woodchurch science

here’s a link explaining how thermometers work as well as information about other ways of measuring temperature.

this competition was won by jago richards, year 7, who correctly identified the picture as showing a close up of velcro. well done. come and collect your prize from mr warren.

for this chemistry activity (C2 4.0) visit this site (http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) and use the two tabs at the top, ‘energy saving products’ and ‘home improvements’.
1. list the ways houses are heated, identifying the source of the heat.
2. list the ways houses are illuminated, identifying the source of the light.
3. list the ways houses are insulated and the materials used, for example, carpets on floors.
4. list the range of devices that use electricity. How can consumption be reduced for each of them?
5. give examples of building materials used for houses, are they renewable resources or not?
6. in pairs, identify ways to reduce some of the ways energy is used at home, try to come up with some imaginative ideas.
7. design a poster, leaflet or fact sheet about the best ways of reducing energy consumption at home.

the chinese government has bought an entire mountain in peru and plans to ship it back to china - every last ounce. why? it’s one of the largest copper resources in the world and china is desperate for copper which it is planning to use to re-wire its entire infrastructure. this from the bbc…

The Peruvian government is happy with the $3bn (£1.53bn) that Chinalco will invest in the Toromocho mines. The Chinese will be even happier. They have got themselves a bargain. The copper Chinalco extracts from Toromocho will cost something like US$410 (£210) per ton. Today, the price for copper on the London Metal Exchange was $8,255 (£4,220) - 20 times more. Chinalco stands to make a 2,000% profit on its investment.

here’s a short video clip.

here’s a video showing some of the displays in the chemistry department on open evening. (it was made using a flip video camera with embedded software and editing suite).

if you are using educationusingpowerpoint be aware that the username and password has changed. obviously i can’t post them here so please do ask your science teacher to give you them.

here’s a link to word searches for every ks3 unit from 7a through to 9m(!) all in pdf format and ready to download.

come and join us tonight at woodchurch high school open evening. visit the science department in action! loads of stuff to see and do…
in chemistry, experiments include…turning copper into gold (!), big explosions, plant indicators, making soap and of course if it’s chemistry it must mean coloured liquids!
physics has the van der graaf generator, energy conversions, light and sound demos, electrical circuits and electromagnetic spectrum.
and over in biology get to see our snakes and lizards, look at jaws, teeth and skulls, and try your hand at food tests.

yes really…it’s been calculated (by someone?!) that if all the men on the planet stopped shaving then we wouldn’t have to worry about the negative effects of carbon dioxide any more. here’s some reasons:

less hot water used in the shower or at the sink; less or no need for disposable plastic razors or shaving cream or foam(which often comes in those huge unrecyclable containers) and hair on your face keeps you just a bit warmer outside and inside. turning the thermostat down just 1 degree can also save you 5% on your heating bill!

here’s a load of resources for 8a. some are projectable for use in classrooms. this one is particularly good.