1995 School Magazine

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@irld' Grsmmnr Sclloo[ I8rigbant 1995

YEAR EIGHT CROSS CURRICUIAR ACTIVITIES

Grandparents were welcomed in junior science classes as well as senior chemistry, biology and physics lessons. These classes involved mainly experiments so that Grandparents could easily contribute to lessons. Students and teachers made the visits more interesting and enjoyable by carefully explaining what the class was doing in any experiments as well as some theoretical aspects.

,Tlhe opportunity to highlight connections between activi- I ti"r nt school and the wider wodd is very important. Through the cooperative planning of a number of activities which spread across the curricuh-rm, students have had the opportunity to speak to Mawson Base, use fax and the Internet to gain information on the issues threatening the Amazon Basin and receive advice from experts who have been involved in projects relating to the Mekong River. By creating windows in the school year where the normal timetable is suspended, groups of approximately fifry-five stu- dents have been able to work together to examine some of the controversial issues affecting various parts of the world. Each group of Year Eight students attends one of the following camps and is allotted a specific task to complete. (1) The Antarctic Expeditioners' Training Camp - Justily why you as a team of scientists/environmentalists/miners etc. should be funded to go to Antarctica. (.2) The Arnazonian Youth Summit - Create a game that will demonstrate the variety of conflicting issues present in the management of the Amazonian rainforest and raise awareness of these issues.

For many of the Grandparents it was the first time they had been given the opportunity to see what their Granddaughters study at school. It also gave many the chance to reflect on their own schooling years. Both students and Grandparents thor- oughly enjoyed the occasion. AIMEE MANVELL

SPACESHIP COMPETITION arindale Shopping Centre advertised a competition that proved timely for Science in Scbools 'Week celebrations.

Schools were given just over a week to design and build a spaceship to enter into the shopping cen- tre's O^FF THE PLANET promotion. Students in 12.1 Physics took up the challenge and designed a very interesting, feature- packed spaceship which was quickly constrticted and delivered to Carindale with the paint still drying. The spaceship was successlul in winning the "Most Creative Space- Themed Entry" and the school was awarded a $500 shopping voucher

7he enuironmental team at the Antarctica Expeditioners'Training Camp. (3) The Mekong Adventure - Justify from the perspective of a particular country, Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam etc. whether the Mekong River should be dammed within the boundaries of the country. During each camp the giris are asked to assume a particular role and to research the issue and present a case from that perspective. Perhaps the most effective way to consider the

outcomes is through the words of the students. Reflections from an Antarctic Expeditioner:

which could be spent in any Carindale store. The money was used to purchase a new, much-adored inkjet printer for the Science Faculrv.

This week has gone so quickly. From the moment we were all seated in the Gehrmann Theatre to the Great Antarctic Dessefi Competition, we have all lived, breathed and seen Antarctica.

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