Description

‘Toy Science – how things work’ is an exploration into the exciting world of toys, from the simple to the complex, from the ancient to the latest in technology.

In this session, suitable for Foundation to Yr 4, students will learn more about the science of the world around them by playing with and exploring a range of diverse toys.

The hands-on and exploratory nature of this program meets key learning outcomes of the National Curriculum. The activities and demonstrations in ‘Toy Science’ have been designed to develop students’ skills, understandings and behaviours.

Students will become scientists for an hour, experimenting with a range of different toys to find out more about the scientific and technological phenomena that make them work.

Some of the toys are simple, with a single scientific premise behind them. Others are more complex and can be broken down into a number of different scientific concepts.

By the end of the program, students should understand that all toys have science behind them and that they can be scientists themselves at home by playing with, thinking about and observing their own toys.

Hands-on activities are chosen from the following:

• Croaking Frogs - exploring how sound is related to the size of the wooden musical frogs
• Ghost Balls - examining how your hand can act as a ‘wire’ to complete an electrical circuit
• Going for a Dive - looking at the effect of density on a Cartesian diver
• Krazy Kaleidoscopes - understanding how these work with light and mirrors
• Loop the Loop - comparing how the height of a ramp affects the velocity of a car
• Magnadoodle - finding out how magnets and density are used in this toy to make pictures
• Size Matters - testing to see how the size of a top changes how well it spins
• Skill Tester - try not to complete the circuit as you test your coordination!
• Speeding Cars - looks at cars that release energy stored in a twisted rubber band
• Steppin’ Slinky - exploring how the incline of a slope changes the way a slinky walks
• Top or Bottom? - discovering how the centre of gravity effects the time a top spins
• Tumbling Towers - building towers from different blocks to make the most stable tower
• Turn Up the Volume - finding out that the bigger the vibration, the louder the sound. In addition, students explore how the length of a key on a xylophone affects the sound it makes.

Details

This session is suitable for students from Foundation to Year 4 and runs for 60 minutes. Bookings are essential.

Session	Maximum no. of students per session	Cost per Session	Minimum cost for first day
At CSIRO Education in Highett	60	A$210	n/a
At your school (Metropolitan)	60	A$260	A$520*
At your school (Regional)	60	A$340	A$680*

*A reduced minimum cost per day applies for second and subsequent days.

Find our more about our Regional Tours – Victoria or call to discuss tour details and availability of programs. 

In 2013, most sessions and bookings are GST free.  The exceptions are bookings for which the cost per student is A$14.91 or greater. 

Requirements

For a visit at your school, we require:

• access to the presentation room one hour prior to the first session
• access to the presentation room 30 mins after the last session
• 20 tables or equivalent bench space around the perimeter of the room (in a 'U'  shape), plus one table at the front of the room
• space to seat up to 60 students on the floor (no chairs are required)
• those attending a session are required to wear closed toe shoes that cover the top of the feet.

Find out about other programs run by CSIRO Education, Victoria.