A girl flying a homemade paper stunt plane made form Whizz Pop Bang magazine resources

Fly High Friday – FREE ideas for Science Week!

Science Week Day, March 2021

British Science Week (5th-14th March 2021) was always first in my calendar as a Primary Science Co-ordinator and I usually started with very grand ideas! Whilst a whole week of science is brilliant, this year it might be more realistic to consider just planning one day – it will be just as exciting, but manageable both in school and for any pupils isolating at home. Here are some FREE ideas and resources for creating a super exciting Fly High Friday!

Did you know that Whizz Pop Bang magazine also creates curriculum-linked science resources for primary schools? Scroll to the bottom to find a brilliant offer that’s running throughout March 2021!

Here’s everything you need to make planning your science day as simple as possible:

  • A whole-school challenge with suggestions for each year group
  • Science lesson plan with curriculum links
  • Downloadable, printable resources
  • FREE PowerPoint presentations to help teachers run the day

Theme – Flight, linking with the curriculum topic of Forces with a comparative/fair testing enquiry and for EYFS the characteristics of learning.

Challenge the whole school to work together on a flight investigation!
The mission: who can make paper fly the farthest?
Keep reading to find activities and resources for each year group…

We all love to make a paper aeroplane but is that the only way to make paper fly? Here are some different ways:

Make a paper air-powered rocket

Printable stunt planes that fly in a circle!

Make flying paper straws

How to make these suit all year groups:

For all these ideas you will only need paper, straws, sticky tape, glue and sticky tack – and some space, preferably outdoors! Each year group could have a go at making these different paper flying machines.

EYFS – Allow the children the time to explore how they can make paper fly. The teacher could demonstrate the air-powered rocket, then the children could make either the stunt planes or the straw planes. The children will choose the one they think will fly the farthest, try it and then the class teacher should record the result.

KS1 – Again allow the children the time to explore how they can make paper fly. Then the children should make each of the flying devices and choose the one they think flies the best, then test it. The teacher can collate all the results as a class.  

Years 3 and 4 – children can choose their favourite design and then make adaptions to see if they can make it fly farther and record their results.

Years 5 and 6 – children can test each design and then make their own flying machines. They should throw their final design five times and calculate the mean result. This will be their final result.

We also have a reading comprehension about historical scientists the Wright Brothers, the team behind the world’s first powered flight.

The Wright brother Reading comprehension

At the end of the day all classes should share their results. This might be by email or you could hold a virtual assembly! Don’t forget to ask for photographs so you can make a display or share them on your school’s social media platforms. We would love to see what you’ve been doing so please tag us @whizzpopbangmag

Whizz Pop Bang magazine and teaching resources are brilliant ways to enhance your school’s science teaching:

  • We provide downloadable science lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, hands-on investigations and science reading comprehensions written by primary school teachers.
  • Whizz Pop Bang teaching resources link to the National Curriculum, ensuring correct coverage.
  • All of our resources are year group specific, ensuring progression between the years.
  • We make cross-curricular links to other subjects, such as English, Maths, History, Geography, Design and Technology and PSHE.

Prices from as little as £190 per year for whole-school access to our ever-growing library of downloadable teaching resources, with unlimited teacher logins, as well as a copy of Whizz Pop Bang magazine through the post each month. Plus, we have an amazing offer of a 20% discount until 31st March 2021. Just apply the code SCIWEEK21 at the checkout to receive the discount. (Only available on whole-school subscriptions to the magazines and resources.)


Click here to find out more about Whizz Pop Bang’s hands-on science and reading resources for schools!


We’ve just launched a new individual membership option so teachers and home educators can access all of our amazing resources for just £20 for the whole year

“Using Whizz Pop Bang school resources has enabled investigations to be an integral part of my science planning. I now have investigations and experiments throughout my planning rather than just at the end. The lessons are easy to resource and the pack has everything I need to teach the lesson so it saves me time as well!”
Louise Hampson, Year 3 teacher 


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Take the ‘Seven Days of Science’ challenge!

Half term is almost here and families far and wide are wondering how to fill a lockdown holiday with fun and excitement.

