2019 School Magazine

JUNIOR YOUNG PHYSICISTS’ TOURNAMENT

CO-CURRICULUM

T his year, five Grammar girls competed in the Junior Young Physicists’ Tournament (JYPT) in Wellington, New Zealand. Congratulations to the team—comprising Kiara Packard (9G), Jeanie Ha (9H), Charlotte Picker (10M), Prema Portway (10B) and Wijdan Rahim (10G)—on placing second, behind host school, Onslow College. This tournament aims to encourage Year 9 and 10 students to think critically about different physics problems, for example, what you can determine from the crater formed when a ball is dropped in flour, or how to explain the phenomena behind the sound made in a kettle before it starts boiling. The tournament involves five problems which are researched, analysed and experimented on in the three terms prior to the competition. During a physics fight, a problem is reported through a 10-minute presentation before being critiqued by an opponent from another team and then the reporter and opponent come together to discuss and clarify the physics presented. This process mirrors the way science happens in the real world—research and experimentation, followed by publication and then critique by peers. Both Charlotte and Wijdan competed in JYPT last year and their previous experience was an asset to the Girls Grammar team. Team Captain, Charlotte, was well prepared, having completed extensive testing on her problem prior to the tournament, and consistently led the team with good humour and her thoughtful communication skills. Wijdan presented with confidence and precision and showed great flexibility of thinking during the discussions portions of the physics fights. Selected by her team members, Wijdan represented Girls Grammar as opponent in the final, where she performed extremely well.

Jeanie Ha (9H) was quietly poised through all phases of the tournament, Kiara was consistently enthusiastic and focussed, and Prema demonstrated resilience with her ability to take on new ideas throughout the process. The team are commended on their efforts during and prior to the tournament, and their well-researched and insightful presentations. The girls should be proud of their results. Ms Carmen Keating SCIENCE TEACHER AND JYPT COORDINATOR

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGE O n Thursday 28 February, 32 students from Year 9 and Year 10 participated in the Science and Engineering Challenge at The University of Queensland, which tested their creativity, problem solving and teamwork skills. The competition included a range of activities, from communicating with flashing lights to designing an earthquake-proof building from straw and paper, and making a bridge with similarly limited resources. The scenarios encouraged girls to think ‘outside of the box’ and forge new friendships through their shared problem solving. Girls also learned the importance of preparation and time management. We were proud of everyone’s efforts which resulted in our team placing fourth. Jeanie Ha (9H) and Remi Hirayama (9L)

TITRATION COMPETITION O n Saturday 25 May, six teams comprising Year 11 and Year 12 students participated in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Regional Titration Competition at Queensland University of Technology. Titration is a technique where an acid solution of known concentration is used to determine the concentration of an unknown solution. This skill requires efficiency, patience and a pair of steady hands to get the best possible readings for the calculations. On the day, students were given 90 minutes to complete a two-step titration where three solutions were given and only one concentration was known. Though every student titrated individually, the overall team scores determined whether or not a team could make it to the next round. The competition was an enjoyable experience with many girls achieving great scores that reflected the hard work put into practising every week. Yuwen Guo (12M)

106 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2019