To mark the COP27 Climate Change Conference in Egypt, a class of Year 6 pupils from Cliftonville Primary School and their class teacher, Mr Neve, studied the properties and qualities of plastic during an afternoon of science investigations.
The programme of activities, written and presented by biologist Elena Setterfield, gave pupils hands-on practical tests on plastics and microplastics: can plastics of different types float or sink; biodegrade; let light through in various colour forms? Pupils made models of atoms into giant molecules of polythene; examined plastic nurdles and sand samples containing microplastics.
Mr Neve enthusiastically supports environmental education as an important part of the curriculum and the pupils were completely engaged with recording data from the tasks and the closing discussion.
Elena Setterfield, whose pen name in Granny Green, is the author of The Green Science World, a book of 50 data-rich science tasks that use recycled materials and educate 8 – 12 year olds about environmental sustainability using home resources.
The Green Science World is available from The Classroom Children’s Bookshop, 34 Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea www.theclassroom.co.uk 01843 833352