Why not take Whizz Pop Bang’s Seven Days of Science challenge? Every day, we’ll give you all the information and resources you need to complete a simple, satisfying and curiosity-awakening challenge from your home. Enter a science pancakes competition and try some kitchen science experiments, science papercraft, science quizzes for kids, nature activities. It’s also a great way to get children well and truly excited about NASA’s Perseverance planned landing on Mars on Thursday 18th February!

Download a full colour printable tick list here:

Download a low-ink, black and white printable tick list here:


Let’s get started!

Saturday 13th February: Do some kitchen science

Discover some home chemistry experiments that involve things you’ve probably already got in your kitchen! Here are some you might like to try:

Make gloopy slime! Slime-obsessed children will love this gooey activity! They will make their own slime, then decide if it is a solid or a liquid.
You will need: cornflour, water, mixing bowl, food colouring.

Watch a video tutorial of this activity…

Make your own plastic
Explore making casein plastic from milk in this exciting activity.
You will need: milk, white vinegar, sieve, paper towels.

Make a volcano
Print out a volcano template and create your very own miniature volcano using the harmless chemicals you find in your kitchen cupboards!
You will need: the volcano printout below, a small container (e.g. a spice jar), bicarbonate of soda or baking powder, sticky tape, vinegar, red and yellow food colouring, uncoloured soap or washing up liquid, a tray.

Bubbling magma experiment
Explore the difference between runny magma and viscous magma.
You will need: two glasses, water, a viscous substance (like honey or golden syrup), two paper straws, safety goggles or sunglasses


Sunday 14th February: Make a human heart card

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by making a card featuring a human heart!
You will need: the heart card printout below, scissors, glue stick, pen.


Monday 15th February: Take a science quiz

Give one of our Whizz Pop Bang science quizzes a try!

Already done them both? Why not make up your own!


Tuesday 16th February: Eat science-themed pancakes

Add a sprinkle of science to Shrove Tuesday to be in with a chance of winning a Stay-at-home science bundle! Find out more about this competition here.

We love this pancake recipe:
BBC Good Food’s perfect pancakes
but your science pancakes can be American style, vegan, savoury… whatever takes your fancy.

Next, decorate your pancakes with something inspired by space, nature, engineering or anything else linked to science! Here are a few ideas to get you started:


Wednesday 17th February: Learn about nature

Today’s the day to get outside and do something to help nature! You could refill bird feeders and bird baths, plant some wildflower seeds or go on a litter pick. 
To make an upcycled bird feeder, you will need: An empty, clean and dry plastic bottle (e.g. milk bottle), a sharp knife, some sticks, strong glue or glue gun, 30 cm twine

If you want to do something inside instead, give these seed dispersal activities a go – it’s a great way to understand how plants and animals work together.  
To make a super-speed peashooter, you will need: Biro or gel pen, dried pea
To make a model dandelion seed, you will need: A sheet of A4 paper, ruler, scissors, pencil, sticky tape


Thursday 18th February: Take the ‘Seven minutes of terror’ challenge!

Today’s an exciting day – NASA’s Perseverance rover is due to land on Mars! You can watch the landing at 8.55pm here (but you might have to wait until tomorrow morning – that’s pretty late!)

Meanwhile, take the 7 Minutes of Terror Challenge to discover the hair-raising journey a spacecraft takes as it travels through Mars’s atmosphere. Download the activity here:


Friday 19th February: Say hello to Y!

Have you done lots of science activities and experiments this week? Or have you got a burning science question for our all-knowing robot, Y? Send messages, questions and pictures to y@whizzpopbang.co.uk and let us know all about your week of science!


Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN an ultimate science bundle!

😭 It’s the final day of WHIZZ POP BANG’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS PRIZES and today’s prize is a big one!

A subscription to Whizz Pop Bang magazine is the perfect gift for curious kids!

One very lucky winner will pick up an ULTIMATE SCIENCE BUNDLE – what an amazing Christmas present that would be! This bumper collection of science goodies is worth £64.95 (but you can pick one up for £49.99 in our shop!)

