Science News

Zoos Victoria Youth Leadership Program

Last week, Caitlin and Sophie went to Philip Island. As part of their day, they visited the Island Nature Parks at the Penguin Parade, where they were involved in citizen science by sorting and categorising rubbish recovered from Ventnor Beach. 

The team then walked along the boardwalk to see where the penguins nest at night and saw some adorable goslings and cygnets! 

The Youth Leaders also took a Wildlife Coast Cruise out to Seal Rocks to see the largest Australian Fur Seal colony in the Southern Hemisphere and heard a talk about their breeding and adaptations.

Year 7 Science News

Has your Year 7 student been talking about forces? 

All Year 7’s have been investigating forces this term – gravity, friction and magnetic forces. 

The Year 7 Egg Drop is a project that relates to lessons about gravitational forces and air resistance, but it is also an activity that engages the design process, and allows students to learn about the importance of group work, design iteration and learning from failure. 

Competition and Science Assessments

The International Chemistry Quiz results should be released by mid-September, I will let all students know as soon as I receive the data from the organisers. 

Thank you to all of the students who participated in the ICAS Science Assessment last week, the test ran smoothly and all students were organised and remained focused throughout the hour, completing 45 difficult science-based questions. 

Well done!

Tamara Green

Tournament of Minds

On 20th of August, the team went to Deakin University, representing Vermont Secondary College, to present what they made.The team consisted of Vansh, Samuel, Ayush, Amara, Iris, Anisha and Simone. 

The students were given a problem and had to create a solution using only allowed materials. This year the problem was that they had a 300-gram gold nugget and they had to present it at two different speeds for ten seconds. They spent the last 6 weeks building an apparatus that presented a fake gold. 

After they presented, the team went to compete in a spontaneous challenge that must be kept confidential for security reasons. These seven students feel extremely proud of what they have achieved. 

By Vansh