Growing Silver Crystals

Ever wondered how growing silver crystals would look like under the microscope?

Here is a sample - an animated gif made from photos taken this week during the Science lessons:

Y8 Challenges for week 18-25 nov

You'll have a couple of challenges for this week - all of them will award you xp!

1. Memrise - use it to learn the element symbols!
2. You should start working on an element card - this will be your skills assessment (due next Friday - 29th of November) - the Element card should include basic information about an element of your choice - the symbol, where is it located in the Periodic Table, what are its properties, where do we get it from, how is it used and so on - anything you find interesting about that element!
3. Try to make your own sentence/message using only symbols from the periodic table. Here are some examples:

Science Vocab - using Sulphur, Carbon, Iodine, Neon (upside down), 

Cerium, Vanadium, Oxygen, Calcium, Boron

Y7 Challenges for week 20-27 nov

These are the challenges for the current week:

1. Memrise - The Particle Theory
2. Memrise - Solutions
3. Write a newsletter article for the particle theory topic (or any other revision material: spider diagram, poster etc.)
4. Write a newsletter article for the solutions topic (or any other revision material: spider diagram, poster etc.)

The best articles/revision materials will be used to make a newsletter for the blog and the Facebook page!

This is how genetics works :)

Creative project about electricity and safety

Last year Cathy surprised me with a very creative project about Electricity and Safety - the Electricity "handbag". Below you can see some photos of the project:

it even has its own handles

and don't forget recycling is important!

half-opened hand bag

fully opened handbag

Never thought of combining electricity with handbags - but then again this is what I like the most about my students - they show tremendous creativity when working on their projects.

Well done Cathy!

Why do we study Chemistry at school?

Do you think Chemistry is important? Just look around you and you will see loads of things that would not be there without Chemistry - from the paint on the wall of your room, to the soft drinks and snacks you grab on your evening out; from the fuels our cars use to the medicine that treats diseases; from the LCD to your phone, tablet or computer - all have parts that involve at least one chemical process in their production. The list could go on forever - but instead of compiling a long list, I'll let you watch a short video about it:

Fireworks night and Chemistry

Did you enjoy the fireworks night?

What is the connection between fireworks and Chemistry? Simply put, there would be no fireworks without Chemistry :)

The colours are given by different metal compounds added to the fireworks:

• green - barium or copper
• yellow - sodium
• pink - lithium
• red - strontium
• orange - calcium

As for the sparks, powdered aluminium works great!

Chemical Volcano 1

What about a self made volcano to keep you warm for the coming winter?

y7 Challenges for the week 4-8 nov

These are the challenges for this week (due next week on Friday):

1. Make your own layered ”density tower" using any materials you have around the house. Here is an example:

How do you explain the fact that the liquids form separate layers?

Take some photos or make a video with your own density tower.

Here's a short video with some instructions on how to make your own tower.

2. The Memrise course will shortly be up - remember you get xp depending on how many points you have on the site! 

y8 - Microbes and Disease on Memrise

I just created a course on Memrise for the Microbes and Disease unit. You can use it to revise for the end of unit test.

http://www.memrise.com/course/171530/y8-microbes-and-disease/

The Human Genome Project

Did you ever wonder how we get out characteristics? How are they coded in our DNA?

Courtesy: National Human Genome Research Institute. 3D animation by Bill Baker, 

Bakedmedia and Mike Fisher.

A longer documentary about the Human Genome Project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgq-XoyorWY

y9 challenges for week 4-8 nov

In groups of 2 or 3 students, prepare a research project on one of the following topics:

1. The Human Genome Project - history, advances, uses, moral issues etc.

2. Fingerprints and DNA - can we rely on fingerprints to keep our data secure?

3. Genetic diseases - you can choose any genetic disease and present the causes, the effects, long term implications etc

4. Inbreeding - what are the problems that arise from inbreeding?

5. Hybrids - how do we get them and what is the difference between hybrids and normal species?

You can choose any suitable form of presenting your findings: research report, powerpoint presentation, prezi, poster, video etc.

y8 Challenges for week 4-8 Nov

As we have been talking about microbes and disease this unit, your challenges for this week will be related to this topic:

1. Prepare a newsletter article on the topic Microbes

2. Draw a comic strip showing how your immune system fights against infections. Here is an example:

A new 3D virus model explains why we do not have a cure for the common cold yet

Ever wondered why we do not have a cure for the common cold?

more info:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/268053.php

Timmy the Oozing Pumpkin teaser

Nothing like a good old Oozing pumpkin to explain the particle theory. More to come soon :)

Welcome to my blog. This is the place where you'll find updates about our Science lessons, our Gamification project, samples of students work and challenges/homework for my students.

Enjoy your time!