It contains…

🎄 Whizz Pop Bang Binder – ideal for storing a whole year’s worth of magazines
🎄 Whizz Pop Bang Puzzle book – stuffed with over 150 brain-bending puzzles
🎄 Whizz Pop Bang Lab coat – keep your clothes in tip-top condition when you’re experimenting! Available to fit age 5 – 13
🎄 Whizz Pop Bang Scrapbook with stickers – ideal for recording hopeful hypotheses, future inventions and experiment results
🎄 Y’s Wonder Club enamel pin badge – The club that encourages readers to get stuck into experimenting and to share their adventures in science!
🎄 Y’s Wonder Club Certificate – A5 certificate to show you’re part of the club
🎄 Edible experiment booklet – 12 edible experiments to try out over the festive season!

Find science gifts for kids in our shop!

To be in with a chance of winning this perfect prize, just answer this question in the comments:

What is the reaction between vinegar and bicarbonate of soda called?

A An alkali-base reaction
B An acid-base reaction
C Combustion

Good luck to everyone and THANK YOU for playing along for the past 12 days!

This competition closes at 7am on Sunday 13th December 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.


Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a 12 month subscription to Whizz Pop Bang magazine!

It’s DAY ONE of WHIZZ POP BANG’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS PRIZES and we’re kicking off with a big one! 

A subscription to Whizz Pop Bang magazine is the perfect gift for curious kids!

Every day until 12th Dec, we’ll launch a competition to give you and your budding scientists a chance to win awesome prizes. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for another chance to win! 

Today one lucky winner will win A 12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO WHIZZ POP BANG MAGAZINE! 12 science-packed issues will land on a winner’s doormat throughout 2021, inspiring them with 12 amazing topics, 50+ things to do, 50+ jokes, 50+ riddles, 50+ puzzles, countless incredible facts, beautiful images and so much more! 

Find science gifts for kids in our shop!

To be in with a chance of winning this perfect prize, just answer this question in the comments:

What is the closest star to Earth called? 

A Proxima Centauri
B Andromeda 
C The Moon

This competition closes at 7am on Wednesday 2nd December 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.

Good luck!

This competition closes at 7am on Wednesday 1st December 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.


Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN an epic Build Your Own marble run kit!

Get ready to race with this marble of engineering! Slot together the press-out parts to create three twisting neon tracks, just waiting for marbles to shoot, spin and whizz around.

This clever marble run kit from Build Your Own includes an ingenious lift and drop marble elevator and run switches to randomise the courses. It’s Build Your Own’s most challenging creation yet – with a build time of four hours, this kit is bound to keep the whole family busy during long weekends at home.

Designed in the UK and made from high-quality sustainable cardboard, this is one amazing piece of kit and we’ve got THREE to give away to lucky winners!

To be in with a chance of winning one of three Build Your Own marble run kits, simply answer this question in the comments:

Who is Mae Jemison?

A An engineer and NASA astronaut
B A marbles champion
C A botanist

Good luck!

This competition closes at midnight on Monday 30th November 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.


Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity book!

Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity: Words that Changed the World by Carl Wilkinson brings Einstein’s world-changing understanding of gravity, time, space and light to life for young readers.

Go on a journey through Einstein’s mind as this beautiful book breaks down his complex theories to make them accessible for young readers.

Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity by Carl Wilkinson is published by Laurence King on 14th September and we’ve got three copies to give away to lucky Whizz Pop Bang fans!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question in the comments:

Where was Albert Einstein born?

A United Kingdom
B Austria
C Germany

Good luck!

This competition closes at midnight on Sunday 27th September 2020. Whizz Pop Bang competition terms and conditions are here.

Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here!


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Cheltenham Science Festival goes virtual!

The Cheltenham Science Festival @ Home runs from 2-7 June and you can watch it all online!

Have you read about AIDA, the world’s first AI festival curator, in Whizz Pop Bang: Playground Science? Here’s where you can watch the live talks:

https://www.youtube.com/user/cheltenhamfestivals

Find out about the entire programme, including links to events being held on other platforms, here:

https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science-home/whats-on/grid

Read on for our highlights of the festival!

Whizz Pop Bang: Playground Science is available here for just £4.75!

Our highlights:

Family Show: The Quantum Mechanical Chocolate Factory on Tuesday 2nd Jun 2020 10:00am – 11:00am

Stefan Gates‘ Wonka-esque, snack-based science show is packed with the chemistry of sweets, the engineering of chocolate fountains, the biology of flatulence and the quantum mechanics of glowing spaghetti. Loads of demos you can try at home, plus a few you really can’t!”


