This term has already been a busy one for aspiring scientists in our Lower Prep.
Four pupils in our 9s (Year 5), Theo, Maia, Amelia and Nick, were selected to attend the Bradfield College Prep School Science Challenge. There were 20 schools present and all children participated in three group challenges in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
In the first of the challenges (Physics), the children worked together in their groups to make a loud speaker and they also completed a short quiz using their scientific knowledge. They were delighted to come first in this challenge!
In the Chemistry challenge, the children mixed a range of colourless liquids and noted the chemical reactions. They then identified a range of different unnamed solutions based on their findings.
Last but not least, the Biology challenge, in which the children observed the behaviour of maggots in a partially painted Petri dish, and commented on the range of variables which affected their movements. The groups also had to use their knowledge of adaptation and environment to comment on three plant samples which they looked at through microscopes.
Overall, and much to all of our delight, Harrodian came 2nd in the competition!
When asked what they enjoyed most, our four Harrodians said, 'It was great coming second but we also really enjoyed the liquids demonstration and nitrogen bomb building by the other school's Director of Science. There were so many loud bangs, it was great fun!'
...we also really enjoyed the liquids demonstration and nitrogen bomb building...There were so many loud bangs, it was great fun!
All the Lower Prep children having been carrying out their first outdoor observations of the seasons: 10s on the Leg O'Mutton Reservoir, 9s on the school fields and 8s at the allotment. They have been looking at the seasonal changes by measuring the outside temperature, using the internet to calculate the number of daylight hours and referring to the Woodlands Trust app to identify trees. These year groups will repeat the exercises again in the winter, spring and summer months in order to see which animals and insects are more prevalent in each season.
Ours 8s (Year 4) looked at leaves, wildlife and plants that were growing in the allotment. Meanwhile pupils in our 10s (Year 6) were challenged with identifying and recording creatures that live in the Leg O' Mutton Reservoir. They filled in a table to chart what animals and insects they could find, below.
The children loved being outside to collect data and observe their surroundings, simultaneously learning about adaptations of animal/plant species, environmental variables, and the classification of living things.
Over the next few weeks our 9s will also be learning all about planets and their orbit around the sun in an interactive Planetarium workshop and our 10s will be able to put their classroom learning into practice when they visit Kew Gardens and examine how plants adapt to their natural surroundings.
What an exciting and action-packed agenda for Science in the Lower Prep!