

Using a tub of bubbly magic, a bubble blower, and special gloves, Scientific Sue brings the science of bubbles to life! This amazing kit delivers fun, learning, and laughter—perfect for budding scientists and bubble chasers alike.

Curriculum Links: Super Bouncing Bubble Kit

Suitable for: Key Stage 1 & 2 (England, Northern Ireland) / Primary Levels (Republic of Ireland)
Curricular Areas: Science | Mathematics | The Arts | Literacy | STEM

SCIENCE

England: Primary Science (KS1 & KS2)

• Working Scientifically

  • Asking simple questions and recognising they can be answered in different ways

  • Observing closely, using simple equipment

  • Performing simple tests and using results to draw conclusions

• Everyday Materials / States of Matter

  • Identifying and comparing the suitability of materials

  • Observing materials change (liquid film stretching, popping)

  • Exploring bubbles as a gas trapped in a liquid

• Forces and Magnets (KS2)

  • Understanding how pushes and pulls affect motion

  • Investigating how forces act on objects (bubbles bouncing and falling)

Northern Ireland: The World Around Us (KS1 & KS2)

• Interdependence / Movement and Energy / Materials

  • Exploring how materials behave in different conditions

  • Investigating forces in action (bouncing, gravity, motion)

  • Developing skills in observing, predicting, and recording

Republic of Ireland: SESE – Science

• Energy and Forces

  • Exploring the effects of different forces on objects

  • Recognising how air (a gas) can exert a force

• Materials

  • Investigating how different materials interact (bubble vs glove surface)

  • Exploring the properties of liquids and gases

• Working Scientifically

  • Questioning, observing, predicting, investigating, recording and evaluating

MATHEMATICS

England/Northern Ireland: Mathematics (KS1 & KS2)

• Measurement

  • Using standard units to measure liquid volumes

  • Comparing and ordering measurements (e.g. bubble sizes)

• Statistics

  • Collecting and recording results

  • Creating simple tables or charts of bounce counts

Republic of Ireland: Mathematics

• Measure

  • Estimating, measuring, and comparing capacities

• Data

  • Recording data using tables or graphs

  • Interpreting results from bubble experiments

THE ARTS

England/Northern Ireland/ROI

• Visual Arts / Design & Technology / Expressive Arts

  • Appreciating the aesthetic qualities of bubbles

  • Encouraging creativity in test design and decoration of equipment

  • Using colour and texture in glove choice or themed experiments

LANGUAGE & LITERACY

• Oral Language & Communication

  • Encouraging students to describe what they see and explain their ideas

  • Developing scientific vocabulary (e.g. surface tension, predict, solution)

  • Sharing findings through presentations or discussions

• Reading and Writing

  • Following written instructions

  • Writing up results, predictions, and observations

STEM / STEAM Outcomes

• Hands-on inquiry that supports scientific thinking and problem-solving

• Cross-curricular learning with real-world application of science concepts

• Encourages creativity, curiosity, and exploration through open-ended investigation

• Provides a platform for collaborative learning and communication

The post SUPER BOUNCING BUBBLE KIT – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

Make Your Own Fossil Kit!

Science2Life’s Science iT! Activities take everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative science projects.

In this activity Scientific Sue uses the quick drying action of casting stone to help create 3D copies of your dinosaurs of choice.

Turn your children into little archaeologists with our DINO DIG Kit.

A complete learning activity – this mega dig kit includes everything you need to create and uncover your very own fossils!

Ideal gift for any dinosaur fan!

This kit contains:

• Dinosaur puzzle
• 2 Dinosaur toys
• Casting foam
• Wooden Tools
• Toothbrush
• 3 x 32 g casting stone (enough to make 3 models)
• Measuring cup
• Dinosaur box – to be coloured in

Build your dinosaur skeleton puzzle: bury it, cast it, then dig it!

Building this 3D puzzle stimulates logical thinking and special imagination.

1. Build your Dinosaur puzzle.
2. Gently push it into the foam mould using the wooden stick – this ensures no finger marks are made.
3. Carefully remove your dinosaur skeleton.
4. Carefully measure 10 ml of water and add it to 32 g (or 30 ml) of dental stone powder.
5. Mix until you have a smooth paste (a bit like a thick batter) – 30 seconds max.
6. Pour the paste into the mold – use the lollipop stick to smooth the surface.
7. Leave for 60 minutes.
8. Place your mould on a tray.
9. Carefully remove the outer layer of the foam with your fingers.
10. As you get closer to the skeleton you will then need to use the wooden stick.
11. The toothbrush is then used to brush away the foam that is found within the rib cage and other crevasses.
12. When completely dry paint your fossil!

Casting stone can be used to collect many kinds of impressions. Forensic scientists use it a lot to gather impressions of shoe prints and type tracks.

Casting stone emits a little bit of heat while it hardens – so we can’t use it for impressions made in snow!

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

With the inclusion of the arts component into STEM it makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 4 DINO DIG KIT – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

Amaze your children or pupils with this magical colour changing bracelet kit and glow in the dark energy beads!

Kit contents

• 100 UV mixed colour changing / glow in the dark pony beads 8 mm x 6 mm
• 3 Scroubidou Strings (100 cm)
• 1 piece of soft cord (100 cm)
• 1 UV light pen
• Small tub

Indoors they are coloured dull white but will change into coloured beads (green, yellow, pink, blue or purple) once you expose them to sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) light. 

Make them into bracelets or necklaces or use them on hair braids.

The beads can be used to demonstrate the effectiveness of UV protection in sunglasses, during sun cream experiments or in Science2Life’s Mysterious Microbes Workshop.

