Science Week 2024: Time explored by young scientists

"The science of today is the technology of tomorrow."

- Edward Teller

Wellington College Hangzhou had a successful week celebrating Science Week.  Our pupils joined with pupils in the UK for British Science Week and enjoyed fun-packed activities involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This year, British Science Week is celebrating  its 30th anniversary.  It takes place annually in March and is a national celebration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,  which is observed by schools, libraries, museums, businesses and more.

This year’s theme for British Science Week is “Time” with a subtext of smashing stereotypes by celebrating the diverse people and careers in science and engineering.

mashing stereotypes fun fact:

Dr Chien- Shiung Wu – Known as the first lady in physics, was a Chinese-American pioneer born in Liuhe, Jiangsu province in 1912. She transformed nuclear science through her work on the Manhattan Project. In 1943 she became Princeton University’s first female physics professor.

Continue reading to learn more about the exciting science activities that our pupils participated in this week, which promoted cross-curricular learning. This information comes from our Heads of Science, Graham Starkey and Angy Patarroyo.

Sunny Chen

Primary Science Teacher

In this year's science week, Huili School's various grades have fully explored the content of the science curriculum and carefully planned a series of lively and interesting classroom activities, allowing children to experience the charm of science in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. 

Grade 1 pupils, with the accompaniment of their parents, made an air powered car together. They listened carefully, assembled the parts meticulously, and pieced them together with their little hands. When they saw their handmade car speeding away, the children's faces beamed with excitement and pride. This activity not only trained the children's hand skills, but also allowed them to intuitively experience the principles of air power. 

Grade 2 pupils simulated the rock cycle process through experiments. They used various materials to simulate the changes of rocks under different conditions, such as weathering, erosion, and deposition. By observing and recording experimental phenomena, children gained a deeper understanding of Earth science.   

Grade 3 pupils conducted an exploratory experiment on the impact of brushing time on the quantity of dental plaque bacteria. By comparing the changes in the number of dental plaque bacteria under different brushing times, they drew scientific conclusions. This experiment not only made children aware of the importance of oral hygiene, but also developed their skills in experimental design and data analysis. 

Grade 4 pupils, meanwhile, reduced friction to tracks they built, resulting in decreased speed for practical applications. They cleverly designed parameters such as slope and curvature, using the knowledge they had learned, so that the cars could glide smoothly and slow down. This activity not only developed the children's hands-on abilities, but also allowed them to fully appreciate the charm of physics. 

Grade 5 pupils, on the other hand, chose to explore the phenomena that interested them most and presented their research results. These presentations not only amazed the visiting pupils, parents, and teachers, but also allowed them to delve deeper into the principles of science. 

Additionally, the entire school's teachers and pupils enjoyed an  intriging science show together. Through wonderful performances and interactive activities, this science show exibited the wonders and amusement of science to the children. The children experienced the allure of science through laughter and became even more enthusiastic about investigating scientific concepts. 

Through this series of activities, not only did the children realise that science is everywhere in life, but it also aroused their keen interest in science. In the process of hands-on experience with science experiments, the children learned scientific thinking by asking questions, researching, and drawing conclusions through data. These valuable experiences will accompany them as they grow and lay a solid foundation for their future scientific exploration. 

Graham Starkey

Head of Science

Science Week serves as a vibrant cornerstone of educational engagement, fostering curiosity and enthusiasm for scientific inquiry among pupils. This year, the overarching theme was "Time." The week-long event aimed to ignite a fascination with the passage of time and its implications across various scientific disciplines. 

The primary purpose of Science Week at Huili School is to immerse pupils in the wonders of science beyond the confines of traditional classroom learning. It provides a platform for hands-on exploration, encourages critical thinking, and cultivates a deeper understanding of scientific concepts and skills. 

The choice of "Time" as this year's theme was intentional, aiming to spark contemplation about how time is a fundamental measurement of many scientific enquiries. It is also the theme of British Science Week. The theme of time transcends each of the three disciplinary boundaries of the sciences: Biology, Chemistry and Physics, offering opportunities for interdisciplinary connections and holistic learning experiences. 

Science Week seamlessly integrates with the science curriculum, enriching pupils' understanding of science while complementing existing practical skills. The activities during Science Week reinforce core concepts and skills, providing a more comprehensive learning experience.  

The activities in the classroom focused on introducing the concept of time through hands-on experiments, which included exploring the principles of flight time and forces by making air rockets and gliders, timing how long different dyes on M&Ms dissolved at different temperatures, how we can capture the rate of chemical reactions by using an iodine clock, and how we could time our own reaction time and compare how they contrast with our eyes open and blindfolded. Additionally, we devised a fun quiz based on the theme of time.  

The main highlight and joint activity for all Junior High and Senior School pupils was at the science assembly where the pupils had to time an object moving down a zip wire from the back of the theatre to the front stage. This concept introduced the skills of accuracy of recording data, reliability of data and how the object could change its time due to the introduction of different variables. Joint assemblies provide opportunities for pupils of different ages to be engaged in a live experiment. The assembly attempted to encourage peer-to-peer learning and foster a sense of community, showcasing the collective passion for scientific exploration. Science Week also laid on a special fun event in the theatre during Friday’s wellbeing lesson which was a fitting finale to the week.  

In conclusion, Science Week at WCIH Senior School serves as a testament to the awesome science teachers at the school and how they try every day to enthuse our students about the transformative power of scientific exploration and knowledge. I hope by delving into the theme of time, pupils embark on a journey of discovery, enriching their understanding of the scientific world we live in and inspiring a lifelong passion for inquiry.  

To conclude, Wellington College Hangzhou's Science Week 2024 was an exciting journey for all pupils as they embraced their roles as young scientists. This week-long celebration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics provided our pupils with a unique opportunity to explore the diverse world of science and engineering, promoting cross-curricular learning.

This year's “Time” theme resonates with our commitment to holistic education and has allowed us to reflect on the past, present, and future of these fields.The subtext of smashing stereotypes has underlined the significance of celebrating the diverse people and careers in these areas. As we move towards the future, driven by Wellington’s core values and vision, we stay devoted to fostering the upcoming generation of scientists and engineers who will mould the technology of tomorrow.

By initiatives such as smashing stereotypes, we pay homage to pioneers such as Dr Chien-Shiung Wu, whose ground breaking contributions transcend gender and nationality boundaries. Her legacy embodies the investigative spirit and perseverance that we aim to instil in our pupils at Wellington College Hangzhou.