Colourful Science on Tuesday 2nd Jun 2020 10:00am – 11:00am

“Why is grass green? And why do butterfly wings shimmer different colours? Join mathematician Katie Steckles, chemist Jamie Gallagher and biophysicist Nate Adams as they explore what colour means to them and how colours can even help us understand the universe.”


Dr Maggie’s Grand Tour Of The Solar System on Thursday 4th June 2020 10:00am – 11:00am

“Join space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock on an epic adventure through the Solar System. Visit the most magnificent sights and discover all the spectacles that outer space has to offer, from planets and moons to asteroids, comets and satellites. Hold on to your helmet and get set for a cosmic roller coaster ride.”


Sound of Science on Friday 5th June 2020 at 10:00am – 11:00am

“Join Nate Adams for an extravaganza of fiery, colourful and explosive science demonstrations. Featuring original electropop with incredible visuals from the Sound of Science band. Explore what the universe is made of, why you stick to the ground and how you can eat light!”


Shape & Symmetry: Mathematical Art Workshop on Saturday 6th June 2020 at 1:00pm – 2:00pm

“Many beautiful designs and patterns are based on underlying mathematical principles of shape and symmetry. Using a ruler and compass, shapes can be constructed on paper which can form the basis of geometric patterns. In this workshop mathematician Katie Steckles and illustrator Hana Ayoob will talk you through the process and give you time – and inspiration – to design your own artwork, incorporating design ideas from traditional mandala shapes and patterns.”


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Watch a water spider in action!

Can spiders breath underwater?

If you’re wondering how arachnids breathe underwater, you won’t believe this spider’s amazing trick!

Perhaps you’ve been reading about this smart insect in Whizz Pop Bang 56: Splash! Want to find out more? It’s on sale in our science shop!

Tiny water spiders spend their lives underwater, even though they need to breathe air! They collect large air bubbles from the surface and carry them underwater. The bubbles absorb oxygen from the water, meaning each can last more than a day! If you catch one pond dipping, look for a silvery air bubble clinging to its hairy body.

This water spider, or diving bell spider, has a nifty trick for breathing underwater!

Now that you’ve discovered how water spiders breathe underwater, why not show a friend and amaze them with this fascinating piece of nature?


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a Whizz Pop Bang binder!

Whizz Pop Bang’s seven days of prizes: day seven!

It’s the last day of our week of competitions and we’ve got a binder, sorry a blinder, of a prize for you today!  

Today, we’re giving away a Whizz Pop Bang binder – the perfect place for WPB fans to store their magazine collections! Each binder holds a whole year’s-worth of magazines, making it the ideal extra gift for a mini scientist who is dreaming of finding a Whizz Pop Bang subscription under the tree.

Just answer this question in the comments to be in with a chance of winning. Don’t wait around, because this competition is only running for 24 hours!

How many sets of eyelids do camels have?

  1. One set
  2. Two sets
  3. Three sets

This competition closes at 7am on 14th December 2019. For full terms and conditions see: https://buff.ly/384J6Zl


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a Whizz Pop Bang lab coat!

Whizz Pop Bang’s seven days of prizes: day three!

It’s DAY THREE of WHIZZ POP BANG’s SEVEN DAYS OF PRIZES!

Every day this week, you’ll discover another competition to give Whizz Pop Bang fans a chance to win science-y prizes. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow! 

Today, we’re giving away a Whizz Pop Bang lab coat in the size of your choice – but hurry, because this competition is only running for 24 hours!

Scientists-in-training will go beaker bonkers over our lab coats which will keep clothes in tip-top condition, even when experiments don’t go quite as planned!

Each lab coat comes complete with three deep pockets, perfect for storing endless bits and bobs. It’s the perfect gift for curious children who wonder why (and quite like making a mess at the same time!)

Available in four sizes to fit ages 5 to 13.

Just answer this question in the comments to be in with a chance of winning:

What is Whizz Pop Bang’s robot called?

  1. X
  2. Y
  3. Z

This competition closes at 7am on Tuesday 10th December 2019. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms


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