Breaking News! Plastic Drinking Straw Pierces Raw Potato

In Science today we wondered, “Is it possible to push a plastic drinking straw straight through a raw potato?”

Here is a collaborative piece of writing from the children of Room 6 telling you how we did the experiment and what we found.

Our hypothesis/Prediction:

It is NOT possible to push a plastic drinking straw through a raw potato.

Materials that you'll need for the experiment:

Stiff plastic drinking straws (not the ones with the bendy bit at the end) and a raw potato

Method/Instructions:

Hold a plastic drinking straw by its sides (without covering the hole at the top) and try quickly piercing the potato.

Repeat the experiment with a new straw but this time place your thumb over the top, covering the hole.

Observation:

When we didn’t put our finger over the hole, the straw bent and did not go through the raw potato, but when we covered the hole at the end of the straw and pushed it quickly, it went straight through the raw potato.

Discussion:

Placing our thumb over the hole at the top of the straw improved our ability to pierce the potato skin and push the straw into the potato. We discussed why we were more successful on the second attempt.

What's happening?:

Covering the top of the straw with our thumb trapped the air inside, forcing it to COMPRESS as we quickly pushed the straw through the potato skin. This made the straw strong enough to pierce the potato, unlike the first attempt where the air is pushed out of the straw.

Later research:

Without our thumb covering the hole at the end of the straw, the air was pushed out of the straw and the straw crumpled as it hit the hard potato. Placing our thumb over the end of the straw trapped the air inside. The air MOLECULES compressed and gave the straw strength. The trapped, compressed air made the straw strong enough to cut through the skin of the potato.

Who knew air could have such strength?

At the end of our experiment, we created a Science Rap using 'Lyric Lab'. Here is Caesar entertaining us...

Year 5 Camp Adair 2019

The Year 5 children have just come back from two fun-packed days at Camp Adair in beautiful Hunua. 

A huge thank you to our wonderful parent helpers and to our friendly and professional instructors at Camp Adair.

Take a look at the movie of our adventures... 
And then read what the children have to say about their experiences and how they might persuade you to have a go sometime…

*Tip - put in full screen, turn up the volume, sit back and enjoy!

Hey you there, you must go to Camp Adair. It is the most amazing place. You can do Rock Climbing, Confidence Course, Flying Kiwi and heaps more! I will suggest that you bring the oldest clothes ever because the clothes I brought are now muddy and brown! (ID)

Have you... 1. Never been camping? 2. No idea how to climb a wall? 3. Do you suck at packing? 
Well then, come to Camp Adair. It includes fun activities like kayaking, a mudslide, a glow worm walk and more! Book your place now at www.campadair.com (EF)

When we did kayaking I was surprised at how small by boat was. I thought my boat was gonna sink. But when I got in, my boat just floated, so I tried to move it with the thingy majiggys that you move your boat with and it finally moved! (DK)

Hey you! What was that you say? You've never been to Camp Adair. Well, I went with my Year 5 friends. When we hopped off the bus we were greeted by a friendly dog and then we settled into our cabins. I really want to tell you about my personal favourite. It was the kayaking and at the end, we even had a swim in the river. When we went to bed I have to admit that some people in my class snore, but I won't tell you who. (IS)

Clearly, you should be at awesome Camp Adair. One of the best camps ever! There are amazing activities like the Mudslide, the Confidence Course, Kayaking and so much more. The beds were actually quite good. WARNING: It might be too much fun. (AS)

You should go to Camp Adair. Bring your oldest set of clothes... because 75% of the Camp is mud. You might get scared, but when you see the mudslide it will turn your frown upside down. (DN)

You should take a trip to Camp Adair. It has various activities. You should sign up to go to Camp Adair. Be quick and do it NOW! There is a Burma Trail in the dark and a Glow Worm Walk through the forest. Enjoy! But before I go, let me tell you a shortened-up version of the activities... controlling a kayak around water, Initiatives is about teamwork and working together. And who doesn't like getting muddy? If you don't get muddy on the Confidence Course then you get a whole bucket of mud poured over you! (JF)

I believe that Camp Adair is the best place to go camping because the activities are AWESOME! They have river kayaking, a huge mudslide, rock climbing and different rope activities. So pack your bags and start driving to... CAMP ADAIR. (JV)

MORE WRITING TO FOLLOW - WATCH THIS SPACE