Senior School 

National Science Week and the ICQ

Students at St Patrick’s College have been exploring all things science during online learning.

Sunday 14 August marked the start of National Science Week 2021. Year 7 students focused on the application of forces through Indigenous bush toys. Here they spent a week crafting pargirahs, a propellor normally made from leaves of a pandanus tree. Noah Capaldi from Mr Newbury’s Year 7 Science class has created a video (How to Make a Pargirah - YouTube) showing us how to craft a pargirah using paper.

At the end of National Science Week, students reflected on their learning. Here’s what Thomas Willis of Year 7 had to say: “Indigenous people are very intelligent and know forces very well. They use their knowledge of forces to make life easier for them and create designs that would assist them in their daily lives”.

Students from Years 7 to 11 also participated in the International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), an online multiple-choice test undertaken by 100,000 students across 20 countries. The ICQ goes beyond the curriculum in an attempt to challenge students across year groups. All students who volunteered will receive a Certificate of Participation. Students who obtain a perfect score of 30 out of 30, receive a Certificate of Excellence and a Lapel Pin.

Nicholas Tsoukatos

Science Teacher