Science - Crest Investigations

The last few days of Crest have arrived! Everyone is stressing, trying to get everything on their presentation boards. There is a lot of buzz, excitement, many sighs of relief and a proud feeling of achievement.

In Year 7 Science everyone has to do a Crest Project over 7 weeks of Term 2. Our success criteria has been:

♦ Ask a testable question

♦ Research the topic

♦ Make a hypothesis about the outcome based on the research or their

own knowledge

♦ Design the investigation

♦ Conduct the investigation – hands on experiment

♦ Collect Data

♦ Make sense of the data and write a conclusion

♦ Present your findings to be judged

An example of a testable question is, ‘Which brand of dishwashing liquid makes the biggest yeast reaction?’

At Selwyn House Crest is very important and it builds up our skills for Year 8, which is the year that we have to do personal projects.

Newspapers

Newspapers

For Inquiry this term we have been studying  a certain event in history that we selected ourselves. One of our tasks that we had to complete was to make a newspaper report on our event. The whole class had done this previously in groups of about four about the Fire of London so we all knew what the newspaper needed to contain. Integrated with our writing we wrote a News Report and a Letter to the Editor. We enjoyed the challenge of taking ourselves back in history.

Click Here to see Ella’s newspaper!

Click Here to see Danielle’s newspaper!

Novel Study

Parvana by Deborah Ellis

For Reading this term we have been studying Parvana. Parvana is a Afghanistan girl who faces a lot of challenges including having to dress up like a boy to help her family survive under the Taliban rule.

After reading about Parvana and her life we had to do four activities relating to Parvana. First we had to create a timeline, then a concept map. After that we had to make a poem and then draw a portrait. Then we put all of our activities onto a google draw.

Here is an example of one of our Google Draws by Lucy and here is another Novel Study ‘The Secrets in the Fire’ Google Draw by Georgina.

Airport Visit

Sniff, Sniff, I smell kiwifruit! Time for my next treat!!

Our new inquiry is about Biosecurity. 'Biosecurity' is the protection of New Zealand's economy, environment and people's health and social and cultural wellbeing from pests and diseases. It includes trying to prevent new pests and diseases arriving, and eradicating or controlling those already present.

Yesterday we went to the airport to learn more about biosecurity. It was great to have a chance to watch the dogs smell and what their reaction is when finding a forbidden plant or food. We also learnt what type of things people bring in. Someone even tried to smuggle leaves in their underpants!!

Zane, the dog that smelt the fruit and vegetables in our pockets, was very enthusiastic for a treat. Wendy, the dog handler, hid some fruit and vegetables, including beef jerky, egg, kiwifruit, spring onion and garlic in our pockets and Zane had to find them. Zane was amazing he found everything and he even found a mandarin in Miss Glubb’s handbag! Every time that Zane found an item he would be stare adorably at Wendy for a treat.

Zane is a beagle who began this role when he was 2 years old. He is intelligent and his nose was really working overtime!!!! These dogs normally work for 7 – 9 years as long as their enthusiasm remains.