National Science Week in Schools
National Science Week in Schools
National Science Week in Schools
There are a number of ways you can get your students, class, year level, school and community
involved in National Science Week. Your participation can be as simple as a display in the school
library, or as complex as a whole-school science fair.
A National Science Week event should:
Teachers have asked for some inspiration from other schools that have conducted successful events
for National Science Week in the past.
So weve compiled a sample of real-life successful school events just a few of the many hundreds
of activities (that we know about!) that have taken place in Australian schools for National Science
Week. They fall into the following types and have all been a raging success!
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For information on how to manage the event of your choice refer to the Guide: How to run a school
event (available from the National Science Week website).
For more ideas contact your state/territory Science Teachers Association National Science Week
Representative (see the National Science Week website for contact details).
School grants are available: See the National Science Week website for details.
Try a theme!
Healthy Garden beds in the permaculture garden.
After one year it was time to investigate how healthy the garden beds were and how well the plants
were growing through observation and soil tests. From a choice of nine garden beds four were
chosen on the basis on the length of time they had been developed i.e. from well established to
second planting to first plantings. The groups collected soil samples, which they used to perform the
following tests: pH, turbidity and soil content evidence of micro-organisms. The students also
measured some plants with the intention of measuring again at a later date to determine their
growth rate.
(North Arm SS, QLD)
Fantastic Flight Festival.
All students (Prep to Yr 6) participated in rotational year level activities involving scientific
experimentation related to the concepts of flight. Students were given the opportunities to create
and test a range of flight resources including parachutes, rockets, paper planes, choppers, flying
foxes, slingshots, hot air balloons and delta darts. Lunchtime activities were developed and included
frisbee, vortex, rocket and ball activities, kite making and flying, peg plane design and construction,
and a huge school wide paper plane making and flying competition.
A wide range of flying animal specimens and model flying machines (Aero Model Soarers Club) and a
range of live birds from the local budgerigar society were displayed for student learning, observation
and sketching. A spectacular display and commentary on kite flying (Qld Kit Flying Society) was
presented and to culminate the week of activities, two skydivers used parachutes to drop onto the
school oval.
(Capalaba State College, QLD)
Smartie Party discover how Smartie colours spread but dont mix straight away, in water.
Milky Rainbow surface tension discoveries with milk, food colouring and detergent.
Mini volcano vinegar, bicarb soda, detergent and food colour creates lots of fun!
A Chilly Recipe a great endothermic reaction with bicarb soda and citric acid.
Lava Lamp oil, water, food dye and saltoil and water dont mix!
Soap Boats water tension with water, detergent and mini boats.
Humpty Dumpty discovering the structural strength of eggshells.
For preschools
Science Explorers workshop
The preschool playroom became a science workshop with equipment and instructions on each table
allowing the children and their parents to investigate and partake in different science experiments.
Some the children could do themselves, others needed the parent and child to work together.
(Lilydale North PS, VIC)
Cop helped us. The local indigenous group is looking at letting the school adopt the beach with a
proper hand-over ceremony!
(Moresby SS QLD, One teacher school)
Science Boxes
Science Boxes were made that included all the everyday items that could be used for science
activities during Science Week. Teachers are encouraged to run experiments in their classroom and
look at different ways of recording results. From there, teachers will use other everyday items to
conduct other simple science experiments. Teachers were also encouraged to contribute these items
to the box for other teachers to use.
(Mt. Warren Park PS, QLD)
Hands-on science stall
Every class in the school developed their own hands-on science stall that was suitable for all year
levels to engage in. All of the classes set up their stall before school in the school hall and rostered
students on to man their stall throughout the day. Every class was allocated a 45 minute time slot to
explore the 31 stalls. Students were highly enthusiastic and enjoyed the wide variety of activities on
display - from parachutes to oil spills to pepper racing.
(Mt. Warren Park PS, QLD)
Vegetable Garden
As a school we planned a vegetable garden, rotary hoed it, spread a ute load of manure over it,
purchased a bale of straw for compost, divided the garden up into beds and put up fence lines for
climbing plants such as peas. Individual classes selected seeds to plant for this time of the year and
started seedlings in pots in the classrooms. Other classes planted directly in the garden.
As a school we did many other activities including preparation and cooking of garden/ farm
products, such things as separating milk, making cheese, cooking bread, making soup.
(Quandialla PS, NSW)
Community Science Museum
The Community Science Museum was an educational and interactive museum organised in the
school community hall. The museum ran for Science Week and was free of charge to all local, state
and independent primary and secondary students and teachers as well as members of the Charters
Towers community. The science and agricultural departments delivered practical demonstrations
and prepared interactive exhibits in various fields of science. The museum featured exhibits from
local and regional agencies, including LANDCARE: Charters Towers, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
Authority (GBRMPA), Museum of Tropical Queensland (MTQ), NQ Dry Tropics and the Tropical
Weeds Research Centre.
(Charters Towers SHS, QLD)
Science Video
Students in Years 5 and 6 got into pairs and researched and filmed a one-minute video of a science
experiment of their choosing. The film is going to be entered into the 60 Second Science
competition and be shown to the school community in a presentation evening.
(Roseneath PS, TAS)
A bit of everything
A week of science at Bajool State School with science lessons and demonstrations every day. For
example, we had a science cooking day where we investigated foods and their properties and also
the science involved in preparing food. On the Wednesday of Science Week we had a family science
night. On the Thursday we ran a Science Cluster Day inviting local schools to attend. Our small school
of 32 students grew to over 100 with parents and community members also joining us. Dr Peter
Eastwell also provided some PD for attending teachers. Local businesses provided sponsorship for
our Science Week.
(Bajool State School, QLD)