The Stage 2 MAD Science enrichment activities were held at the Bournda Environmental Education Centre on Wednesday for pupils from Candelo, Merimbula, Tanja and Eden public schools in Years 3 and 4.

In the morning the pupils learnt about the non-Newtonian fluid oobleck, performed a carbon dioxide experiment and in the afternoon made a video presentation of one of their previous experiments.

Teacher Bob Harris said the pupils had performed well when conducting the experiments.

“[The aim] basically, is for the kids to have fun from doing science,” he said.

“More specifically it is to learn up on scientific method - observation, experimentation, conclusion.”

With oobleck - which is a fluid that is solid when under pressure but liquid when not - the pupils developed a hypothesis, performed the experiment, and wrote their observations.

At the end, while some thought it was a liquid the majority decided it was a solid.

Next the children performed the carbon dioxide experiment, adding vinegar and bicarbonate soda together in a bag.

“When it is put all together it fizzes up, it looks like milk and the bag puffs up,” Candelo Public School pupil Oliver Joyce said. 

“And it turns into liquid after,” Esther Hall added, also from Candelo School.

When talking about their conclusions as a group, Oliver said the chemical reaction “created a gas that filled up the bag”.

Schools selected the children to send to the science enrichment day, which is run annually along with a separate day for Stage 3 pupils in which experiments are performed a little differently.