1.1.

Objectives
Tricks in Set Induction aims to:

i. Arouse the pupils interest

ii. Make the lesson more lively
iii. Stimulate pupils’ curiosity
iv. Provide pupils with opportunities to
develop science process skills and
thinking skills
v. Provide pupils with basic science
knowledge and concepts
vi. Appreciate the contributions of science
and technology towards the well being of
mankind.

Tricks in Science stimulate and excites children’s curiosity about phenomena

and events in the world around them. It also satisfy their curiosity. Good
teaching in primary science involves understanding the children’s idea on the
topic and enable teachers to plan work that challenge and reconstruct the
children’s idea. Tricks in science allow pupils to think ahead and create the
excitement of learning a new lesson.

Teacher carries out set induction which attracts pupils’

attention / stimulates pupils’ mind / is directed towards
pupils’ mental readiness

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1.2. Method
Tricks in Set Induction can be carried out
as below:

i. Demonstrations
ii. Hands-on activities
iii. Discussions
Teacher’s Demonstration

A demonstration may be used as part of a teacher’s exposition. This is often

easily controlled with the children sitting, listening, watching and participating.
Teacher’s demonstration to the whole class should be used where appropriate.
Teacher should consider the following when demonstrating the idea:
• Ensure that all children can see what you are doing. Try to demonstrate
with large piece of equipment.
• Make the demonstration short and snappy.
• Involve the children with demonstration.
• Reinforce the main points by asking following up questions.

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1.3. Activity
”The Curious Comb”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

Electricity 1. Tear / cut a piece of paper into small

pieces.
Objective: What can you
2. Ask a pupil to rub a plastic comb briskly observe?
To introduce on a woollen cloth and then hold it as
near as possible to the pieces of paper. (The papers are
electricity
attracted by the

Note: comb because

rubbing the comb

Electrostatic is a kind of electricity which is static
Materials on a woollen cloth
needed: (Doesn’t flow)
charges it with static
Comb,
a piece of paper, electricity.)
woollen cloth

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 ”Shadow O Shadow”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

Light 1. Select one pupil to shine a torch on the What can you see on
white wall / screen. the wall / screen?
Objective:
2. Ask other pupils to move their hands up What is the
To demonstrate and down in the light making the shadow colour of the
how a shadow is on the wall / screen. shadow?
formed and to
3. Move the hands backward and forwards
create some
to see the sizes of the shapes.
shadow picture
using this
information

Materials

needed:

Torch light or desk

lamp, a darkened
room, a white wall
or screen

“The Falling Cup”

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Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

Heat 1. Blow a balloon.

Predict what will
Objective: 2. Put polystyrene on the surface of the balloon. happen to the cup?

Understanding (The heat from the

3. Blow the balloon again until it covers the cup candle flame
the effects of fully and traps the air inside. warms the cold air
heat on matter. in the cup causing
it to expand,
pushing the cup up
to fall down.)

Materials

needed:

balloon
rubber band
candle
polystyrene cup
lighter

”Rolling Can”

5
Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

Energy 1. Make a hole at the top and bottom of a tin

can. What can you
Objective: observe?
2. Insert a rubber band through the hole.
To understand How to make the
that energy can 3. At one end, put a paper clip to the rubber can move faster or
be transformed band, while on the other end, insert an slower?
from one form to ice-cream stick to it.
another.
(The length of the ice-cream stick is
longer than the diameter of the tin.)

4. Twist the stick 10 – 15 times. Notes:

5. Let go the tin on the floor. The energy produce

by twisting the ice
Materials 6. Observe.
cream stick and the
needed:
rubber band is
Empty tin can, potential energy. It
Rubber band, changes to kinetic
Paper clip, energy when the
Ice cream sticks. can moves.

“Ice Cube Necklace”

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Topic Related: Steps: Informations:

Ice Cube Necklace What's going on?

States of Matter This trick will keep you amused. All you need is a piece of
string, some ice cubes in water and a sprinkle of salt. Pure water freezes at 0°C.
Adding salt or any other soluble
material (like sugar) reduces the
Objective: freezing temperature of water.
Seawater contains roughly 35
grams of salt per litre (that's
about two teaspoons per cup)
Understand water and freezes at -1.8°C. But keep
adding salt and the freezing
in the form of temperature of water can drop
as low as -21°C!
solid, liquid and Salt and other solutes
(substances that dissolve)
gas reduce the freezing point
because they disrupt the crystal
structure of ice and reduce the
concentration of pure water. At
Materials 0°C, the molecules in pure
water form very strong bonds
needed: with each other which "locks"
them into position to form the
solid we call ice. If foreign
molecules such as sodium and
chlorine (the ingredients in
Ice cubes common table salt) squeeze
between water molecules, these
Thread bonds can't form.
Any reduction in the
Glass concentration of pure water
depresses the freezing point. So
A bottle of salt the higher the salt
concentration, the lower the
freezing point.
When you sprinkle salt onto an
ice cube, the local salt
concentration skyrockets and
the freezing point comes
tumbling down. But the melting
water flows off the cube and
flushes some of the salt away
which reduces the local
concentration on top. The lower
salt concentration raises the
freezing point again so the
water refreezes. As it does, it
traps the string and you've
caught yourself an ice cube!

