Posted on 12th October 2011

Year five and six children from local primary schools have been taking on the role of ‘science investigators’ by attending Kelvin Hall’s after school science club.

This week, around 50 children came along and started to make and decorate their own water rockets, which they will control and fire for the first time during next week’s session.

The water rockets are made of two litre drinks bottles and cardboard and each child enjoyed decorating their own rocket to make it bright and colourful. During the next session the rockets will be filled with water and pressurised air to make them fly.

Lucy Stainforth, from Bricknell Primary School, said: “I like coming to science club because we can do activities here that we don’t get to do at school.

“I’m looking forward to setting my rocket off and we’ve had lots of fun decorating them.”

James Thackeray, from Bricknell Primary School, said: “This is my second week at science club and it’s really fun.

“Last week we made bouncy balls out of custard, which was awesome.”

Future projects for the science investigators will include: peg guns, finger printing, hot air balloons and paper helicopters.

Mr Connor, who led the water rockets session, said: “The projects the children take part in are educational as well as being a lot of fun. They are aimed at letting them play a ‘hands on’ role in interesting science projects that they wouldn’t get to try at their primary schools.

“Attending the club also helps to prepare children for the jump into secondary school by letting them meet some of the teachers and make new friends ready for when they come to Kelvin Hall next year.

“Science Investigators allows children to explore some of the wonders that science can offer us all.”

Science club will run every Tuesday evening from 4pm until December, before starting up again in the spring term.

Each session is open to all year five and six children who would like to attend and we actively encourage new people to come and join in.