KS 23 activity Make a Christmas tree buzzer

KS 2/3 activity Make a Christmas tree buzzer game that will test how steady your hands are! You will need: A template of a Christmas tree A buzzer A long bit of copper wire 4 crocodile clips A short bit of copper wire 4 insulated wires Some plasticine 2 batteries A film canister What to do: 1. Use the long bit of wire to make a Christmas tree shape. Use the card template to help you get the right shape. 2. Put the plasticine into the film canister and stick the wire Christmas tree into the plasticine so it is standing upright. 3. Use the short piece of wire to make a loop as shown: 4. Use the components to connect up a circuit so the buzzer goes off if the person playing the game has unsteady hands and the loop hits the Christmas tree. The science: Draw the circuit and explain how the game works. © www. snapshotscience. co. uk, 2010

Template Bend your wire so it makes this shape and twist the ends together so there are no gaps. © www. snapshotscience. co. uk, 2010

KS 2/3 activity You will need: A long balloon A template of a sleigh A balloon pump Scissors A peg Colouring pens/pencils A straw A race track (a piece of string tied across the room) Some double-sided sticky tape What to do: 1. Cut out the sleigh pictures from the template and decorate. 2. Cut a straw in half so you have two shorter pieces. 3. Take one of the pieces and cut along it so you have a slit. 4. Blow up a long balloon with a balloon pump and secure with a peg to stop it deflating. 5. Use double sided sticky tape to stick the straw onto the top of the balloon so the slit is facing upwards. 6. Use more tape to stick the sleighs onto the sides of the balloon. 7. Open the slit in the straw to place onto the string. Remove the peg and watch your sleigh go! Whose went the furthest? The science: • Draw a diagram of your sleigh whizzing across the room and draw on arrows to show the forces involved. • Suggest some things you could change about your sleigh to make it go further and explain how they would work. © www. snapshotscience. co. uk, 2010