News
Science week for Lower School has been full of amazing experiments and experiences for our Belmont pupils.
The Y3’s have been busy making butterflies, using chromatography to experiment with separating coloured inks for the wings. Their classrooms are now transformed, having been decorated with an invasion of these vivid insects. The Y3’s also had ‘Front of Chapel’ VIP seats to watch 6RB’s science play, which they enjoyed immensely!
Y4 pupils have been learning how to use microscopes, with our Y6 students acting as their science teachers. A whole new world has been opened up, where never seen before details in a microscopic world are revealed to the curious eye. The Y6’s provided a whole array of interesting objects with which to interest our budding Y4 young scientists.
The Y5 students enjoyed an amazing afternoon of activities at Mill Hill School. Here the pupils were thoroughly immersed in a range of physics, chemistry and biology experiments. What’s the best angle to launch a rocket? Our Y5’s tested air and water powered rocket fuel. Who’s the fittest astronaut to pilot the rocket? Our Y5’s tested ‘urine’ samples for diabetes etc to decide who should be illness free to survive the journey. Wide eyed and open mouthed, the pupils also watched explosive gases and even made double helix DNA strands!
Alongside these activities our Y6’s have not only been fantastic teachers for our Y4’s. They have shown great leadership skills in helping our Y1 pupils investigate Alka Selzter rockets, asking them to decide on which ratio of water to tablet would send the plastic canister souring ever higher.
Rob Baker, Head of Lower School Science
Activities for Upper School Science Week started early for the Y6 girls who had a remarkable opportunity to visit Mill Hill Science Department and celebrate the achievements of Women in Science. They had a tremendous morning with plenty of hands-on experiences including explaining gene sequences, reverse reflections and extracting the DNA of a pea.
The week then started in earnest on Monday with the first ever Upper School House Science Quiz. Small groups of US pupils were chosen to represent their houses with a fast moving, finger on the button digital quiz. Results to be announced….
All of Year 6 have been team-teaching microscopes with Y4 and helping Grimsdell pupils with their rockets.
The Year 7 pupils were invited to sign up to make homemade bath bombs in a series of lunchtime sessions – much use of baby oil, food colouring and glitter ensued. They also had a Science Chapel along with the Y4s which looked at ‘Science Fact versus Science Fiction’. Are the stories and dreams of today, actually the true life technology developments of tomorrow? The parents of Y7 pupils could never have imagined having a phone on their wrist when they were at school – so who knows where we will be 30 years from now?
Year 8 had the chance to solve a crime. Forensic scientists all, they pieced together evidence including flame tests, fingerprint analysis, chromatography and more, to work our who had committed the dastardly deed.
A great week with plenty of opportunities to reflect on the miracles of modern science.
Jinny Fisher, Head of Science
