Using fiction to teach science

Fictional contexts, such as Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia, can make science lessons all the more exciting, says Philip Ball – which in turn can spark creative writing...

After 37 years as a primary teacher, I feel that science has been downgraded as a curriculum subject. But I’ve hit upon a simple solution to bring it back to the fore whilst simultaneously tackling another area of developmental need – inspiring children to write.

In association with The Science Learning Centre (East Midlands), I’ve created Wizarding And Beyond: Science In Literature, a scheme to inspire children (particularly boys ) to write using simple science experiments. It involves undertaking experiments allied to ‘physical processes’ and ‘materials’ and mixing this with an exciting, stimulating approach to writing.

In my time as a headteacher, I noticed that boys particularly were turned off by writing. There are many reasons for this – the rise of the texting generation, the fact that we don’t write letters any more and the insistence on shorter pieces in SATs, to name a few.

To write using simple science experiments. It involves undertaking experiments allied to ‘physical processes’ and ‘materials’ and mixing this with an exciting, stimulating approach to writing. In my time as a headteacher, I noticed that boys particularly were turned off by writing. There are many reasons for this – the rise of the texting generation, the fact that we don’t write letters any more and the insistence on shorter pieces in SATs, to name a few.

Innumerable surveys show that writing standards across the country are in relative free-fall and although boys can ‘talk the talk ‘, they don’t like putting words down on paper. But give them a description of ‘The Firebolt’ (below) and Harry Potter can be used to inspire both writing and scientific experimentation.

The Firebolt

This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a streamlined, super-fine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 0-150 miles an hour in 10 seconds and incorporates an unbreakable braking charm. Price on request.

Children can discuss what materials would be suitable in building the Firebolt – would they be strong, hard, flexible, rigid? Would they stretch or compress? Deciding how the broom will be powered can involve the study of solids, liquids and gases, and make reference to conductors and insulators.

Once children have agreed on materials and a power source, they can build a model of the Firebolt and write instructions on how it works. Finally, they can create a new scenario for its use in the context of a story.

If we are to inspire children’s writing, tying in with popular works makes sense. J.K.Rowling is the country’s most popular author in commercial terms, but there are other, endless, possibilities. The allegorical fables, like C.S Lewis’ Narnia, also offer a fantastic starting point In Prince Caspian, Trumpkin, Susan, Lucy, Peter and Edmund set off from an island to find King Caspian. The subsequent adventure and map details can be reproduced using the Magnetic Map equipment below.

Greek and Roman legends make good source materials, as do religious stories like Rama and Sita. The tales have monsters, battles, heroes and heroines and good always triumphs over evil. The Diwali story puts Rama and Sita through all kinds of challenges, all lending themselves to scientific solutions. Children can use shadow puppets to act out the stories, they can build a monkey bridge, design a magic carpet and experiment with lights. I’m massively addicted to classic texts and in primary writing workshops I use extracts from David Copperfield, Peter Pan, Treasure Island and Alice In Wonderland. Charles Dickens’ descriptions of the workhouses lend themselves to onomatopoeia/ sounds work in both science and literacy. The new science curriculum requires greater focus on the acquisition of scientific knowledge and on practical scientific experiments and demonstrations. With reading for pleasure and poetry recitation suggested in English, this makes for a good curriculum marriage.

Here are a few suggestions to use.

1 Great escapes

Create a balloon rocket and then choose a story with a ‘cliffhanger’; a pivotal situation where the characters need to escape. For instance, this ties in nicely with the flying Ford Anglia, featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (p.62 ).

Build a rocket balloon

You need: a balloon, string (2-3 m long ), two chairs, tape, scissors and a drinking straw.

1. Tie one end of the string to a chair.
2. Thread the straw onto the string and tie the other end of the string to the other chair.
3.Attach two pieces of tape to the straw.
4. Inflate the balloon, hold the open end and attach it to the straw with tape.
5.Pull the balloon to one end of the string and let go.
6.Observe what happens. The children can adapt this observation to help characters escape in their own story.

2 Added attraction

Create a map with with moving figures to illustrate a story episode. One excellent example is The Marauders Map from Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. For KS1, this can also be a map of The 100 Acre Wood in Winnie The Pooh, or Enid Blyton’s Enchanted Forest.

Make magnetic maps

You need: card (large), paper clips, magnets.
1.Attach the paper clips to the characters, drawn and cut out.
2. Place magnets under the large card, where the map has been drawn.
3.Move the characters about the map.
This can also be used for the Minotaur’s maze.

3 Having a gas

An experiment in which children use a chemical reaction to inflate balloon can be connected to the Diwali story mentioned previously. After defeating the evil Ravanna, Rama and Sita had to find a way home from Lanka. How might children design a magic carpet and use the materials below to launch it?

Inflate a balloon

You need a small drinks bottle, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, balloon, teaspoon, funnel.

1.Using the funnel, pour half a cup of vinegar into the bottle.
2. Slide the balloon onto the end of the funnel.
3.Put two teaspoons of soda into the balloon, then remove
the funnel.
4. Stretch the mouth of the balloon over the bottle. Don’t let the soda drop onto the vinegar yet.
5.Hold the bottle, lift up the balloon and empty the soda into
the vinegar.
6. See what happens when the soda/ vinegar foams.

Discussion and the results will provide inspiring ideas for further writing.

These are just a few snapshot experiments and are meant as illustrations to provide inspiration. This approach is open ended in terms of texts and the list is only intended as a starting point. The fusion of quality literature and science has many possibilities for inspiring writing at both KS1 and KS2.