The Newington College Science Superlabs were abuzz with activity when the college’s Year 11 International Baccalaureate students hosted their Year 1 peers from Wyvern House Preparatory School, for a series of Science experiments.
The labs were alive with home-made lightsabers, slinky sound effects, laser light experiments and vibrating balloons as the Year 11 IB boys guided their younger peers through experiments designed to introduce them to concepts of sound and light and build their interest in Science and Technology.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to work with the Year 1 Wyvern students and develop their interest in STEM subjects,” says Year 11 student Richard Ge. “What was most rewarding was seeing their faces light up when participating in the workshops and watching their curiosity guide and drive them in various experiments with light and sound.”
The Year 11 Science students worked together with Ms Lindsay Bosch, STEM teacher at Wyvern, to design the experiments to complement the Stage 1 Science Unit ‘Look! Listen!’ The senior boys’ relationship with Wyvern will continue throughout the year as they take on a number of Science leadership roles with selected Prep School classes as part of their IB service.
The Year 11s loved giving the younger boys a taste of high school science. They led them with flair and expertise as they carefully explained concepts and maintained high levels of engagement and enthusiasm throughout the lessons.
“The Wyvern Science shows were a really good opportunity to introduce a few fundamental concepts, such as light and sound, which the younger boys will encounter while studying senior science in a few years,” says Year 11 student Jock Ferguson. “They really seemed to get a lot out of the sessions through the more interactive nature of our shows, compared to what they would usually experience in the classroom.”