Our Year 5 Students recently took part in an exciting Hands-On Science incursion, designed to support their current unit on Earth’s Place in Space. This engaging, practical experience gave students the opportunity to deepen their understanding through exploration, experimentation, and discovery.
Throughout the session, students investigated the relative size of planets, gaining a clearer sense of how Earth compares to other bodies in our solar system. Using models and visual demonstrations, they explored the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun, helping them understand how this relationship determines the seasons and why they occur.
Students also examined the Earth’s orbit and were introduced to the movement of other planets. Using simple materials such as funnels and ping pong balls, they modelled planetary motion and explored how objects travel through space. They had to try and keep their ‘planet’ in orbit and not explode or disappear through a black hole!
A highlight of the incursion was learning about rockets and space travel – how rockets launch, move through space, and overcome gravity. Students then had the opportunity to apply this knowledge by building their own mini rockets using water, beakers, and a “magic tablet” (aspirin). Watching their rockets launch was an exciting and memorable way to see science in action.
This incursion provided a valuable opportunity for students to connect classroom learning with real-world science. It encouraged curiosity, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of the fascinating concepts that shape our universe.
