Easy Experiments to Help Your Child Understand PSLE Science

PSLE Science can give your Primary school-goer sleepless nights. The subject syllabus is drafted by Singapore's Ministry of Education and is considered one of the toughest. It is easy to understand why Primary students are apprehensive about the subject.

What's the best way to make students love PSLE Science?

Yes, PSLE Science is a tough nut to crack. Nonetheless, studying it doesn't have to be arduous. Teachers and parents can use interactive videos and games to ease students into this intimidating territory. Above all, what's the point in teaching Science without experiments? Scientific experiments enlighten children in the most exciting ways. Hands-on experiments enable children to understand even the most complex scientific concepts. This understanding is crucial for children to breeze through PSLE Science revision and, eventually, the real exam.

When we say science experiments, we do not mean expensive equipment, big labs, and white coats. The most effective experiments are possible right from the comfort of your home or classroom. Let's get started!

Five Easy Science Experiments To Understand Concepts During PSLE Science Revision

Experiment 1. Lemon Volcano

This is one of the best and most exciting experiments to teach Primary students the concept behind volcanic eruptions.

Things needed:

• Lemon-1
• Food colourings of your choice
• Baking soda
• Popsicle sticks
• Cutting board
• Dishwashing liquid soap
• A large plate

Procedure:

• Cut the lemon in half and use the popsicle stick to release its juices.
• Place the lemon halves on the plate.
• Cut a flat part on the bottom of each half to ensure they do not wobble.
• Add a mix of food colours to the centre part of each lemon half.
• Add a drop of dishwashing soap solution.
• Sprinkle the baking soda generously on the lemon tops.
• Use the popsicle stick to push the baking soda into the lemon.
• The soda reacts with the juice to spew out a colourful eruption.

Experiment 2: Magic Flowers

Science is all about animals and plants. This is a great experiment to demonstrate water absorption from the roots to the other parts of the plant.

Things required:

• A bunch of white flowers like carnations, roses, or gerberas.
• 3 food colours of your choice
• 3 beakers or test tubes
• A pair of scissors
• Water

Procedure:

• Fill all the beakers halfway with water.
• Add food colour to each beaker.
• Use the scissors to diagonally cut the flower stems.
• Divide the bunch into three parts and immerse each one into separate beakers.
• Wait for a few hours.
• The flowers would have changed because they absorbed the coloured water in the beakers.

Experiment 3: Rain In A Cup

The Primary syllabus introduces students to the science behind rainfall. This experiment lets them visualise the process and explore concepts like osmosis and the water cycle.

Things required:

• A large beaker or transparent container.
• Food colours
• Coloured water
• Shaving foam
• Eyedropper

Process:

• Fill half of the container with water.
• Spray some shaving cream on top of the water until the glass is 3/4th full.
• Take a separate container and fill half of it with water. Add ten drops of food colouring.
• Use the eye dropper to pick up some of the coloured water.
• Add the coloured water to the top of the shaving cream in the other container.
• Ask students to observe how the water drips through the "clouds".

Experiment 4: Lava Lamps

This PSLE Science experiment is an easy way to demonstrate the concept of Liquid Density.

Things required:

• A wide bottle or glass vase
• Various food colours
• Effervescent tablet
• Vegetable oil
• Water

Process:

• Fill 3/4th of the container with vegetable oil.
• Fill the rest of the space with water, leaving 2-3 inches.
• Ask students to observe the water seeping through the vegetable oil and settling at the bottom.
• Wait until all the water settles at the bottom.
• Ask a student to add a few drops of food colour to the water.
• Now ask the children to observe how the food colour drops fall through the oil and sit on the water layer.
• Wait for the water droplets to break through the water line and burst into the water layer.
• Now drop the effervescent tablet into pieces and observe the sizzling action.

This activity helps children learn the following facts:

• Water is denser than oil.
• Water molecules are polar.
• Oil molecules are non-polar.
• The effervescent tablets produce carbon-di-oxide gas bubbles, which stick to the water droplets.

Experiment 5: Hello, Mr.Penguin

This cute little experiment will help students understand how feathers help keep penguins warm and dry.

You will need:

• A baking sheet
• A baking tray
• A box of wax crayons
• 2-3 drops of blue food colouring
• A piece of paper
• A squirt bottle
• 2-3 cups of water

Procedure:

• Use the crayons to draw a penguin and colour the different parts.
• Fill the squirt bottle with water and add the blue food colouring.
• Mix the blue colouring, so it dissolves evenly into the water.
• Place this drawing on a baking sheet inside a baking tray.
• Pour the blue-coloured water into the baking tray to completely immerse the picture.
• Ask students to note how the crayon wax repels the water off the penguin.

You can use another picture drawn with ordinary colours, repeat the experiment with the blue water, and ask students to compare the results.

What this experiment teaches:

Wax crayons are a non-polar system with a strong dispersion force. The penguin on the paper is protected by the wax in the crayons, which repels the polar properties of water. Similarly, penguin feathers are water-proof and keep the bird dry and warm.

Experiments are synonymous with Science. But there are other ways to incorporate love and interest in the subject to make PSLE Science revision easy in Primary 6.

3 Solutions to Make PSLE Science Revision Easy for Primary Students

1. Build an association with daily life

There are numerous ways to associate Science with daily life. It is the best way to help students understand basic concepts and retain them in memory for life. You can teach them about digestion when they have a meal or take them for a walk in the garden to explain plant life.

2. Encourage hands-on learning

Bring out the hidden scientist in your child by encouraging them to trial and experiment with simple hands-on processes. It is a great opportunity to foster teamwork, fuel their curiosity and create an interest in PSLE Science from the early years.

3. Provide resources

Curiosity is a good asset to learning Science. The more questions your child asks, the more they learn. When encouraging them to ask questions, you should also provide the right resources to find their answers. Yes, there is Google. But let's not forget the good old books, encyclopedias loaded with information. You may also provide access to informative videos. However, do ensure that they are relevant and age-appropriate.

Concluding Points

PSLE Science can be tough, but it is designed to lay a strong foundation for students to tackle tougher concepts in their higher studies. A successful PSLE revision relies on good conceptual understanding, which can be strengthened with easy-to-do experiments.

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