TERM 2 Week 9 2021

Years 7 and 8 have been working diligently towards completing their assessment pieces and now they are finished they have time to really enjoy the science labs. Some practicals in the laboratory have occurred and more are planned for next week. These practicals will consolidate students’ learning from the term. Here are just a few of examples:

Year 7

Students looked at the concept of density using skittles (YUM!) which they used to make a rainbow of liquid. It was so pretty but students needed a steady hand to get a really good rainbow effect. Students learned measuring skills by using measuring cylinders and developed pipetting and dispensing skills.

Year 8

Waterproof boat building to see who can make the fastest boat using an elastic band to power the vehicle has been the focus for Year 8s. This was fun to see and most students created a sea-faring boat. One group designed their boat with a dinosaur using the water-proof tape. Not sure if it went faster, but it did look fantastic as it motored away.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

The students in ALP and STEM are preparing for their Wonders of Science presentations and have come up with all sorts of ideas and wonderful experiments to trial for these presentations.

They have been looking at separation techniques and devising very interesting experiments. Some are looking at separating molecules through gel electrophoresis, or terrariums. Other students have been playing with charges and creating new hairstyles NOTE: no children were harmed in this experiment, although their hair needed to be restyled afterwards. This is just a small representation of these ideas below with a sneak peek in pictures before these presentations are finalised.

It isn’t only the students who love science. The teachers also get into the act when possible. The Head of Physical World, Nahdia McClymont assisted one of our Deputy Principals, Zana Schroeder to have a ‘play’. Ms McClymont taught Ms Schroeder about the neutralisation process through mixing acids and bases.