Up, Up and Away! - KS1 STEM

Learning Objective - KS1 STEM

Science - Everyday Materials

Compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties

Resources

Various fabrics such as canvas, cotton, voile, velour

A roll of paper (baking or parchment is fine), rolls of foil, refuse sacks

Scissors

Measuring tape, paper, pencils

A windy day!

Introduction

Talk about Superheroes, and how are they helped to fly? Discuss the different superheroes that wear capes and what the differences might be in their costumes or capes, explaining to the children that these differences are called variables.

Tell the children they will be doing an experiment about what material is best to make a Superhero cape, and which material will fly the best in the wind?

Activity

Discuss the experiment with the children, asking them how to test, which factors need to keep constant – such as the size of the cape, and the distance ran, possible variables such as wind direction, what will be the properties of a good cape, and how to record the results.

Top tip – use of technology is great here – video the cape in motion.

Divide the group in to as many groups as you have materials and ensure you have a runner and a maker in each group. Give one group the roll of paper, one the foil and so on. Support the children in measuring and cutting the capes out, a suggested size is around the size of a tea towel, if preferred, allow the children to draw around a tea towel and cut carefully out.

Carry out the cape in action, and record observations after watching the cape fly when running.

Discuss together the results.

Extension

Using the video footage, create a short film to show the school, interviewing the children about the experiment and the results!