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1. Float a few ice cubes in a
glass of water.

2. Wet a piece of cotton

string with water. Lay the
string on top of the ice
cubes.

3. Sprinkle salt all over the

string and wait for about 5
or 10 seconds.

4. Now lift the string and the

ice cubes will be stuck to it.
Makes a pretty cool
necklace eh? Cool? Boom-
boom!

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 “Blooming Balloons”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

States of Matter 1. Ask a pupil to inflate a balloon, tell him / 1.What did you
her not to blow too hard. observe?

Pupils will observe

2. Stick a piece of adhesive tape on the the pin will go
balloon. through the tape and
the balloon, without
bursting it.
Objective: 3. Take a skewer ( long iron rod with sharp
end ) and very carefully push it into the

To show that it is balloon through the tape. ( You may also

possible to stick a used other suitable object to replace

pin in balloon skewer such as long wire or satay stick ).

without bursting it The length of the skewer must be longer

than the size of the inflated balloon.

4. Observe what happen to the balloon.

Materials
needed:

balloon, adhesive
tape,skewer / long
wire / satay stick
and scissors

Reference:

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Balloon Shish Kebab
This is a classic trick everyone should know. All you need is a shish kebab skewer and a
balloon, and a bit of confidence that it will work!

(Note: this trick always works with high quality balloons but beware cheap ones!)

1. Inflate a balloon
so that it is no
longer than your
shish kebab skewer.

2. Carefully poke the

pointy end of the
skewer into the
centre of the dark
spot on top of the
balloon.

Do this carefully – you

need to overcome
your fear of the
balloon popping and
press fairly hard.

3. Once you've got

the skewer in the
balloon, you need to
carefully slide it so

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 What's going on?

When you inflate a balloon, nearly all the rubber stretches... a lot! As the rubber stretches, it
gets a lot thinner too. But the dark spot at the top, and the area around the knot are not
stretched much, if at all. The spots are dark because they're thicker then the rest of the
inflated balloon.

The tension in the rubber of an inflated balloon causes even the tiniest tear to grow very fast.
As soon as a tear appears, the tear races around the balloon and it pops with a loud bang.

But in the dark spots at the top and bottom of a balloon there is no tension, so a tiny tear
won't grow here and the balloon won't pop.

Balloons are made by dipping metal moulds into liquid latex. The dark spot at the top is a
result of this process. There's a great photo of a balloon production line at the website below.

Photo of balloon production line

http://merlin.alfred.edu/muller/FormerPhysWorld/PhysWorld/
Project5/how_are_balloons_made.htm

High speed photo of a water balloon popping

http://courses.ncssm.edu/hsi/pacsci/student_photos.html

11
 “Rain Drops”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

States of Matter 1. Place an aluminium tray in the freezer What do you

until it is cold. Remove it and place ice observe?
cubes in it.
Objective: ( The pupils see the
2. Fill a jar with hot water and place the tray condensation build
with ice cubes over the jar’s mouth. on the bottom of the
Leave it there for several minutes. tray.)

Understanding 3. When the water vapour from the jar rose

that matter can to the top it will heat the cold tray. The
change from one water vapour will turn into water and
state to another. drops as rain.

Materials

needed:

ice cubes
jar
hot water
tray

“Wonder of Purple Cabbage”

12
Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

1. Blend some red cabbage with some What is the change

Acid and Alkali water and put into a bowl. (If you grate in the colour of the
the cabbage, put aside for 45 minutes). mixture?
Objective:
2. Pour an equal amount (about half a cup)
of cabbage into a beaker.
( The baking soda
Understanding the
3. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to all the will turn the red
properties of beakers except for one beaker that is cabbage juice to blue
used as control. because this is an
acidic, alkaline
alkaline.)
and neutral 4. Observe the colour changes.
substances

Materials
needed:

½ of red cabbage

2 beakers

Baking soda
Blender / grater

”The Moonlighting”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

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 1. Prepare 2 identical round shaped mounting
The Earth, The boards. What did you
Moon and The (with black and white colours) observe?

