Full Steam Ahead

In Science year 7 and 8 have been full steam ahead with the theme of Lions. But perhaps not as you would expect. In English the Children have been reading Lion: The Long Way Home. It is the story of a young boy called Saroo, who was unknowingly separated from his family in India and taken thousands of miles away from his home when he fell asleep on a train. Inspired by this life-changing train journey we started our very own Steam Engine Project.

After learning about the science behind movement, we got creative and used recycled materials like soda and beer cans, old pens, cardboard, playdough, and candles. These were transformed into a steam boiler with a fitted valve, which was directed towards the turbines to spin them in a specific direction.

While our model didn't perform exactly as expected, it was a valuable learning experience. We had the opportunity to revisit the concepts related to the changing states of matter. We also explored why the pressure generated and built up in the cans wasn't sufficient to turn the turbines. Possible reasons we learnt included uneven heating from the candles, the turbines being too heavy, or potential leaks in the cans, among other factors.

Nevertheless, the project was a success in terms of learning. The children brainstormed and came up with intriguing ideas on how to enhance their models to make them work more effectively next time. This hands-on experience provided valuable insights into the complexities of steam engines and the scientific principles that underpin them.