Science

10S1

Over the course of this year, students in 10SCI1 and 8K have had the privilege to work on a project in partnership with the CSIRO, State government, and Hills council to address and solve problems faced by our local community. To do this, we’ve needed to take a collaborative approach, working together in teams and applying scientific skills learned in class to explore and inquire into possible solutions. My team has been working towards the problem of Housing Sustainability, where the growing population of the Hills is putting strain on both the natural environment and the needs of local residents. We’ve researched historical strategies to maintain internal temperature and airflow electricity-free, devised a prototype of a wind-catcher, and created experiments to rigorously test and prove its effectiveness in an Australian climate, proposing a possible solution to reduce pollution and electricity costs in homes. Through this work, we’ve been able to learn and apply invaluable skills in project management, scientific thinking, and team collaboration, making this an incredible opportunity to help our local community.

Kiren M.

8K

The CSIRO project was a monumental privilege that our peers and we greatly enjoyed. It gave us an opportunity to showcase our knowledge and brainstorm together in order to find an innovative solution to our problem. We formed groups based on the five major topics of Youth engagement, Heat Stress, Recycling, Water recycling and Biodiversity. We brainstormed on possible innovative solutions for these problems, using our scientific skills and previous knowledge to bolster our efforts. The diverse array of skills required for the project - namely, innovative thinking, proper documentation and model building, made it a diverse culmination of all our skills and abilities. Through collaboration, we successfully developed innovative solutions to our respective challenges while maintaining a positive and productive environment. We will be showcasing our projects at the Pioneer Theatre, Pennant Street, Castle Hill on the 27th of November along with almost 70 schools from NSW. Ultimately, the CSIRO project allowed us to build teamworking skills, apply our scientific knowledge and embrace our creative nature, all while advancing towards a sustainable future.

By: Renith D. and Jayden J.