Schools’ spectacular science celebrations

Students across Western Australia celebrated National Science Week by taking part in innovative projects that ignited their passion for science.

Held from August 13 to 21, National Science Week is an annual celebration of science and technology.

The school theme for this year was Glass: More than meets the eye. The theme celebrates the many roles glass plays in our lives – from phone screens to optical fibre to glassware in labs – and encourages students to investigate how glass can be part of a sustainable future.

School students crafted science projects about glass to develop their critical thinking, innovation skills and scientific knowledge.

Many schools collaborated to showcase their projects, including Newton Moore Senior High School which hosted its annual STEM Fair on August 17.

Local primary schools attended and viewed science experiments, equipment, and investigations. Students also took part in activities about F1 car racing, human-powered vehicles, and remote-operated vehicles.

Meanwhile, schools in the Cockburn region attended the Cockburn Central Education Network Science Week showcase on August 18 at Atwell Primary School.

The event involved a display of student projects about glass science challenges. Students learnt about the design process and developed their scientific thinking while working on their projects.

Atwell Primary School principal Stephen Doherty said the event was an opportunity for students to engage with science and collaborate with neighbouring schools.

“As well as producing their own science projects based around the theme of glass, they were able to see how others interpreted the challenge. They found that in project-based learning there are often multiple approaches and solutions,” he said.

Year 7 students at Ocean Reef Senior High School participated in National Science Week activities by making edible water bottles.

The biodegradable, non-toxic and sustainable water bottles were made from sodium alginate balls, extracted from seaweed.

Leonora District High School students from Pre-primary to Year 6 went to Horan Lake to track animal footprints and explore how they are made using forces. They also explored how an object's size and weight affects its movement.

Southern Grove Primary School had a STEM day where students designed a project to save frogs around the school.

Fremantle College students were challenged to remove fingerprints from glass, simulating the process of removing a print in a crime scene.