Over the course of the term we have conducted various experiments. The 1/2s discovered the colour composition of various black textas and loved creating various ‘lava lamps’ following our experiment with oil, water and detergent. The seniors also looked at a chemical reaction between bi-carbonate soda, tartaric acid and water, using balloons to capture the carbon dioxide produced. What science experiments have you completed at home?

A big thank you to the families that have supported our School Garden this year. We have been very fortunate to receive donations from various families, including garlic bulbs, vegetable seedlings and even three banana palms!

We have been enjoying the school garden, harvesting the garlic, planting and watering many new fruit trees and continuing to care for our chickens.

We are in need of some help to look after the chickens and water our new trees over the Christmas break. If you are able to spare a couple hours please contact me, through a message to the office or email awinder@stbofficer.catholic.edu.au . Thankyou.

Last week the Middles participated in the final activity of their chemical science unit, the Egg Drop. Students had to carefully design and select materials to protect an egg that would drop off the table three times. This task was chosen to simulate the delivery process, which lead to a fragile Galileo’s Thermometer being broken on delivery earlier this term.

Students had to consider:

• ability to protect the egg from damage
• adequate size
• environmentally responsible choice of materials
• whether their package was aesthetically pleasing.

Best results must be awarded to 3/4M, who did not break a single egg!

 

Our students have been busy with some new robots on loan from the CSER library. We have discovered how our Ozobot Bits can move, follow lines, change colours and we have drawn paths to get from start to finish. We also experimented with the different colour codes that can make it do different moves, go at different speeds or in different directions. From Foundation students to our Senior students, students have had to troubleshoot, calibrate and work out solutions to different problems. The students are very excited to get a chance to use these again next week.

Today our Sustainability Leaders and Eco Warriors travelled into the Royal Botanic Gardens for the Victorian School Garden Awards. We were very fortunate to win our regional prize, as well as the extra special prize of Best School Garden Exhibiting Biodiversity. Our whole school has worked tirelessly on our Junior Landcare Biodiversity Project over the last year with over 700 indigenous plants planted, with special help from our parent volunteers. It is lovely to be recognised in this way, and we greatly appreciate the prize money of $1350 in NGIV Nursery Vouchers, which will be used in the school garden over the next year.

We also got to meet Costa, from Gardening Australia and Get Muddy TV. He spoke about how important it is to spread the word of our achievements, in order to encourage others to get planting too.

 

Next Wednesday the Middle classes are involved in the Offical 2020 Egg Drop, and will be creating their package to protect an egg from impact.

The criteria involves:

• ability to protect the egg from impact
• the use of recycled and reused materials
• a suitable size
• aesthetically pleasing

 

Each group needs to supply their own recycled materials to bring to class next week.

If any one is able to help with some extra old packaging like bubblewrap or small boxes that they are able to share, please bring them to the office before Wednesday, or to my room on Wednesday morning.

Our foundation students have noticed our scarecrows are looking quite worn out from the weather. This week they began designing a new look for them and considering which materials would be best suited to their outdoors accommodation. If you have any clothing items (eg. shirts, jeans, hats, old boots) or old paint tins for heads that might help us restore our scarecrows, the foundation students would be very appreciative. With thanks.

 

 

Today our Junior students investigated what happens when different combinations of water, oil and detergent were mixed in different combinations. They found some surprising results.

We would love to make DIY Lava Lamps, but need to collect lots of small drink bottles (600ml or less) with the labels off. If you could collect and save, these would be greatly appreciated by our 1/2s. Many thanks!

 

Continuing our investigations in chemical science, we observed the changes when adding salt (solid) to water (liquid). We tried to find how much salt can be dissolved in water, before you cannot dissolve anymore. We discussed whether this was a chemical reaction with new products formed, or a physical reaction, with a change only in appearance. We also discussed whether this change was reversible, and how scientists have invented ways to turn sea water into fresh water.

 

Turning Salt Water into Freshwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38GdjlXRmCM

Last month we were very excited to receive our Flemings Orchard Prize from the Victorian School Garden Awards 2018. $1000 worth of fruit trees will be an amazing extension to our current orchard. Our new varieties include Trixies, Ballerinas and some interesting two-way grafted varieties. We have a great collection of apples, plums, nectarines, peaches, pears, mulberries, cherries, apricots, figs, avocados, oranges, lemons, limes and guava.

If we can just leave the growing fruit on the trees long enough, we will have a great feast of fruit to enjoy!