DIRT POURIn this clip we see Jiwi again using something that starts in balance, that then becomes unbalanced causing another action to take place. It builds on and adds to the Pulleys clip and activities of EPISODE 2. This is a useful clip to use to examine cause and effect. Watch the SCIENCE EXTRAS clip and the DIRT POUR SLO MO again and have the children think about and discuss what is the cause, and what is the effect? Their careful observation and thinking could end up being summarised in chart form - something like this:

EPISODE 3: CHANGING THE LIGHTBULB

DIRT POUR

TO TEACHERS AND PARENTSA large focus in teaching science is around encouraging both curiosity and the skills and dispositions to be able to find out or test things for yourself. This includes developing an understanding about how science itself works. The New Zealand Curriculum calls this the Nature of Science.

Tips about how to encourage these aspects are given in a

Use these to get your children talking, discussing, testing and thinking about the science involved in Jiwi’s Machines. Have fun! The science content involved in Jiwi’s Machines relates to the Physical World Achievement Aims of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Cause Effect

Ribbon pulls pot plant from the top of the book-case

Pot plant dangles on its side from rope attached to pulleys with another pot plant on the other end

Pot plant soil falls out Pot plant becomes lighter so rises upSecond pot plant is now heavier than first Second pot plant lowers downString attached to second pot plant is pulled tighter

Light is switched on

ACTIVITY: Building explanations (30 minutes – 1 hour)

BIG SCIENCE IDEA: Ropes and pulleys can be used to move things from one place to another. Ask children to study a picture such as the one below and discuss in pairs how it actually works. Where do each of the ropes go? What is the purpose of each pulley? How does the basket stay level? Can they label and annotate this picture to explain how it works?

JIWI WONDERS

• Where else do we see pulleys being used in this way?

• Who thought of pulleys first?

• How has our knowledge and use of pulleys developed over time?

Since ancient times, people have been using the principles of pulleys to assist them to do more ‘work’ than they could otherwise do. Pulleys were used in rugged terrain in Asiatic countries (China, Japan, India) as long as 2000 years ago. Initially just ropes were used to haul themselves and a few belongings across rivers or ravines.

A fascinating account of ropeways and their development throughout history can be found at http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/01/aerial-ropeways-automatic-cargo-transport.html

This could be used as a literacy or social science link to research and explore the development of aerial ropeways over time.

COMMUNICATING IN SCIENCE Ideas to develop knowledge of the vocabulary and use this knowledge

to communicate about their own and others’ ideas through:

Building their scientific

vocabularyHaving experience of a range

of science text types.

Using a variety of science texts (including symbols,

graphs and diagrams) when explaining an idea>

Using a variety of media (e.g. oral, visual, text) to

explain their ideas.

Contextual Achievement Objective: PHYSICAL WORLD; Explore and investigate physical phenomena in everyday situations.

Nature of Science Achievement Objective: COMMUNICATE IN SCIENCE; Develop knowledge of the vocabulary and use this knowledge to communicate about their own and others’ ideas.

Big Science Idea: Ropes and pulleys can be used to move things from one place to another.

Big Nature of Science Idea: Scientists share explanations of experiences and observations using a variety of ways (oral, diagrams, text).

Weblinks: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Learning-areas/Science/Achievement-objectives

http://scienceonline.tki.org.nz/Introducing-five-science-capabilities/Use-evidence

Capability focus:USE EVIDENCE; In science, explanations need to be supported by evidence.

NZ CURRICULUM PLANNING SUMMARY

CHALLENGE: Building explanations (30 minutes – 1 hour)

BIG SCIENCE IDEA: Ropes and pulleys can be used to move things from one place to another. High up in the mountains of Nepal, on plateaus cut into the hillsides, people grow tomatoes and other vegetables to sell to make a living. How could they use aerial ropeways to get their produce safely to market? Read more and try this challenge found at: http://practicalaction.org/squashed-tomato-challenge-5