Science Week at Net School
Before the Easter break, Net School was celebrating British Science Week, so here is Mrs Humby to tell you a bit about what we have been doing!
Geography and science have many cross-curricula links, and our Year 7 and 10 geographers have been studying natural hazards, looking at issues associated with earthquakes, how we can predict them and how different countries respond to hazardous environments. Years 8 and 11 have been looking into different aspects of climate change, such as the global effects and how we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down global warming.
Many maths classes have included science topics which crossover with physics, for example, Year 8 have been calculating speed, which we revisit again in Year 9 science. Our AS level students have been studying vectors and mechanics.
Our Key Stage 2 classes have been looking at science in both their science and history lessons. They have started to look at inheritance and variation by discussing how characteristics are passed on in genes and will lead onto finding out about Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection. In history they have talked about how scientific methods can help us to find out about the past, such as carbon dating. In maths and science, they have researched some historical female scientists and mathematicians, Mary Anning and Mary Somerville, and how their achievements were not always recognised when they were alive. They have also used this to write biographies of Mary Anning which provided cross-curricula links with English.
In science itself we looked at many different aspects of science in just one week. Key stage 3 classes have been studying about patterns in the periodic table and forces and motion. Our IGCSE classes have been studying electromagnetic waves, reactions of metals, transport in plant cells and reproduction.
I have often been asked, "Why do we have to learn science?". My answer to this has always been the same. Science is in our past, present and future. It is happening inside us all the time, it surrounds us and even reaches to the furthest corners of the universe.
To quote Brian Greene, American physicist:
"Science is a way of life.
Science is a perspective.
Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding in a manner that's precise, predictive and reliable - a transformation, for those lucky enough to experience it, that is empowering and emotional."