Balloon Rocket Challenge: Exploring Forces in Action

13th January 2026Laura Godley

Today, Crew Godley took part in an exciting Balloon Rocket Challenge, exploring ‘Our Place in Space’. They put their scientific thinking to the test as they explored how rockets travel through space and the forces that make them move.

The lesson began with a crew discussion about rockets and space travel. We shared our ideas about how rockets launch and what helps them move. We then worked together to construct balloon rockets. As the balloons were released, children observed how air rushing out created a force that pushed the rocket forward along the string.

We measured and recorded the distance the rockets travelled, comparing results, noticing that rockets travelled different distances depending on how much air was inside the balloon. This led to thoughtful discussion and excellent use of scientific language.

We concluded that a stronger force created more motion, helping the rocket travel a greater distance. 

Electricity

10th July 2025Hannah McLoughlin

In year 6 we have been constructing and representing simple circuits in a diagram using recognised symbols. We have been fully engaged in experimenting with our physics learning, so much so we have even stayed in at breaks to construct circuits with different components. It has been great to watch us as scientists researching how cells affect the brightness of bulbs and the sound of buzzers.

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.

Conductors and Insulators

27th February 2025Ruth Shields

In science, we have continued our learning about electricity by exploring conductors and insulators.
We discovered that conductors allow electricity to flow through them but conductors stops electricity from flowing through. Children explored materials in the class and recorded their findings. In our next 2 lessons, we will write our findings in a scientific report.

Conductors and Insulators

14th February 2025Emily Ibbotson

We really enjoyed learning about and investigating conductors and insulators. We discussed how to keep our test fair and what variables were keeping the same and changing. We wrote our own methods ensuring we were using time fronted adverbials. In mini-crews we then carried out the investigation to see which materials were conductors (allowed electricity to pass through) and insulators (did not allow electricity to pass through). We then recorded this in a results table and wrote our conclusion.

We are Scientists – Series Circuits

14th February 2025Ruth Shields

In expedition we have continued to be scientist by starting to learn about electricity. Children were given some equipment in small groups and they had to problem solve together to create a working circuit. This was a chance for children to demonstrate their resilience as they’d only been given the equipment and no further instructions. It was great hearing the children talk through what they’d done already and what they could try next. The majority of the groups managed to construct a working circuit and either make the bulb light up or the buzzer work.

Testing out the energy ball!

10th February 2025Stacey McClare

Today we explored the energy ball a little more, continuing our learning from Friday! We acted as conductors of electricity completing a circuit. We then added other objects to the circuit to see if they were conductors or insulators of electricity.

Experimenting continues in physics

17th November 2024Hannah McLoughlin

In Crew Mcloughlin, we have been exploring friction in order to help answer our guiding question. This lesson went with a splash as we experimented with water resistance! The children really did focus on ensuring a fair test and ensured we controlled our variables. We also learnt new words along the way such as hydrodynamic and buoyant.

Friction experiment

6th November 2024Olivia Fox

Today we experimented with friction! We used a range of materials (wood, tea-towel, silk and a cushion) to test out the question, ‘How does the texture of a surface affect the amount of friction?’ We used a ramp and a car and covered the ramp with different textures. We found out that the rougher the surface, the more friction. The smoother the surface, the less friction.

May the forces be with you

17th October 2024Hannah McLoughlin

During our case study 2 learning, we have been learning all about gravity and friction.

We first of all watched a video introducing gravity, and we also read an informational text about Sir Issac Newton – the scientist who created the gravity law. We were then given the task to use newton metres to measure the weight and mass of objects in class.

Once our learning was secure, we moved onto delving deeper into friction. In order to do, this we carried out a class investigation, we made a hypothesis: the smoother the surface the less friction so the object will move quicker. We concluded this was in fact correct and we were shocked to realise the affects of friction on our world.