• Change colour when exposed to sun or UV light
• Comes with 2 threading strings so that you can start your jewellery making immediately!
• Perfect for making bracelets, necklaces and other wearable craft items.
• Adult supervision is always advised

Research companies use these beads for testing the effects of sun cream and whether it’s able to protect skin from the UV rays. You can use them for research too!

They will change colour backwards and forwards many times. Test the ability of your sunglasses to block out ultraviolet light by covering a few beads with the lens of your sunglasses, if the beads do not change colour, your sunglasses block out harmful ultraviolet light from your eyes. If the beads change colour change your sun glasses!!

Test a variety of glass and plastic materials to determine which materials block out UV light.

This activity is a fun way to make sure your children are protected from the UV rays during the summer sun.

Continuous exposure to UV rays’ overtime will compromise the colour changing properties. The contact of sunscreen products on the beads can also impact on the colour changing pigments of the beads.

Warning: Keep away from small children and pets – choking hazard.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

With the inclusion of the arts component into STEM it makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 5 COLOUR CHANGING BRACELET KIT – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

• Hands-on educational project

• Online support for setting up and delivering the programme

• Virtual workshop given by Scientific Sue

Want Scientific Sue to run this session in your school, for your event or even to create a bespoke session for you? That can be arranged too!

Although we have called this activity ‘Pneumatic Mini-Beast‘ your children can use the contents to make any toy which uses the inflated balloon to open or move it. This creative activity helps to develop children’s understanding of control through investigating simple pneumatic systems and designing and making a model of a toy that has moving parts controlled by moving air – pneumatics.

Enough material to make 4 models

• Balloon pump
• Balloons x 6
• Paper plates x 8
• Double sided stickers x 32
  

  Is this a friendly spider?

• Pipe cleaners x 40
• Plastic tubing x 4
• Ping pong balls x 8
• Wiggly eyes x 20
• Ties x 4
• Rocket balloon

The children create a toy which can be opened using air moving out of an inflated balloon.

Teaching notes included

This creative activity can also be used to investigate camouflage as an adaptation and why it helps organisms to survive. The activity can reinforce the usefulness of being able to ‘hide’ in an environment in a fun way – and which child doesn’t like playing hide-and-seek?!

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

The inclusion of the arts component into STEM makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post ACTIVITY 6: PNEUMATIC MINI-BEAST KIT – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.

Creative Circuits contents – Colours may vary

Creative Circuits is part of Science2Life’s ‘Science iT!’ Programmes

it is used to teach the basics of electrical circuits in a fun, hands-on way.

Build a 3D model creation and use your scientific knowledge to light it up!

Contents

• 140 g Conductive Craft Doh
• 90 g Insulating Modelling Clay
• 2 x Battery holder with switch, connecting wires and connecting blades
• 4 x 3V Lithium Batteries
• 4 x spare blades
• 8 x LED’s (mixed)

Activity and Educational notes provided – 8 pages!

BATTERIES: 4 x 3V button lithium cells included

HOW ­­­CREATIVE CIRCUITS WORKS?

Creative Circuits uses conductive craft-doh in place of traditional electrical wires and modelling clay to act as an insulating material. The insulating material is there to prevent your conducting wires from touching and hence avoiding short circuits!

A more in depth explanation of a short circuit

This innovation way of playing with electricity allows you to discover the benefits of series and parallel circuits in fun and safe way and then use that knowledge to create your own illuminated 3-D designs.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes

Children love to be engaged in learning, especially through interactive projects that they can really get involved and be hands on with.

Science2Life’s Science iT! activities and programmes are part of our STEAM Academy. The activities use everyday life objects, toys and knick-knacks and turns them into fun, innovative, hands-on experiences designed to encourage children to:

• discover the amazing world of science and engineering
• to perform engaging activities that show how science and engineering is at work in their everyday lives
• to foster a lifelong love of science and engineering
• to give a basic grounding in scientific concepts and scientific thinking
• to increase children’s motivation to learn and
• enhance their perception, creativity and logic.

Hands-on learning is learning by doing.

Children involved in our ‘Science iT!’ activities and programmes are introduced to various STEAM learning methods and activities. Our creative programmes involve learning activities that require active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work. We all know how curious children are about the world around them and how they love using the word ‘why?’

The aim of our activities is to provide optimal learning opportunities that strategically help children grasp mathematics, engineering and science concepts.

With the inclusion of the arts component into STEM it makes it more fun to learn, and more approachable to children.

Art education allows children to learn things in a more open-ended way and make them applicable to real life.

Links to the curriculum

All of Science2Life activities can be used to entertain children – however they have been created with the curriculum in mind, so are perfect activities to generate mesmerizing examples of the topics they can be used to explore.

Plus our Science iT! activities can up scaled-up to be used in workshops within the classroom, for festival and birthday celebrations, which provide opportunities for children to collaborate on initiatives, explorations and creations.

The idea behind our Science iT! activities is to ignite children’s natural innate curiosity about the world around them (and the items in it) and to channel their enthusiasm for scientific discovery as early as possible.

Currently Science2Life have the following Science iT! activities:

1. The Magical EVANESCO Spell
2. The Magical AMORTENTIA Spell
3. The Super Bouncing Bubble Kit
4. Make your own Fossil Kit
5. Colour Changing Bracelet Kit
6. Pneumatic Monsters Activity
7. Creative Circuits
8. The Magical Wandarama
9. Gone Fishing
10. The Jitter Bug

Each of the above activities can be turned into a workshop programme! Interested? Give us a call!

Scientificsue@science2life.com

+447970884728

Note: All of Science2Life’s STEAM ACADEMY shows and workshops are designed to not only motivate and fire the spirit of discovery within your children but also ignite curiosity in their minds.

For more information on our shows visit our website: https://www.science2life.com

The post 7 CREATIVE CIRCUITS – A Science iT! Activity appeared first on Science2Life.