Year 9 are taking part in the ‘If you were an Engineer, what would you do?’ Leaders Award competition.

The competition challenges students from primary and secondary schools to identify a problem, design a creative solution to their problem and write a letter explaining why an engineer should choose to build their solution.

During the STEM Festival, Year 9 had a number of lessons to prepare them for the competition. In the first lesson, the students watched videos showing the different engineering jobs that are available, which also showed no matter who you are or what your background, you can do engineering. 

The students also had to interview an engineer, a key requirement of the competition. Year 9 interviewed Vish Kalsapura from Network Rail. Mr Kalsapura gave an overview about engineering within the rail industry and gave a little insight into his role within cyber security.

In the final couple of lessons, the students had to identify a problem and then design their solution, taking inspiration from previous winners in the competition. All the teachers were impressed with the engagement of the students and the fantastic ideas being created.

All the students that enter the competition will have their design graded by an engineer and will receive a certificate. Shortlisted entries will then be put forward to a panel where the best ideas will be celebrated at an awards event and exhibited in a public exhibition in the summer term. 

One extraordinary part of the competition is that every year, university teams choose an idea from the shortlisted entries to build!

Fingers crossed and good luck, Year 9!

Mrs Goodwill

Science Department

During the 2^nd week of the STEM Festival, Year 7 students were able to experience the wonders of the universe in a full immersive experience. The girls learned about the composition of stars and how all of the elements that make up everything, including themselves, had originally formed in the centre of stars scattered across the universe. They were also treated to a detailed insight into the Artemis programme that will soon be taking astronauts back to the moon. Throughout the experience, students became involved asking probing questions to the knowledgeable presenter, Dave.

Mr Knee

Science Department

Throughout the STEM Festival, each Year 9 class had the opportunity to have a cooking lesson with Mr Dean. Mr Dean talked about his time as a chef and how he used molecular gastronomy to make his dishes more interesting. We had to recreate spaghetti and meatballs using white chocolate for the spaghetti and raspberry domes for the meatballs! We were teamed in groups of four or five and after a demonstration, we got straight to it. Overall, we all found the lesson really fun (even if some of the dishes didn’t work too well) and it was a great break from our usual lessons! The spaghetti and meatballs tasted great, although the texture was slightly weird! We had to use different chemicals like sodium alginate, calcium lactate and agar agar. The sodium alginate and calcium lactate react together and form a gel. This allows a membrane to form around the raspberry juice and give a pop when bitten into! The agar agar is a setting agent and when heated enough, allows for heat stable jellies to made. This allows the spaghetti to be made using tubes and syringes!

Mr Dean, Science Department

Educake Leaderboard for January 2024

This year, students in year 8 have been studying the powerful idea of Ecosystems. It is with great excitement that we share with you the recent exploration undertaken by our year 8 scientists in the fascinating realm of flower dissection.

Year 8 have been delving into the intricate structures of flowers, unravelling the mysteries hidden within their delicate petals and vibrant colours. Armed with magnifying glasses and tweezers, students meticulously observed and documented the various parts of the flower, from the petals to the stamens, anthers and everything in between. With each dissected blossom, they gained a deeper understanding of plant anatomy, the crucial role that flowers play in the reproduction of flowering plants and the vital processes of pollination and fertilisation.

Here are some of the pieces of work produced by 8ab/Sc4.

Miss Forrest

Science Department

Science Club got off to an icy start after the Christmas break with students experiencing first hand snowflakes. We were fortunate to have a snow flurry in the morning with plenty of snow for the more senior members of science club to collect. All students then had the challenge of preparing the microscope slide to view the snowflakes before they melted. Images of snowflake structures were shared on the board and we managed to view some detail.

The following week, students took part in the anti-gravity water trick and at first didn’t believe that they could hold a glass of water upside down with just a piece of card with the water staying in the glass! They were amazed that they could do this and left eager to try this again at home.

Fizzy apple volcanoes followed, which students really enjoyed. The chemical reaction in the apples produced the lava flow and different coloured food colouring was added for effect. There were certainly plenty of different volcanic eruptions going on in the room. There are pictures to show the end product.

Finally, students spent some time making stress balls out of balloons, cornflour and water. Some were more successful than others and definitely less messy. The use of the non-Newtonian fluid is ideal for stress balls and a few got to take them away for future use.

Next on the agenda are bath bombs and hopefully the arrival of some stick insects and butterflies for the spring months. Watch this space!

Mrs R Cahill

Science Teacher

We are excited to share with you the recent hands-on learning experience our Year 11 students had in their Physics GCSE studies. As part of their exploration into the fascinating world of optics and vision, our students engaged in a sheep eye dissection.

During this insightful activity, our budding scientists delved into the intricate structures of the eye, with a primary focus on the lens. By examining the anatomy of the eye, they gained a deeper understanding of how light behaves and the crucial role the lens plays in the formation of images on the retina.

This practical experiment not only reinforced theoretical concepts but also provided a tangible connection to the physics principles they are studying. It’s inspiring to witness our students actively participating in their learning journey and making meaningful connections between theory and real-world applications.

We commend their curiosity, engagement and the hands-on approach they took to unravel the mysteries of vision. Such experiences not only enhance their academic knowledge but also cultivate a passion for scientific inquiry.

Mrs Honeyman

Associate Assistant Headteacher

As a part of our GCSE Triple Science course, we were given the opportunity to do a dissection of a (sheep’s) eye. This event occurred in a Year 11 lesson taught by Mrs Honeyman.

After putting on all the required items to ensure the practical remains as hygienic as possible, we began the dissection. To begin with, excess fat and tissue was removed so we could locate the optic nerve as easily as possible. Next, we made a small incision around the longitudinal circumference, which was then followed by the eye being cut directly in half. This meant that the lens of the eye could easily slip out.

Due to this being linked to both biology and physics it meant that it was helpful and relevant to our learning and revision. As we are doing lenses in Physics, we took the lens from the eye and placed it on a piece of newspaper so we could see how the lens slightly enlarged the text. I am very grateful to have received the opportunity to do such practical work at Penwortham Girls’.

by Ellie D, Year 11