What happens to chalk when it is exposed to different types of weathering?

6th June 2025Kate Thompson

Today we carried out an experiment to investigate what happens to chalk when it is exposed to different types of weathering. This investigated represented the three different types of weathering: biological, chemical and physical. We set up our experiment by pouring water (physical weathering) into a cup and vinegar (chemical weathering) into the other. We put the chalk into the cups and set a timer for 5 minutes. We observed what happened to the chalk during the 5 minutes. We then used a piece of sandpaper to lightly rub the piece of chalk for 30 seconds. We concluded that the chalk in the vinegar changed the most because after the 5 minutes in the vinegar it had holes and slight cracks in it. The chalk in the water didn’t have any changes after the 5 minutes.

Investigating rocks

4th June 2025Kate Thompson

Today we carried out three different experiments to test the hardness, permeability and buoyancy of different types of rocks. First, we completed a prediction on whether we thought the rocks would be hard or soft, permeable or impermeable, or sink or float. We used a range of equipment to test a variety of rocks including chalk, sandstone, granite, basalt, slate and marble. We found that chalk is soft, sandstone is permeable and marble is not permeable. After carrying out the experiments, we checked our results against our predictions to see if we got any right.

Exploring the water cycle

20th May 2025Laura Godley

In our expedition lesson, we have investigated how water travels around the world. We found out that the continuous movement of water around the Earth is called the water cycle. The four main stages of the water cycle are evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. We set up an experiment to see how the water cycle works. We can’t wait to see if evaporation and condensation happen!

Investigating Shadows

28th March 2025Laura Hamill

Crew Hamill spent time today exploring how shadows are formed. Once we’d worked out that shadows are formed by opaque objects blocking a light source, we experimented to see how we could change these shadows. We identified that when an object was closer to the light source, the shadow was larger as more of it was blocked and when the object was further away, the shadow was smaller as there was less of it being blocked.

Exploring Shadows!

28th March 2025Gillian Gilliland

Today, in Crew Wilkinson we conducted a science experiment to explore how the size of a showdown changes based on the distance of an object from a light source. We observed that when the object was closer to the light, the shadow appeared larger, and as the light source moved further away the shadow became smaller.WE LOVE SCIENCE!

Labelling Body Parts

23rd March 2025Nicola Robson

In our expedition lesson we took our learning outside into the sunshine.

We used chalk to draw around each other and then labelled as many body parts as we could. It was lovely to see everyone so engaged. Well done crew!

How does light travel?

21st March 2025Gillian Gilliland

During our small group investigation on how does light travels, we used a torch, a piece of string and cardboard with holes. We aligned the holes in the cardboard and shone the torch through them. We noticed that the light only passed through when the holes were in a straight line. When we moved the cardboard or the torch out of alignment the light was blocked. This showed us that light travels in a straight line. The string helped us visualise this straight path, confirming our observation.

Conductors and Insulators

11th March 2025Laura Godley

We thoroughly enjoyed learning about and investigating conductors and insulators. Before conducting our experiment, we made predictions about which materials would be conductors (allowing electricity to pass through) and which would be insulators (blocking the flow of electricity). As a crew, we discussed how to ensure a fair test by identifying the variables – keeping the circuit the same while changing only the materials. We then carried out our investigation, recorded our findings in a results table, concluding our results. 

Switches

7th March 2025Ruth Shields

In Science, we investigated what happens when you add a switch to a circuit. Children were given equipment and had to build a circuit before figuring out how to add the switch.

Children discovered that when a switch is on it completes the circuit, therefore allowing electricity to flow through the circuit.
When it is off. It creates a break in the circuit which stops the electricity from flowing through the circuit.