Wow! Where has the time gone? 6 weeks ago we placed different materials in jars of salty water and have taken it in turns to shake them daily to represent the waves crashing against the materials in the sea. We recapped that salty water and sunlight help materials break down and degrade. The children were brilliant at remembering that some materials do not degrade – and are therefore a threat to wildlife in the oceans.

We looked at each jar to examine the quality of water. For some materials, such as plastic and metal, the water hadn’t changed. For other materials, such as the cotton pad and tissue, the water was cloudy. The jar that contained the coins was very dirty and brown!

We looked carefully at each material for signs that it had degraded. Some had partially degraded, such as the wooden lolly stick. The bread roll degraded the most, and we could see mould. It made the water look fluffy! We decided not to open this jar, as we knew there would be germs inside. We know from previous science learning that germs can make us feel poorly.

The children were so excited to look at the materials. They have waited patiently for this lesson! We discussed how some of these materials can take thousands of years to completely degrade. We know how important it is that we do not litter on the beach or in the oceans.

Fantastic learning today Year 2. Well done!