STEM

2021 Science Week - Food: Different by Design

Week 6 was National Science Week, always a highlight of the STEM activities of each year.  This year’s theme, ‘Food:  Different by Design’ honours the United Nations International Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.  There are many important questions raised here around our use of genetically modified crops to increase yields and feed an ever-growing global population such as the growth of the global population and food security and the use of food crops as sources of biofuels.  This is a topical and multifaceted topic.

The AHS STEM team and STEM friends pivoted spectacularly to deliver a wide range of activities that might appeal to our Science superstars and our reluctant scientists and everyone in-between.

Education Perfect Science Championships

The Education Perfect Science World Championships was also timed to coincide with Science Week.  Students were able to earn points for their house, our School and for themselves by answering questions on any of the Education Perfect Science content, including some special units that specifically related to this year’s theme.  Congratulations to our winner, Year 7 student Brigitte Godfred Spenning who earned a Gold award, in second place was Year 8’s Sophia Alonso, also earning a gold award, and fellow Year 8 Rumaisa Mirza, rounded out our top three with a credit award.  Our winning house was Hollows, with Freeman coming in a close second.  These points will be added to the total from other events in the series to award the Education Perfect House Cup at the end of the year.

Totally Gross Science Week Quiz

On Tuesday Mme Papon held a Science Week quiz via Kahoot featuring a broad range of somewhat icky science questions.  Congratulations to our winners Patrick Sargeant (Y12), with Ella Bowman (Y12) in second and Patrick Baker (Y10) coming in third.  We also had a Junior school winner, Year 7 student Liam Cogley.  Well done on your gross science knowledge guys!

Women at NASA | Leadership and success in STEMM Presentation

On Wednesday lunchtime a group of students came together to listen to a pre-recorded talk by women working at NASA talking about what they do and their careers in STEM.  We heard about the steps these women took in their careers to achieve their goals and the support they needed to get there.  It was a fascinating talk as the women worked in a range of different areas.

Science Week Debate:  Genetically modified food/organisms (GMO) products must continue and expand as a source of food for the future of our planet

One of the many activities running during Science Week was the inaugural Science Week Debate! 

The Affirmative Team:  Hannah, Ishan, Caroline and Rumaisa competed against the Negative Team:  Sophie, Ava, Kiah and Bosco on the topic of:  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) should continue and expand as a food source.  Our judges were the Public Speaking and Debating Coordinators, Mr Germano and Ms Mahony, as well as the Learning Area Leader for Science, Mr Hanlon.

Students, teachers and families tuned in to watch the online debate and while it was incredibly close, the winners were the affirmative team.  Well done to all involved!

Science Week Photography Competition

Another new event for 2021 was our photography competition.  Science is all around us but we rarely take a moment to stop and look at it.  Community members were invited to submit photographs in the following two categories.

• FOOD: Different by design
• Science Inspiration

Congratulations to our overall student winner, Year 7 student Nim Suresh for his photograph, Nature:  Rebirth.  This photograph depicts a plant growing on top of the stump of a dead tree.  Nature is constantly evolving around us and even through death, it finds a way to live on. The photograph is in relation to biology and how organisms interact with each other.

Auburn High School Cake Competition

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful cake submissions!

The annual Science Week cake competition has been a highlight of the program for the last few years.  As ever there were a large number of very impressive entries. Voting and judging is currently underway so look out on Facebook, Teams and Compass for your opportunity to vote, along with the public vote we also have a guest judge AHS Alumni Roz H who has been the winner of this event for a number of years and graduated at the end of 2020. This is a small selection of our entries this year.

Our community winner was Ms Meehan with her photograph Kombucha Sunrise which depicts kombucha during the first fermentation. We are looking forward to seeing this event grow in future years.

I would like to extend an enormous thank you to all the staff who supported the program this year in the remote space and to all the students and their families who joined us and participated in the events, it was smashing to see some parents joining the WebEx to listen in to the debate and the NASA talk.