Investigation (observation)

[Guest]

Hi there,

 

We have got observations the first week back after half term and our head is wanting to focus on 'investigations'. Obviously in Early Years that involves exploration too. Has anybody got any good ideas on what I could do? My excuse for lack of inspiration is because I ran a marathon at the weekend!!!

 

My topic is either Night and Day or Shoes and Slippers

 

Thanks!

 

Nomie

[JacquieL]

You could look at light as part of day and night. If you have a light box or table the children could explore putting different items on top and looking at the shapes, patterns and colours, or they could make shadow pictures or puppets. Another activity could be using batteries, bulbs, wires etc and making a simple circuit.

There are some ideas here.

[Guest]

I'm in the same situation! But my topic is toys.

 

Do you have a tent/den inside that you could use torches in? Perhaps you could have some photos/pictures to look at outside of the tent and then take them inside the tent to see how different it was. Then have some fun using the torches.

 

Any ideas for investigation/exploration with toys/games?

[Guest]

Nomie - We had a Science inset and looked at the grips on shoe soles. You could focus your investigation on how good the grips are on different shoes, using a ramp, placing the shoe at the top of the ramp and then tilting it slowly until the shoe slides down and then you can measure the effectiveness of the grips by the different heights that the ramp is tilted (ie: the higher the ramp has to be lifted the better the grip).

 

You could then extend by giving the children time to explore different surfaced ramps - we have a set in school that the older children use in friction investigations.

 

Annaravo - you could do something similar but investigating which car is the best at rolling down the ramp, which car rolls the furthest before it stops. Also went on a science course and we did an activity with different kinds of balls (tennis, airflow, foam etc) and had rolling races in pieces of plastic corrugated roofing.