Year 3 Science

We love Science in Year 3! This term, we have been learning a lot about the forces of magnetism, gravity and friction. Recently, we were thrilled to discover that our lesson was aimed at investigating the friction of various surfaces. The question? Which surfaces will cause a toy car to take the most time to speed down a ramp and which will take the least time? We were split into small groups where we had to predict the friction of various ramps with surfaces of plastic, sponge, carpet, bubble wrap and fabric. Our favourite part was to time a little toy car as it sped down the ramps. We noticed that the more friction a surface had, the more time it took for the car to hit the floor. Boy was it challenging to release the car using one hand and start a timer using the other! But we did it! And we practically applied our knowledge to investigate a question about friction. We thought about the benefits of friction and why the bottoms of shoes or the bumpiness of car tires are important to keep us safe by helping us stop when we need to. We learnt a lot and we hope you have too! Now, may the force be with you, and keep you safe as you run around school or drive down the busy roads of Dar es Salaam.