Reading the activity guide

Before you start an experiment, spend a minute looking through the activity guide.

It tells you what you need, what to do and what to watch for while the experiment is happening.

That small check can make the activity much easier.

Read the whole activity first

Try not to start mixing or building as soon as you open the kit.

Read through the instructions once from beginning to end.

This helps you see how many steps there are and whether you need anything from home before you begin.

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Caption - Read through the activity before opening or mixing the materials.

Check what you need

Look at the materials list and place everything on your workspace.

Some items may already be inside the kit. Others may be simple household items such as water, a cup or tissue paper.

Getting everything ready first means you do not have to stop halfway through the experiment to look for something.

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Place all your materials on the table before you begin.

Follow the steps in order

Do each step in the order shown in the guide.

Some science experiments depend on timing, quantities or the order in which materials are added.

If the guide says to add one material slowly, measure a certain amount or wait before moving to the next step, follow that instruction.

That is part of the experiment.

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Follow the steps in order and check each one as you go.

Look for the science clues

The guide may ask you to notice a change.

Watch closely.

Did the colour change? Did bubbles appear? Did something move, dissolve, sink, float, grow warmer or become colder?

These observations are where much of the science happens.

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Encourage learners to stop and notice what changes during the experiment.

Use the QR guide when you need it

If your activity has a QR code, scan it with a phone or tablet to open the supporting video or guide.

The video can help if you want to see how a step should look before trying it yourself.

If the QR code does not open, visit the troubleshooting section of the Help Center.

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Scan the QR code when you want to see the experiment demonstrated.

And if your experiment looks different?

That can happen.

Experiments do not always look exactly the same every time. Small differences in quantities, temperature, materials or timing can change what you see.

Go back through the guide, check the steps and compare your result with the expected observation.

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