Science

Strengthen Engagement and Achievement in Mathematics and Science

Five Wanganui students: Emre Eren, Corben Tranter, Ben Gibbs, Max Diamond and Gavin Douch, went to Monash for the July SEAMS camp to prepare ourselves for the second semester of Year 12. The camp runs each semester during the holidays, alternating between Monash and Melbourne University. During this camp we stayed at Mannix College.

During our time at Monash we attended tutorials for Physics or Chemistry and Maths to learn our course content before school began. But it wasn’t all study. We had lots of opportunities to meet some of the other students we might go to university with, through the social activities such as trivia, and workshops. The workshop I chose was run by Engineers Without Borders, we had to compete in groups to build the best prosthetic leg, and later, high load-bearing boat with a limited budget of Monopoly Money to buy resources, trying to mimic the constraints that humanitarian engineers have when they work on the field in developing countries. We had opportunities to ask university students about their courses, their university experiences, and moving to the city.

For us, that was the last SEAMS camp, and so we’re eagerly awaiting the SEAMS Graduation Dinner as an opportunity to catch up with our friends.

Article by Gavin Douch

Year Eleven Students

During the second week of the mid-year school holidays Jacob Spencer, Brooke Barr, Gabi Sargant, Jansyn O’Donoghue. Shekinah Asade, Jorja Freer and Shannon James, made their way down to Melbourne to the Melbourne University Parkville campus, to participate in the SEAMS camp ran by Monash and Melbourne Universities.

We stayed at one of the residential colleges for two nights and participated in both academic and recreational activities across the three days.

We were split into groups of either Chemistry or Physics and in those groups spent a few hours each day getting a start on our Unit 2 studies in our chosen subject and also in Maths Methods classes.

We had tours around the Melbourne Uni campus and used a range of their facilities over our time at the camp! It was an amazing opportunity for us and we look forward to the future SEAMS camps held at both Melbourne and Monash University.

 - Article by Jorja Freer and Gabi Sargant

The Wave Machine - Spectral Vibrations

On Wednesday, 25th of July, Mrs Amadei’s Spectral Vibrations class constructed two wave machines, using lollies, skewers and tape. The class was spilt into two groups, each making their own wave machine. Students were reminded that the distance between each skewer was very important, as was how far the lollies were on the skewers. The wave machines were then used to demonstrate transverse waves – crests, troughs, wavelengths, frequency, amplitude, dampening effects, interference and reflection.

Students comments included “it was fun”, “it was an interesting way to show waves”, “it helped visualise the waves”. Zac said “the best part was eating the lollies afterwards!”