The STEM Experience

On 5^th March 2009, a group of Year 10 students got the opportunity to go an event in the King’s Hall for the STEM Experience, organised by Sentinus. The STEM Experience was promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths; by showing us how important they are in our lives and how they will shape our future.

Each school that attended the event got the chance to take part in four workshops out of numerous workshops ranging from making and firing rockets, to rising miniature hot air balloons into the air.

Our first session was a 3D interactive presentation. We were all given funky, very glamorous, 3D glasses to put on to watch the presentation. We watched a 3D movie before exploring our galaxy and universe on the screen. We were also able to explore the inside of the body; the 3D glasses making it seem as though we could reach out and touch it. We saw inside the heart and lungs and also the cells.  He also told us that this 3D technology was going to be in our future gaming and education, maybe even without the glasses!

Our trendy 3D glasses

Our next session was with a woman from the Royal Society of Chemistry. She told us about the different jobs that being a Chemist can take you to. She displayed posters saying, ‘Not all Chemists wear white coats,’ even though she was wearing one herself! She aimed to show us how important Chemistry, especially Carbon Dioxide, was in our everyday lives, from cooking to breathing. She carried out a number of interesting experiments; our favourite was when she made honeycomb, and allowed us all to sample a piece.

Royal Society of Chemistry

Next we moved on to the importance of fire safety in the home, taken by a man and woman from Fire Rescue. Through modern technology, we took part in an interactive quiz. We were asked multiple choice questions and learned about what is needed to start, how to prevent a fire, how to put one out, and how important it is to have a safety and escape plan for your family. During the quiz, we could see the percentage of people who really knew their fire safety.

After that, we went to our final activity. A man from the British Model Flying Association told us how we could make a model helicopter, which would take off up into the air, and then come back down. The helicopter was made with just a piece of wood, a cut out image of a helicopter, three support straws on the back, a long piece of elastic, and a propeller. He took breaks from our helicopter making to tell us the interesting information about what we were doing. He showed us examples of other helicopters which he had made for this demonstration. The first was one without the helicopter. He wound the elastic band and released it. The helicopter began frantically twirling around fell to the ground. He then showed us a helicopter much larger than the one that we had, and it too fell to the floor. He told us that this was because the helicopter provided enough air resistance to prevent the model from spinning around. He also stressed the point that the size of the helicopter had to be just right. He told us he had tried many failed attempts before he made the helicopter the right size, the size it was for our models. He also showed us various points about real planes, showing us a model aeroplane whilst he spoke.

Getting ready to make a masterpiece

The last ten or so minutes of the trip was full of model helicopters being twisted to their full capacity and soaring up into the air. At first most people didn’t quite know how to work them because no one’s seemed to be rising into the air. But then the man showed us how you have to wind it up. The propeller and elastic had to be wound around 200, maybe even 300 times. We were all shocked at just how much you had to wind it up, but we all obeyed and afterwards many of the helicopters filled the air.

We enjoyed this trip a lot and found it not only very fun, but also very interesting learning about the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths side to the event.

If you want to find out more, you could go to the Sentinus website:

www.sentinus.co.uk

By Eimear Lambe and Lauren Presho

The College celebrated National Science Week from 9th – 13th March with a visit from Space Encounters run by Dr Ed Barnett. The week was very successful with almost 800 students able to attend, not only from Lagan College but from our neighbouring schools. We were able to invite students from Cregagh Primary, St Ita’s Primary, Loughview Integrated Primary, Newtownbreda High School, Tor Bank Special School and St Joseph’s College. Dr Barnett kept everyone interested with his fantastic knowledge of our solar system and beyond. The event was made possible due to a successful bid by the Science Department from the ‘Promoting STEM in Schools’ campaign.
See the main page of the website ‘Photo Gallery’ for more photographs.
Also see www.space-encounters.com

Year 13 Chemistry students show their amazing knowledge with the help of Mr McCann.
This experiment has been fully risk assessed and carried out by adults with the appropriate training.

methane-bubbles
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But all deserts have very little water. And many creatures avoid dryness by hibernating. The African lungfish can live for four years buried in dried mud and breathing through a narrow tunnel. The desert tortoise sleeps underground, storing water inside itself.

Colours don’t have any use in darkness, so cave creatures – bugs, spiders, crickets, crayfish and some fish – have no colour. No use for eyes either! They often have long feelers to find their way by touch.

Bats find their way by sound – the way their squeak is reflected. Bats might be surprised to find that we can see almost as well as they hear!

The sixth form chemistry students demonstrate their expertise.

bouncy-balls
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