Our class are having great fun every week at the moment because we are taking part in Isak 9 workshops. Under the expert eye of our 5th class tutors we are playing games, exploring problems and picking apart puzzles. It’s great fun.
Author Archives: mrharte
2nd class Investigates :The Science of Sound
Experiment 1: Count the Taps!
What were we investigating?
Do sound waves travel better through a gas or a solid?
What did we do?
We learned that the air that we talk through is a gas and it can be interfered with by things like the wind.
We tested to see if we could count a tapping noise more clearly if we listened with our ear on the desk.
What did we learn?
In a solid you can hear the sound waves clearly. We weren’t sure however, if they were clearer.
Experiment 2: Making Rice Jump
What were we investigating?
Can we see sound waves at work?
What did we do?
We placed some cling film over a bowl and then placed some rice on top of the cling film. We then banged a drum close to the rice to see if the sound waves could make the rice jump.
What did we learn?
Even from a distance away the sound waves travelled from the drum hit the cling film and made the rice jump. Even though they are invisible we can see the force moving the rice.
Experiment 3: String Phones
What were we investigating?
Can we make a “phone” to send a message from our class across the front of the school to Mr Scott’s room (Room 5)?
What did we do?
Step 1: We designed and made our own string phone’s and tested them to see if they worked.
One group tried putting two strings in their phone.(It didn’t seem to work any better)
Step 2: We measured to see how far apart our phones stretched and we tested to see if the sound got weaker on the longest phones.
Step 3: We then made another test string phone 4 metres long and we tested to see if it still worked.
Step 4: We measured the distance from our classroom to Mr Scott’s using a trundle wheel. It was 21 metres and 61 centimetres window to window.
Step 5: We made our new extra-long string phone. We sent a group down to Room 5 to listen for the message and left two children in our class to call it out. Nobody but the callers knew the message (It was: “ Ireland are going to win!”).
Step 6: We decided to do a final test to see if we could “listen in” on the line between the two classrooms.
What did we learn?
We learned lots but the most important bits are:
- The string has to be pulled tight for the phone to work well
- Putting two strings on the phone might actually make it harder to hear a message.
- The quality of the phone does not diminish between 1 and 4 metres.
- On a very long string- phone the message isn’t as clear as on a short one but we were still able to work out the message that was transmitted.
- By attaching another string to the main line we can “listen in”.
2nd Class Brings Books Alive.
With no shortage of creative spirit 2nd class came to school dressed as their favourite character from a book they had read. It was lovely to hear about the wide variety of characters that excite them as readers and it definitely inspired everyone to find out more about the wonderful books where they can be found.
Mini Scientist Science Exhibition
For the last three weeks we have been getting ready for the Mini Scientist Science Exhibition. Here are a some pictures of the a few of the groups carrying out some of our experiments. We did six different experiments on our scenes with a goal to try and trick them. The six scene experiments we did were Touch, Hearing, Smell, Taste, Sight and Emotions. Each of the six groups worked very hard and most experiments worked out very well. We put lots of effort in it and gave it our best shot. It was a great experience and we really enjoyed it. We got really exited as the science exhibition got closer but we were also under a lot of pressure. Eventually the day came and we set up the classroom. We gave out rolls on what to say and added a few finishing touches.
Once the judges arrived we got into our places and one by one the judges came to our stands. There were three judges and they were all scientists. We told them about our project and they told us a bit more and gave us advice and their experience of being a scientist. When they finished looking at our projects they went outside to make a decision on the best project for the runner up and the winner. It was a very hard for the judges to make a decision because we all worked really hard but they had to choose. The runner up was the group that did Sight and the winner was the Emotions group. They both did extremely well. In the end we all got prizes for our brilliant efforts. We hope we have as much fun in secondary school doing science.
European Week Of Sport In Swan Leisure Rathmines
On Friday the 16th of September 6th class went to Swan Leisure Gym to play some activities during European sports week. We played some games such as basketball, dodge ball, snatch the bacon, flush the toilet and stuck in the mud. We really enjoyed ourselves.
St Clare’s Make it to Croke Park
On Monday last, boys and girls from 3rd and 4th class were invited to play in Croke park in a Go Games Blitz. We had an amazing experience and everyone really enjoyed playing in one of the finest stadiums in Europe. Our two teams played against teams from Kildare Place and St. Mary’s Rathfarnham and we had some good battles and tough games. Here are some photos from this historic occasion.
St.Clare’s Camogie Blitz, Keady Co Armagh
Last Friday the St.Clare’s Camogie Team took part in the annual St.Clare’s Camogie Blitz which was hosted by St. Francis of Assisi Primary School , Keady. Our girls had two teams and we played teams from the other four St.Clares Schools in Newry, Mayobridge, Keady and Cavan town. Unfortunately our team was beaten in a very close semifinal. Afterwards we were all treated to a wonderful lunch and a lovely treat for our journey home. The eventual winners were Cavan and Sr. Declan was on hand to present the winning Cavan team with their medals and the St. Clares Jubilee Cup. While we didn’t win one of our girls was particularly happy because her cousin was a member of the winning team.
