In PHYSICAL PROCESSES AND ENERGY the following activities could be tried with your child:-
1. FORCES ON TOYS - children need to understand the concept of a 'force' that activates objects into moving, and the best way to do this is to look at their toys. Amongst them you are sure to find examples of toys that operate using one of the following forces.
The types of force to look out for are toys that you can push, or pull, or that operate by battery power or clockwork, a wind up elastic band, or a spring that explodes. Others will use rolling, or even the wind.
2. STATIC ELECTRICITY - Blow up a balloon and rub it on your hair, or your child's hair. Hold it near someone else's hair and watch it stand on end. The balloon has a small field of static electricity around it once it has been charged by rubbing on your hair, and this can be used to pick up certain things. Try picking up tissue paper, cellophane, feathers, plastic and polystyrene.
3. MAGNET SORTING - Their are a number of examples of magnets in the home, but the most commonly found magnet is around the rubber surround to the fridge door. Use this as your example of a magnet, if you don't have access to a separate magnet, and then place some objects on a tray and see which items the magnet will pick up. Anything that is metal should be picked up by the magnet. Suggested things to put on the tray are, a safety pin, a paper clip, a key, a pencil and a screw.
