Do you know why a ball always falls faster than a sheet of paper when you drop them from the same height? The answer lies in the key term “Air Resistance”. In their recent lesson, our Year 5 pupils had the chance to participate in an exciting experiment to explore this matter.

To investigate how air resistance affects objects with different surface areas, the pupils were tasked with creating parachutes in three different sizes. They then conducted an experiment to observe how the size of the parachute influenced the time it took to reach the ground. Through this experiment, they discovered a clear correlation between the size of the parachute and its descent rate. Larger parachutes, with more surface area, experienced greater air resistance and, consequently, a slower fall. 

Our science curriculum for Key Stage 2 is not only based on theoretical and conceptual understanding, but a chance to experience the workings of our world. Pupils will make links with other subjects such as mathematics and be confident in using the language of science to describe and report about their experiments. These experiences lay the foundational knowledge of scientific principles, preparing our pupils for further study and exploration as they move into Key Stage 3.