How Clean Are Our Hands?

In September, our young Year 1 scientists carried out a very exciting (and slightly yucky!) experiment to find out how clean our hands really are. We used slices of bread to see what germs might be hiding on our skin — even when our hands look clean.

We set up several controls to test different surfaces and cleaning methods:

• Soap and water: hands washed properly

• Hand sanitiser: hands cleaned with sanitiser

• Pencil: handled as an example of a shared object

• Laptop: touched to represent technology we use every day

• Carpet: touched to see what germs might stick from the floor

Each slice of bread was carefully handled according to its control, then sealed in a labelled bag. At first, not much seemed to be happening, so we had to be patient and let the mould grow for a little while.

After a few weeks, the changes became clear! Some slices quickly developed mould, while others stayed mostly clear. The children noticed patterns and discussed how washing hands properly or using sanitiser can reduce germs, and how everyday objects like pencils, laptops, or even carpet can carry germs we can’t see.

This fun, slightly icky experiment showed us that germs are everywhere — but good hygiene really does make a difference!

Our Scientists Pose with the Bread That Proved Just How Sneaky Germs Can Be!

The Light Detectives: Transparent, Translucent, or Opaque?

This week, we explored transparent, translucent, and opaque materials by becoming Light Detectives!

Our first mission was to go on a hunt around the school. We quickly found the reception doors. “Can you see us?” some of us asked.
Yes, you can!
We noticed that the glass was completely clear. One child explained, “The glass is transparent because you can see through it and it is clear,” showing a brilliant understanding of what transparent means.

Next, we played “Knock, knock — who’s at the door?”
We could hear someone on the other side, but we couldn’t see them at all. That told us something important about this material.
“The wood door is opaque as it doesn’t let the light through,” another child concluded confidently.

Finally, we all went back to class and tested out another material. Can you guess what the mystery object was? The children were excited to experiment once again—holding it up to the light, peeking through it, and comparing it to what they had already learnt. They discovered that you can see light through it, but not clearly. This helped them understand that the object was translucent.
The children had lots of fun testing, investigating, and deepening their understanding of what translucent means.

Turns out sunglasses don’t just make us look cool — they make us science-smart too!