Category Archives: Science

Thursday 12/08/21 – Science

Learning Goal: I can learn more about the role birds and bugs play in the growing of food.

First, let’s recap what we’ve done this week in science:

Now, we are going to explore the importance of birds and bugs in the growing of plants. Did you know:

  • Bees, Wasps, Ladybugs, BeetlesBatsButterflies, Flies, and Moths are needed for to help grow at least one third of crops human grow for food. By visiting flowers in search of food (nectar and pollen), they pollinate other plans they visit. (Read more https://kidsgrowingstrong.org/pollinators/)
  • Not all bugs are good. Birds are a natural way to control pests in our gardens, they eat insects.
  • Some birds also do the job usually done by bees. They also take pollen from flower to flower.
  • Birds also good at spreading seeds. They eat berries and fruits, and then drop the seeds when they “dispose of” their waste. Bird droppings makes a good fertilizer. Seeds in the bird droppings have an added nutrient source (food for plants) from the droppings.

Next, add to your fruits and vegetables display you made on Monday by creating some birds and bugs to go with it.

  • This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lUAN-5ntvA) has some ideas to get you started
  • Or you can draw, and colour different types of birds and bugs
  • Or you can cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers (don’t forget to ask for permission first)

Then, share images of your creations with your classroom teacher.

Finally, take some time to check how your vegetables from scraps regrowing is going.

Don’t forget, if you didn’t get to any of the science activities from this week they are still there. You may want to have some fun with them this weekend if you have some spare time. Also check out the MPPS Science blog for more news, information, cool clips and family activities based around this year’s theme. You will also find news, information, cool clips and family activities from last year’s theme The Ocean.

Wednesday 11/08/21 – Science

Learning Goal: I can design a pollen catcher.

First, how did you go with setting up your windowsill garden in yesterday’s science lesson? While that  isn’t going to be used by farmers and gardeners to grow large amounts of vegetables, it is one way you can reduce waste and reuse food scraps.

Next, before you start today’s activity write down three things you know about making new plants. For example, what do you know about planting seeds? Have you heard of cuttings or cloning? What do you know about the different parts of flowers? Do you know about flowering plants and pollen? 

Then, if you have access to a garden, or local park, check out the different types of flowers you can see. Think about why they have the shape, colour, or size that they do.

Now, open up the document below and complete today’s activity.

Design a pollen trap

Finally, don’t forget to share images of your investigations with your classroom teacher. Also check out the MPPS Science blog for more news, information, cool clips and family activities based around this year’s theme. You will also find news, information, cool clips and family activities from last year’s theme The Ocean.

Tuesday 10/08/21 – Science

Learning Goal: I can experiment with using vegetable scraps to grow new vegetables.

First, did you know each year in Australia we waste around 7.3 million tonnes of food? This means one out of every five bags of groceries brought home is thrown away.

Besides not over buying, and making sure we use all we buy, there is one other way to reduce food waste. We can use the scraps from our vegetables to grow new vegetables.

Next, choose one, or more, of the vegetables from the list below and experiment with regrowing them from scraps:

Cos Lettuce

Cos Lettuce

Spring Onions

Spring Onions

Celery

Celery

Carrot Greens

Carrots
Fennel Fennel

Then, track the growth of your growing experiment. Also, once you get some successful regrowth, you may want to experiment with recipes with your freshly grown vegetables.

Finally, here is a list of plants you can grow from scraps. You might want to continue to experiment:

  • Potatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Onions, Garlic, Leeks and Shallots
  • Celery
  • Bulb Fennel
  • Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, Beets and Other Root Crops
  • Lettuce, Bok Choy and Other Leafy Greens
  • Cabbages
  • Basil, Mint, Cilantro & Other Herbs

Don’t forget to share images of your investigations with your classroom teacher.

Also check out the MPPS Science blog . There is a page there titled ‘Grow a Windowsill Garden – From Scraps‘. There is also a page full of fascinating time lapse videos of different fruits and vegetables growing.

You will also find news, information, amazing clips and family activities from last year’s theme The Ocean.

Monday 09/08/21 – Science

How to make 3D vegetables using paper|vegetables crafts|vegetables school project - YouTube | Hand crafts for kids, Vegetable crafts, Crafts

Learning Goal: I understand there are many different types of fruit and vegetables

First, did you know the theme for this year’s National Science Week is Food: Different by  Design? It honors the United Nations International Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

The aim is to give us an understanding of sustainable agriculture, food technology and laboratory-developed foods (food made by scientists in a lab!). You might want to ask your parents or teachers what some of these words mean.

Next, to explore your understanding of the types of fruits and vegetables we want you to build your own displays. How many different types are there?

There are several ways to create your display:

  • You can watch this video on how to make a box of 3D origami fruit and vegetables
  • You can draw, and colour, as many different types of fruits and vegetables you know
  • Or you can cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers (don’t forget to ask for permission first)

Then, can you come up with an interesting way to display your fruit and vegetables. You might want to create a fruit basket or an information poster. How will you group them? Colour, most common, most unique? Do the tomatoes go with the fruits and vegetables?

