Scotch College

Junior School Science Week

During the week May 3rd to May 10th students in the Junior School had the opportunity to participate in Science Week.

The theme for this year was 'Science in Sport' and this had been planned to coincide with the upcoming Olympics.

Several classes investigated the diets of athletes and discovered, by performing simple experiments, which foods contained carbohydrates and fats.

Other classes looked at reaction time and decided where the ability of having a quick reaction would be crucial to the success of the athlete.

The Prep students investigated diving and the benefits of streamlining in lessening the degree of splash upon entry into the water.

Investigating how lungs function and making examples was popular with several of the classes.. The lung was simply a plastic bottle, which represented the body and two balloons. One balloon acted as the lung and the other balloon was the diaphragm. When the diaphragm moved upwards or downwards the balloon either inflated or deflated mirroring what happens inside us.

Some of the Year 6 students also had the opportunity to assist boys in the lower years with their investigations. This was a valuable learning experience for all concerned and by all accounts it was very successful.

The Year 6 students took their task very seriously and rehearsed what they were going to do, and how they were going to do it. Their enthusiasm certainly influenced the success of the week. All of the boys thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities that were presented, and their understanding of science was further strengthened.

Year 4D - Lung Capacity Experiment

'Aim: We were trying to measure the air in our lungs. We were trying to see how our lungs work. We were also seeing how our lungs react from blowing a lot.

Method: The method we were using was measuring our breath in litres. The measuring device we used was an air bag with a mouthpiece. The way we measured our breath was by blowing into the bag. There were measurements on the bag that told us how many litres we blew.

Estimation: Before we measured our breath in litres we estimated how many litres we were going to blow. I estimated 2 litres.

Results: When I blew into the air bag, I found that it was very hard. I blew 1.5 litres.'

As part of our unit on Time and Change, 3T did an experiment called Crazy Currants. We watched what happened to the currants, once they were added to vinegar, water and bi-carbonate of soda. We discussed the changes which had occurred.

This is Douglas Plunkett's evaluation:

'The currants went up and down. The gas from the vinegar and bi-carb of soda made bubbles, which clung to the currants. The air in the bubbles lifted the currants up. When the currants reached the top the bubbles popped and the currants went down.

The carbon dioxide made more bubbles, which again cling to the currants. When the carbon dioxide runs out the currants stay at the bottom.'

Epals

The boys in 4W have epals with a school in the USA. The boys write to both girls and boys who attend Highland Elementary School, which is in the city of Stow and the state of Ohio. The boys are very keen to write letters to their epals explaining who they are, their families, school life and what Melbourne is like. The children from Stow have just experienced a white winter and they have asked many questions about how hot our summer was this year and what we expect for our winter. The class we write to is also a Year 4 grade and the children are able to compare experiences with someone on the other side of the world who is in the same year level. To date the epal experience has been very worth while, and has stimulated the class to write many letters.

Junior School Memoirs

At the end of Term One, the inaugural issue of the Junior School Memoirs was distributed to all Junior School boys.

Containing original pieces of writing by more than 150 Junior School boys, it is a celebration of the boys talents, and demonstrates the development of writing skills from Prep to Year 6.

The magazine includes examples of a range of writing styles, reflecting the diversity of the Junior School writing programme.

Boys in Years 5 and 6 were encouraged to submit cover designs which were eyecatching and relevant to such a document. The selected design, by Marco Parisi, provided a bright and colourful depiction of writing tools.

Further editions of the Junior School Memoirs will be compiled and distributed at the end of Terms 2 and 4. By the end of the year, all boys in the Junior School will have had at least one piece of writing published.