Sun 2. Paste an ice – cream stick on each mounting

boards. Did you see the
Objective: changes of the
3. Make two rails on the polystyrene. shape?
Understanding the
4. Place both mounting board on
phases of the the centre of the railing.
Moon.
5. Slides both rounded shape in
opposite direction.

6. Ask pupils to observe the

shape formed.

Materials

needed:

2 rounded shape
with equal size
(black and white),

Railing made of
polystyrene

”Standing Toothpicks”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

14
 1. Ask pupils to build a model of Can your model
Strength and any animal using materials stand ?
Stability given.
What can you
2.Put the models on the table. observe?
Objective:
3.Shake the table. Which model fall
Understanding the first?
stability of a 4.Observe what happen.

structure. 5. Identify which model falls first, second

and third.

6.The winner will be the model

which is the last to fall.
Materials
7.After that, relate the result with
needed:
the topic of the lesson.

Toothpicks
Toothpick

Cork

Cork

”Starry – starry Night”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

1. Prepare a piece of polystyrene What can you see?

Constellations with pins on it (as shown in the
example). How many pins are

15
 there within the
Objective: 2. Ask the pupils to form a shape?
certain shape using a rubber
Understanding the band. ( The number of pins
constellation. representing a group
3. Pupils explain the shape that they made. of stars that form a
constellation )
Pins with colour

Materials

needed:

Polystyrene
Pins
Rubber bands /
strings
polystyrene

“Enchanted Egg”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

This activity is 1. Peeled a hard boiled egg. Put the egg

recommended to onto the mouth of a conical flask.
be carried out as 2. Ask a pupil to push it into the conical flask Can the egg get into

16
 without smashing it. Push carefully. ( The the bottle?
an activity during egg will not get into the conical flask ) ( No )
Science Week or
3. Remove the egg and drop a burning Now, can the egg get
Science Fair. paper into the conical flask. Quickly put into the bottle?
the egg again onto the mouth of the ( Yes )
conical flask.
Inference :
4. Observe what happen to the egg. ( The
Materials egg will get into the conical flask by itself ) (When the burning
paper uses up the
needed: oxygen and goes out,
the air pressure
conical flask, decrease, sucking
the egg into the flask)
boiled egg,
match,
a piece of paper

”The Magic Lime”

Topic Related: Steps: Questions Asked:

1. Prepare an electric circuit as shown

This activity is below. (battery, wire, bulb) Can you think of
something that use
recommended to 2. Fill two beakers, one with lime juice and electricity?
be carried out as the other one with tap water.

17
an activity during What are the things
in the classroom
Science Week or
which produce
Science Fair. electricity?

What will happen to

the bulb?

What will happen if

there is no
electricity?

3. Dip in the iron rod into the limejuice.

Materials 4. Repeat step 3 by using tap water.
needed:
5. Show to the class the result and ask the
Wires, bulb, iron pupils to observe.
rod,
6. Ask questions.
Beakers, lime
juice and tap 7. Discuss in small groups.
water

Note:

Add some vinegar if the lime is not acidic

enough.

4. Related Websites / Resources

1.4.1. Books/ References

• 250 Everyday Science Activities
Collected from Teaching K-8 Magazine (Written by Dennis Mckee)

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 • Teaching Children About Physical Science
( by Elaine Levenson)

• Top Secret Science

Massachusetts Science Center (Program Usahasama Pusat Sains
Negara dengan Meridian Achiever Sdn. Bhd.))

• Science Fun (Bright Ideas)

Pubished by Scholastic Publications Ltd. (Written by Tony Griffith)

• Primary Science
Teaching Theory and Practice (John Sharp, Graham Peacock, Rob
Johnsey, Shirley Simon, Robin Smith)

Websites
http://jc-schools.net/ppt.html
http://www.doscience.com/
http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/tricks.htm
http://www.boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/funstuff/1374/amazing-science-
tricks/

COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED

PLANNING INVESTIGATIONS

What are we trying to find out?

19
What do we want to change?

What do we want to keep the same?

What do we think will happen?

What do we want to measure?

How do we record our measurements?

What equipment do we need to do this experiment?

Materials from the Internet

Amazing Science Tricks

By Michio Goto
Illustrations by Fred Schrier
From the April 2004 Boys' Life magazine
Using common objects around the house, you can demonstrate cool scientific laws. Here’s
how:
Editor’s Note: Make sure an adult helps you with these experiments.