Vegetable Papercraft That Look Good Enough To Eat | Paper art craft, Paper fruit, Vegetable crafts

Finally, don’t forget to share images of your creations with your classroom teacher. Also check out the MPPS Science blog for more news, information, cool clips and family activities based around this year’s theme. You will also find news, information, cool clips and family activities from last year’s theme The Ocean.

Monday 26/07/21 – Science

Goal: I can design a bug-based burger.

In some parts of the world children your age are snacking on worm spring rolls, cricket rice or ice cream flavored with insect powder. Today we are going to look at creating our own bug based meal.

First, did you know that insect farming causes less damage to the environment then farming cows, pigs or chickens? Insects can be grown in factories, requiring less lands and less water than conventional sources of meat protein.

In South Australia’s Riverland, citrus and grain farmer Tim Schubert and his son Zachary have two shipping containers in which to raise insects. If you want to read more of their story click here

If you find it difficult to think of placing mealworms in your soup or crickets on your barbeque, some companies have made insect products easier to eat by turning dried crickets into protein powders and energy bars.

Now, obviously while you may not ever grow your own insects one day you may find yourself cooking with them. You challenge today is to design a bug-based burger. Will it be based on crickets, maggots, or worms?

Think about:

  • What type of insect you may use?
  • How you will cook them (steamed, fried, oven roasted, make a pattie)?
  • What vegetables will you use, maybe add some fruit?
  • Will you include a sauce or dressing, if so what will be in it?
  • What type of bread (roll, wrap, taco, bao bun)?

Next, create a labelled diagram of you burger. You may want to include instructions on how to put it together, prepare the insects or make the dressing or sauce. Think about how you designed and created your burger, what ingredients were used, the way it was prepared, the equipment and techniques used.

(If burgers aren’t your thing maybe you want to create a soup.)

Then, if you want to challenge yourself you could also design and create a poster to advertise your burger. Don’t forget to include a catchy slogan.

Finally, even if you may not be interested in eating insects clever farms have found a way to use them to create a food source for cows. They use the food scraps and wasted food we throw away to feed mealworms which they then feed to cows. Check out the insects being farmed in Queanbeyan, NSW by a company called Goterra.

Remember, if you want to know about alternative foods and this year’s science theme check out the MPPS Science blog. Which has lots of information, videos and family activities for Science Week 2021 – Food: Different By Design.

Friday 23/07/21 – Science

Goal: I can conduct a scientific investigation.

First, did you know that some of the world you eat can come from the other side of the world. Also, even though a lot of the food eating in Australia is grown here, it still sometimes travels long distances before it reaches your plate.

As mentioned in yesterday’s science lesson post this year’s Science Week’s theme is Food: Different by DesignOne thing the organisers want us to do is to think about where our food comes from and, more importantly, can we get it locally or even grow our own.

Today we again want you to think about the ways you can help.

Now, watch ‘How to Grow Fruit & Vegetables at Home.‘ It is interesting to note you don’t need a backyard.

Next, choose and complete one or more of the activities below. All of these involve some amount of materials and time, check with your family first and see if you have the time and materials.

Regrow your veggies https://www.allrecipes.com/article/save-money-diy-fresh-green-onions/ 
Grow your own sprouts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mbR5xcO8aI 
Create a little greenhouse
You may want to try one of the ideas from the video at the start of this lesson. How to Grow Fruit & Vegetables at Home.‘  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTls5a2jrc0&t=35s 

Then, share your results with your family. 

Finally, if you want to know more growing fruit and vegetables at home watch videos on the ‘What can you grow at home?‘ page on the MPPS Science blog. You may also want to share and discuss them with your family.

Thursday 22/07/21 – Science

Goal: I can conduct a scientific investigation.

First, did you know that the world’s population is 7,800,000,000 people. That is 7,800,000,000 people that need to find food every single day. That means a lot of land is needed for farming.

This year’s Science Week’s theme is looking at this very issue. Are there better ways to grow food to feed the world?

Scientists around the world are experimenting with growing meat in a lab. Farmers are experimenting with raising insects including mealworms and crickets instead of chickens and pigs. Some people have even figured out how to use 3D printers to make food, while others are using vertical gardens so they don’t have to take up as much space.

Today we want you to think about the ways you can help.

Now, watch this Behind The News report about ‘Where Does Our Food Come From?

Next, choose and complete one or more of the activities below:

Design and create a salad to go Design and create a salad to go
Make a salad dressing Let’s mix and make
Design and make soups Design and make soups

Then, share your results with your family. Who knows the might want to add it to the menu for the weekend.

 Finally, if you want to know more about what is on your plate and how we can create better farms watch the video below. You may want to share and discuss it with your family.