Bungay High School

STEM Challenge 3

12th July 2010

Over the course of a Wednesday evening, a Monday off timetable and a Tuesday morning’s judging, we completed the Anti-doping Challenge.

I was very impressed with how the pupils approached this challenge. I was apprehensive thta techniques such as titration and colorimetry would be beyond the lower abilities at Year 9 but they excelled at these especially. Furthermore, they were all able to demonstrate a good understanding of the principles behind the techniques, the values of the Olympics and the reasons for anti-doping testing when presenting to the STEM Ambassador who judged them.

In the words of one pupil “It was very nerve wracking speaking to Mr Cronin, but he was very nice and he did not pressurise us to do well just asking what we could tell him about what we did.”

We practised titration technique in the after-school Wednesday session, before spending the Monday morning practising colorimetry, light microscopy, thin layer chromatography, spot tests and testing specific gravity. We also allocated roles so that security, quality control, anonymity, traceability, confidentiality, etc. were considered. In the afternoon we completed the tests on unknown samples. Unfortunately, I had a busy week leading up to the tasks and under-estimated the degree of techincian requirements that the sample preparation involved. This meant a hectic afternoon with samples arriving late, but the pupils managed this extremely well.

The presentation to the STEM ambassador on the Tuesday made me very proud of them all.

Celebration event programme

16th June 2010

ASSECs Celebration Event Programme
Bungay High School Friday 19 March 2010 9.15 Arrive and register Refreshments and set up displays 9.45 Introduction
10.00 Session 1
10.45 Session 2
11.30 Session 3
12.15 LUNCH and displays of groups’ activities
13.00 Session 4
13.45 Session 5
14.30 Final presentations

Pupils should bring packed lunches; accompanying staff will have a buffet lunch provided.
Each group will have an area to set up a display of photos and/or one activity that they have run with their club. If you do not wish to have a display please let the organisers know.
The sessions will be run by BT, EDF Energy, UEA, Mr Barry Cramp (former chemistry teacher) and one competition session. Topics include making a DNA necklace, careers in STEM, whiz bang demonstrations and the BT STEM Challenges. These are subject to change without notice.
Upon arrival, pupils from each club will be allocated to one of five groups and the groups will rotate around all five sessions through the day. The competition session will see successive groups from the same school build upon each other’s work to complete an on-going task through the day. Staff from attending schools will be able to rotate round the sessions with one group.

Please return a list of pupils attending to enable Bungay High School to prepare a certificate for each to take away.

Mission to Mars

14th June 2010

Using the Science Museum Box for the Mission to Mars we spent 3 sessions exploring the technologies behind a Mars rover, UV protection and spacesuits, and biodomes and terraforming.

Vincent Motorcycle Demonstration

14th June 2010

A local enthusiast brought his Vincent Black Lightning in to show the club. He has spent considerable time, money and effort doing this up to its original specification and was able to share something of the history of it. Several members of staff showed an especial interest in this too. We then went outside and saw it running from a starter roller attached to a car wheel.

Our video shows Miss Mylan trying it out for comfort!