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Keeping Water Separate
Fill two identical glasses with water. Add two tablespoons of salt to the water in one glass and
stir well. Add a few drops of food coloring to the water in the other glass.
Cover the glass containing the colored water with a sheet of paper, turn it upside down and
place it on top of the glass containing salt water. (Be sure to do this trick over a saucer or
bowl.)
Gently pull the paper out from between the glasses. The colored water and the salt water will
remain separate.

How Does It Work?

Salt water is heavier than colored water, so the two stay separate as long as the boundary
between them isn’t disturbed. Try turning the two glasses over, though. The heavier salt water
will now be on top, so it will flow down and mix with the colored water.

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A Can That Can “Walk”
Place an empty aluminum can on its side on the floor. Blow up a balloon and tie a knot in the
end. Rub a tissue back and forth on the balloon.
When you put the balloon near the can, the can will start rolling toward the balloon.
How Does It Work?
When you rub the balloon with a tissue, the balloon gets a negative electric charge of several
thousand volts. When you put the balloon near the can, electrostatic induction affects the
molecules in the metal. The outside of the can gets a positive charge, so it is drawn toward
the balloon and starts rolling in that direction.

A Candle That Sucks Water

Place a candle upright in the middle of a saucer. Fill the saucer with water. Light the candle.
Place a glass over the candle. When the flame goes out, the water in the saucer will get
sucked into the glass.

How Does It Work?

When the candle is burning inside the glass, the heat makes the air expand, so some of the
air escapes outside the glass. The candle goes out after it uses up all the oxygen, so the air
inside the glass cools. As it cools, the pressure inside the glass drops. Some of the carbon
dioxide formed by the flame dissolves in the water as well, decreasing the pressure even
more. The water outside the glass on the saucer is forced into the glass by the higher aire
pressure outside.

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A Flying Trash Bag
Hold the mouth of a black trash bag in one hand. Use a hair dryer to blow hot air into the bag.
Seal the mouth of the bag with tape. Tie a long piece of string around the tape so you can
hold it. Take the bag out into the sun. The bag will rise slowly into the air. (It’s best to do this
trick in an open area on a windless day.)
How Does It Work?
Since the bag is black, it absorbs heat from the sun. That heat makes the air inside the bag
expand and become lighter. When the bag and the air inside are lighter than the surrounding
air, the bag starts to rise.

Bending Light Through Water

Punch a hole in a clear plastic bottle two inches from the bottom. Put your finger over the
hole, fill the bottle with water and cap it to keep it from draining out.
Darken the room and cover part of a flashlight with your fingers to make the beam narrower.
When you take the cap off the bottle, the water will flow out in an arc. Shine the flashlight at

23
the stream from the side of the bottle opposite the hole. The light will bend with the arc and
create a bright glow where the water hits the sink.

How Does It Work?

When the light in the stream strikes the boundary between the water and air, much of the light
is reflected back into the stream. The light continues this internal reflection all along the arc
formed by the falling water. The same principle is used to transmit light signals through
flexible optical fibers.

Reading Through an Envelope

With a black felt-tip pen, write a three-letter word in large letters on a white piece of paper.
Place the paper in a brown envelope, and insert that envelope into a white envelope. The
writing on the paper should now be impossible to read.
Get a piece of dark construction paper or tear out a page from a magazine that is printed on
both sides. Roll up the paper into a four-inch-long tube. When you hold the tube against the

24
envelope, you’ll be able to read the writing inside.

How Does It Work?

Usually you can’t read the writing inside an envelope because of the light reflected off the
envelope’s white surface. But the tube blocks that reflected light, so you see only the light
coming through the envelope.

Egg Into Bottle

Find a glass bottle that has a mouth slightly smaller in diameter than an egg. Pour some hot
water into the bottle (be careful!), shake it vigorously and empty the water.
Peel a soft-boiled egg and place it on the mouth of the bottle. Leave it there for a while and it
will get sucked inside.

How Does It Work?

The vapor from the hot water drives the air out of the bottle. Once the egg seals the top of the
bottle, the air can’t get back in. As the water vapor cools, it turns back into water, causing the
pressure inside the bottle to drop. The higher pressure of the outside air pushes the egg into
the bottle.

Toothpick Torpedo

25
Dab a little shampoo on the blunt end of a wooden toothpick.
Drop the toothpick in a pan of water. The toothpick will start moving in the direction of the
sharp end.

How Does It Work?

Shampoo contains agents that reduce the surface tension of liquids. As the shampoo on the
end of the toothpick dissolves, it reduces the water’s surface tension around it, thus releasing
the water’s hold on that end of the toothpick. The water around the other end of the toothpick
still has surface tension, so it pulls the toothpick in that direction.

To learn more amazing science tricks, check out the book “Amazing Science Tricks” by
Michio Goto

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