Science club week 5

This week we were exploring pretty amazing polymers.
First we investigated a range of polymer shapes that absorbed water and grew.
We set up an experiment with spheres, nuggets and cubes covered with hot and cold water to see which began to grow quickest.
We then had a closer look at our amazing disappearing balls.

Is there anything in there? Whoah 100s of them!

Today's make was very exciting. We used a low temperature thermo moulding plastic which transforms from lots of little beads to a clear, stretchy piece which you can mould.
We have used thermoplastics before but this one transforms at about 45 degrees which meant it was ultra safe to use with younger pupils.
First everyone transformed their beads and had a good play noticing how long it took to go too hard to mould. With the low temperature it was lovely and warm to use but not too hot to handle or too sticky.

It was so easy to warm it and make it pliabletodan so after two or three goes we then added a key chain to our blob before pushing it into a mould full of glitter.
If it started to harden we just popped it into warm water again to soften it.

Then it needed to cool for about 10 minutes to go hard enough to pop out of the mould

Just before we all went home we set some homework!

Everyone got a cup with about half a teaspoon of dried hydrogel  balls. The instructions were to grow them in a liquid at home during the week. Any liquid-the more different types the better. Next week we will see which grew best and try to think why!

New for the Autumn term

We have a new addition to our programme!
Pretty Amazing Polymers explores what it would be like to live in a world without polymers particularly plastic. Through a wide range of modern materials we look at how the disposable baby nappy absorbs liquid and what links a nappy to a roof tile!

We find out about other long chain molecules that can absorb liquid and where they are used including our disappearing hydrogel balls.

Have a look at this compilation of images to see how they grow. I've used coloured ones so that you can see!

We will see why plastic poses such a problem to our environment and see how  biodegradable polymers and recycling  are changing that.

We have created a complimentary workshop where we use a thermomoulding polymer to create a key ring to take home.

 


We are excited about both these sessions and hope they prove popular with schools.
We are aiming at upper KS2/lower KS3 to add to our Materials theme.