The children are learning about forces this half term, which allows them to experience the physics strand of science. Air-resistance (a type of friction between air and another object) has been our focus for the lesson this week and we began by testing this on paper. The children dropped a piece of paper and a scrunched up piece of paper from a height to see which would land first – they predicted that the scrunched up one would land first. They discussed how surface area affects the force of the air acting upon it. The whole piece of paper was the last to fall as it had the largest surface area.
The children then used bin bags and ran holding them, a bit like a parachute. This was to allow them to feel the drag associated with air resistance.
Help at home: Ask your child about the science vocabulary they are learning about. What can they remember?
