Category Archives: Science

Finding out more about Mars and space technology… (Homework help)

If you want to find out more about Mars, follow this link to the NASA ‘Spaceplace’ (which has brief information on different planets) aimed at children. There are some images here to show you what Mars looks like. You can also click on links to other planets and get some great images of Earth from space. These images might be especially useful for anyone choosing the ‘view from a rocket’ homework option.

On another page there is also a lot of information about space technology and inventions to support space travel and communication which is very interesting. This part of the site also has games and activities to do with space.

If you want more challenge, there is a huge amount of information and some great images on the main NASA site. You can even zoom in on a kind of ‘Google maps’ for Mars!  (Click on any of the images to follow the links.)

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Global climate change

Here are the links to the NASA climate change website with graphics that you can investigate to show what is happening to sea ice, sea-level etc. You might like to share these with your family. It is clear why this is a serious problem that we need to try to understand and find ways to tackle… Your Eco-team ideas are a really good place for us to start.

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Animal adaptation: camel song

Following on from our science today, there are lots of fun sites to find out more about animal adaptations but I thought some of you might enjoy this song about camels and their adaptations. Click on the image to see and hear the short film and song. Be warned it may get stuck in your head!!!

 

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York, The National Railway Museum


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Climate Change – link to a 90 second explanation of key ideas…

The BBC has posted a brief (90 second) introduction to (and explanation of) some key terms we will be coming across in geography over the next half term when we learn about climate change and the threats to our environment. If you want to have a look at some point, click on the image.

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Electricity games

Here is a good site to help you to check your understanding of electrical circuits and symbols and a game to play which allows you to experiment with bulbs and wires. It will help you to check some of the ideas we tested this week with our ‘squishy circuits’.

Click on the image to follow the link to the BBC site. You can change the circuit by dragging and dropping from the menu at the bottom of the circuit. You can also choose to see your model in its model (‘real’) form (above) as well as as a circuit diagram.

There is a lot more to explore on the BBC science site which you may also find interesting including information, games and film clips.

 

 

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Science 1


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Posted in Homework, pupils, Science, Year 6 | 3 Comments

Mixing coloured light

In science today we investigated how rainbows are created and explored the effect of mixing light of different colours. Here are the sites we used to mix coloured light (which some people wanted to explore further).

Click on the images to access the websites we used today.

We also found out about how we see different colours. Different coloured objects absorb particular light colours and reflect backlight which creates the colour we see. e.g. A red book absorbs all other lights and reflects back only red light. To investigate what colours we see when different coloured light beams are combined, change the ratios of light colours on the site below.  It shows you how the colours on early colour computer screens were created with only 16 colours.


 

 

 

 

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Martian life: the Spherisect by Zebra3

The Spherisect, a bio-luminescent inhabitant of the rust-coloured planet – Mars – lives a placid, timid life as the most intelligent specimen on the planet. Although it is not fully identified to the human race, scientists are intrigued by its many impressive qualities: it may reveal vital evidence that could enable humans to survive independently on the red planet.

This diurnal extra-terrestrial has a translucent exo-skeleton that secretes luminous light as it ventures into Mars’ darkest crevices. Adapting to the harsh climate, the Spherisect has fascinatingly programmed its skeletal wings to cover and wrap around its spherical body according to the temperature.

Because of its miniscule size and extreme civility, it does not hunt: it absorbs nutrition through its wings by settling inside dew droplets and rain. Although this microscopic insect cannot easily be seen by humans, sensational receptors on Mars’ predators can find the seldom seen Spherisect. Surprisingly for such a harmless looking creature, the Spherisect has its own methods that warn predators: it blinds the despicable beasts of Mars with its rounded body, which is known to glow as bright as the sun. Despite the Spherisect’s many hunters, it is almost impossible to make them extinct: their continuous cell-division cycle will only be complete when the sun dies as Spherisects need the sun to keep their reproduction process healthy.

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Martian life: the Six-winged Terror by Kangaroo29

Probably the most peculiar creature ever known is the Six-winged Terror! All scientists who have learnt about this stunning animal have brought mankind one step closer to actually going to Mars. These mysterious creatures live deep down a trench called Hanzdie. And, in Hanzdie, there are many forests including Itamie, a small forest where Six-winged Terrors live.

These fierce creatures are solitary and the only thing stopping you becoming its lunch are its eyes. Six-winged Terrors have huge eyes but are clearly visible to the naked eye. These beasts have eyes like snakes which means it sees temperatures of other animals. Six-winged Terrors have black markings around their eyes which absorb the sun’s glare.

On their feet, they have special grips which allow them to gracefully glide around trees but, if you get a closer inspection, you’ll see on its back feet it has feet dedicated to rocks and sand.

Six-winged Terrors have extremely sharp beaks mainly for one reason and that is during summer, they leave Hanzdie and go to the top of Mars’ surface. Out of Hanzdie, Six-winged Terrors are small, but their prey is bigger so it jabs its beak into its prey and leaves it to bleed to death.

Six-winged Terrors have two remarkable bits on their bodies. One is its hypnotizing tail which it uses on the face of Mars to escape predators. And second is its spike on its head which it uses to chop small trees to get the golden sap which it uses to recharge its camouflage so it can survive.

During mating season – spring, the end of males’ tails grow very bright and they show it to females in hope to beat other males but sometimes there is a fight to the death. To mark their territory, Six-winged Terrors fly up high and spread their wings and the shadow marks the males’ territory.

Could Six-winged Terrors be the key to survival on Mars? If we study Six-winged Terrors, we may be able to go to Mars but if we go, we could also endanger them by throwing rubbish into Hanzdie.

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