Christmas SciTech Incursion (All levels)

Looking for fun, educational activities to do towards the end of the year? Our spectacular 90-minute Christmas incursion combines all the excitement of the festive season with concepts from technological and physical sciences. Students explore different kinds of movement, balance, simple motors and static electricity; all while having fun! Students even get to make biodegradable plastic Christmas decorations and a number of other ‘take home’ items. Our passionate science educators carefully guide students through each step, prompting students to predict, observe and reflect on each activity.

• A creative and entertaining way to end the year. Experiments incorporate technology and physical sciences.

• Team challenge – build a Christmas tree with plastic cups;
• Observe a number of Christmas toys, gimmicks and decorations and discuss the materials used to make them and senses used to enjoy them;
• Make a number of “take home” items (time/level dependent);
• Paper pivot puppet – explore various ways to move the legs use human energy, gravity and magnetism (F-2);
• Christmas Tree thaumatrope – trick your eyes (F-2);
• Paper climbing puppet – explore movement in relation to friction, tension, gravity, and technique (3-6);
• Christmas tree and star – explore static electricity (3-6);
• Rubber band motor – complete a design challenge to make a moving Christmas gimmick (3-6);
• Rubber powered jumping frog – investigate different ways to make it jump (F-6);
• Biodegradable Christmas decorations – explore different ways to mix gelatine to make “plastic” (F-6);
• Observe balancing Christmas gimmicks and practice balancing a variety of simple items;
• Be inspired to make Christmas toys and gimmicks.

• Science & Technology of Toys (Foundation – 2);
• Transport (Foundation – 2);
• Simple Machines (Levels 3 – 6);
• Puppets (Levels 3 & 4);
• Engineering (Levels 5 & 6);
• Energy (Levels 5 & 6).