WOW! What a term it has been! Lots of hands-on experiences leading to lots of fun and embedded learning that is meaningful and engaging. 

YEAR 7

Students have been learning about forces and have been involved in researching, creating and experimenting to investigate how Ancient Egyptians solved real-world problems. We explored questions such as, "How did Egyptians move those colossal blocks to make the wondrous pyramids?"  Students focused on ways Ancient Egyptians may have taken advantage of unbalanced forces to move these large blocks. There was some excellent research and experiments using different methods exploiting unbalanced forces. Yes, the great Sir Isaac Newton would have been proud of these budding scientists; pulleys, inclined planes and wet sand were used to show how to more easily move the blocks by reducing the forces needed to pull the blocks.

Students developed hypotheses and investigated using data loggers. The gathered data was analysed to then determine their conclusions.

YEAR 8

Students studied biology this term concentrating on the respiratory, reproductive and digestive systems.  Videos, dissections and discussions were just some of the modes students used to identify the organs and tissues in these systems and to understand how they fit together in the body to create and sustain life.

Students were able to see how oxygen is absorbed from the air and taken through the body to the cells for organs to work and keep the organism living. Having the opportunity to see a demonstration on how the lungs inflate and where they are in the body in relation to other organs in the respiratory system assisted with learning, as did feeling the textures and differences of the organs.

Another biological system studied was the digestive system. Students participated in an experiment where hamburgers were used and broken into smaller pieces showing how molecules are absorbed into the body and used as energy for the cells and organs. Students physically interacted with this process by using plastic bags as the stomach and small intestine; they added acid and detergents acting to simulate the body’s processes. Stockings became the large intestine and were squeezed to push the food through, allowing the nutrients to be released into the body for use and at the end a solid was produced. All good fun but some students were a bit squeamish by the end of this activity.

The reproductive system was the next system for students to study and they augmented their learning by dissecting various flowers. They examined the reproductive parts using a magnifying glass to identify the pollen, ovary, stamen and associated reproductive parts in the cross-section of the flowers.

ALP and G-STEM

The College is excited to be in partnership with the Wonder of Science program which promotes a STEM culture and gives our students the opportunity to be mentored by inspiring PhD students from our associated university (University of Queensland). Our students participated in a conference at the beginning of the year; have been introduced to their Young Science Ambassadors; and the G-STEM students have visited UQ.

Teachers have been mentoring students, facilitating fun science projects and experiments with balloons, forces and lung capacity measurements, and Merge Cubes. Students are currently researching young scientists and inventors and learning how to use the augmented reality cubes to present their research in an interesting and informative way.

Skills have been gained through these experiences through collaborative peer research, discussions and analysis, and through students presenting their experimental findings to their colleagues and teachers through public speaking.