Absorbency

In science lessons Year 2 have been learning about materials.

They have sorted objects they found in the classrooms into groups of what they are made from. It was fascinating to see how they sorted the scissors that are made from metal and plastic; some children moved the metal and plastic groups next to each other, so they could put the scissors in between both groups! What super problem solving.

In one lesson the children explored absorption and answered the question “What is absorbency?”

First, they coloured in a coat with a partner. One person used a felt tip pen and the other a wax crayon. Then water was squirted on top. Shrieks of delight were heard when the children saw the water sitting on top of the waxed side of the coat and soaking through the felt tip pen side. The ink from the pen merged together and even soaked through onto the tables!

    

We then discussed what had happened and how the paper had absorbed, sucked up, the water on the felt pen side of the coat. But that the wax had repelled the water and stopped the paper from absorbing the water.

Next we looked at different materials to find out which materials are absorbent and which repel water.

We predicted what we thought was going to happen and then watched the results!