National Science Week started with a blast for our LEAH schools on Friday 10th August when Year 3, 4 and 5 students from St Mark’s, St Michael’s & Lobethal Lutheran primary schools ventured off to the Cornerstone College Science Labs for a day of Science exploration and discovery.
The day literally started with a blast when Mr Schoff, Deputy Principal of Cornerstone College, welcomed the students and showed them photos of his attempts to launch a rocket on the school oval. Student leader Lachlan Wybrow (Year 12) also welcomed the students with a prayer and Welcome to Country and he encouraged the students to pursue their interests in STEM subjects, including Science.
LEAH STEM Action Group co-ordinator, Mary Whittaker, also welcomed the students and encouraged them to look for connections between Science and the other STEM subjects (Technology, Engineering & Maths) in all the activities that they do during the day.
The theme for National Science Week was Game Changers & Change Makers and focussed on the Scientists, Engineers, Mathematicians, Designers and Innovators of the past and present who have made great improvements to the way we live. In line with this theme, students were split into 4 groups for the LEAH Science Day – Einstein, Curie, Galileo & Goodall. Some students had already researched information about these game changers earlier in the week at school.
Cornerstone Lead Science Teacher, Jane Hoffman, briefed the students in laboratory safety procedures, after which each group cycled through several activities during the day.
Chemical Colours
Students mixed chemicals together in test tubes to make the colours of the Australian flag, several AFL teams and the Socceroos soccer team.
Microscope Slides
Students viewed all sorts of life forms and materials up close through the lens of a microscope, including water fleas, houseflies, bacteria, yeast, a cockroach leg, onion skin, human blood and paper. Students were amazed at the intricate detail of some of these specimens and drew diagrams of their observations.
Minerals
Students learned about the rock cycle and then observed a range of different minerals and tested properties such as colour, streak & lustre.
Static Electricity and Magnetism
Students used a variety of equipment and materials to study the effects of static electricity and magnetism.
The Life of a Scientist
Students got an insight into the life of an astronomer, chemist, forensic scientist, environmentalist, botanist and human biologist, by using equipment and materials that these scientists use.
Science Demonstration & Prizes
The day concluded with a very exciting Science demonstration, where Cornerstone’s laboratory manager Lyn Castrique amazed the students with elephants toothpaste and flaming chemical colours. Each school then had the opportunity to win a book prize for their school library, through a “periodic table of the elements lucky element draw” and a “guess the number of science rocks” challenge. Schools were then presented with packs of science resources and a take home “Balloon Rocket” science kit for each student.
The LEAH STEM Action group would like to thank the Cornerstone staff & students for all of their time and effort in designing & setting up the activities and then helping the younger students on the day. The opportunity for primary school students to use full-size, state of the art laboratories and science equipment is limited, and so this was a real eye-opening experience for them and has inspired many of them to pursue STEM studies and careers.
For more photos please visit our photo gallery – here
