Now in its fourth year, Big Sister Science Day continues to provide invaluable learning opportunities for primary school students and support to teachers in delivering Science curriculum in primary school education.
We would like to thank teachers and students from St Thomas More’s Primary in Campbell and St Vincent's Primary in Aranda for participating in this initiative. Through the use of the resources available at Merici, teachers from both primary schools and Merici College worked out a program for suitable science experiments which complemented the primary students’ study of science.
Students started their day by breaking into smaller groups for either a science or sustainability lesson. After enjoying refreshments provided by the staff in the Merici Canteen for recess the students changed over lessons to continue their Big Sister Science experience.
In Science the visitors were assisted by Merici’s Year 8, 9 and 10 students, making their own thermometer and launching teabag rockets. Dressed in lab coats, the budding young scientists also gained a hands-on experience of sublimation through mini dry ice experiments and demonstrations.
In Sustainability, students joined the College’s Year 9 and 10 Sustainability elective class in the College greenhouse where, under the guidance of Fiona Buining and her students, each visiting student planted silver beet in punnets to take back to school. They also visited the kitchen garden to undertake an exercise of identifying different plants growing and spent time with Merici’s flock of chickens.
The Big Sister Science Day was very successful with all students thoroughly enjoying the opportunity of working together on the experiments and the College looks forward to continuing this support to other primary schools.