Year 2 are  investigating "How the World Works" with a central idea of "Scientists change materials for a purpose." Their lines of enquiry are the role of a scientist and properties of materials determine how they are used. They are exploring physical and chemical reactions. They are investigating how materials change their state of matter from solid, liquid, gas through heating, cooling and chemical reactions. They are also investigating the properties of materials and why certain materials are used for specific purposes, e.g Mackenzie knows towels are made of cotton because towels are soft, warm, soak up liquid and dry you. Brandon knows bowls are made of plastic or china because they are hard and hold their shape, you can put food in it and eat from it.  They have also defined a scientist as someone who is knowledgeable, who finds out and investigates through mixing chemicals together in a laboratory and through reading. They are someone who invents cures for sicknesses. Science is used in our everyday lives. Georgia found out that Scientists help us by finding ways to use alternative fuels, such as the diesel plant, whose oil is used as a fuel.

On Friday, 22nd August, 2008, Susan from CSIRO came to Rochedale State School to show us some exciting experiments. First, she showed us an experiment in a flask, which made a purple chemical reaction and it made a very strong aroma, too. After that, we were put into our groups and started our first experiment. Parents helped us to read instructions, pour, measure and have fun doing the experiments. Some of the experiments made reactions which changed the colour of the solution, or fizzed to produce bubbles of gas. We moved around the room to discover many different and exciting experiments. When we finished our experiments, 2S and 2W sat together on the carpet and discussed the results with Susan. Last of all, and after an exciting morning, we went back to our classroom and drew the experiment we liked the best. Everyone looked like they were having fun and were learning more and more. We felt like real scientists in a real science lab.
We also wrote some acrostic poems and dressed up in Mad Scientist gear and presented our experiments to our parents.
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