CHALLNEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
CHALLNEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
CHALLNEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
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Applied Scientists visit Brooms Barn Agricultural Research Station<br />
Looking at plant parasites<br />
New Intake Day<br />
The Year 6 New Intake Day on 3 rd July allowed students<br />
from the Challney Science club to demonstrate their<br />
practical expertise in Science. They showed students how<br />
to make a lava lamp and how to make their own<br />
cosmetics, demonstrating some of the practical<br />
applications of understanding the science of materials. The<br />
Challney Science club meets after school on Mondays in<br />
Lab 16 if you would like to join.<br />
Rothamsted Scientists visits Challney<br />
On 13 th May, twenty Applied Science students went to Brooms Barn<br />
in Suffolk to find out more about the type of research that is carried<br />
out there. Brooms Barn advises farmers on how to encourage<br />
wildlife while reducing the damage to their crop caused by wildlife.<br />
Scientists are also interested in breeding drough resistant varieties<br />
of sugar beet and onions, an imporant advantage in the event of<br />
global warming. They are also trying to breed potato and sugar beet<br />
plants resistant to Yellowing virus, a disease spread by aphids.<br />
Pupils were taken round the station on a hay wagon pulled by a<br />
tractor. We finished the visit in the laboratory where students were<br />
able to see the aphids that cause the disease.<br />
On the 14 th May we were pleased to welcome Dr Nera Muttucumaru to Challney to talk to Year 9 about her<br />
research work on the presence of Acrylamides in food. These chemicals have been found in fried foods that<br />
are rich in carbohydrate such as chips. Acrylamides are known to be carcinogenic (can cause cancer). The<br />
aim of Nera's research is to reduce the amount of acrylamides in food while retaining it's flavour of the food.<br />
Students were able to use the information from the presentation to produce Science in the News coursework.<br />
On the 10 th July Nicola Yates came to Challney to talk to Year 10 pupils about Climate Change. This<br />
involved a discussion about the evidence for carbon dioxide as the cause of global warming. Research at<br />
Rothamsted has focussed on the growth of biofuels, providing oils, gases and ethanol from crop plants and<br />
whether they are really carbon neutral. Nicola was also able to explain how she came to work as a scientist<br />
and the reasons why she enjoys the work.<br />
Geography Field Trip to Hitchin<br />
Students on the Geography Field Trip were able to use the science department’s decibel counters to measure<br />
the noise level in their sample area in Hitchin. The trip was supported through the STEM Access project.<br />
Science Events<br />
Science club members show their lava lamps<br />
“Tropical Encounters” will be here on 16 th July to give Year 9 a chance to meet their snakes, spiders,<br />
meercats and hedgehogs and consider the adaptations that make these animals born survivors. On 18 th July<br />
all of Year 10 will be involved in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s “Chemistry at Work Day”.<br />
We hope all the students who are going to the Science, Natural History or Space museums on Off Time table<br />
day have an enjoyable and educational time. Try to remember what you have seen and tell us when you<br />
come back to school what you most enjoyed. Next term: Luton Astronomical Society has three meetings<br />
planned for the Autumn term, Sept 25 th , Oct 30 th and Nov 27 th looking at topics such as Double stars,<br />
Aurorae and the moon Titan.<br />
The next Rothamsted meeting is on Tuesday 16 th September when there will be an open meeting to discuss<br />
“How Science can help feed the developing world”. Prior to this meeting we hope to have another careers<br />
event to allow pupils to meet Rothamsted scientists.<br />
If you would like to be involved in any of these events please see Mr Mackenzie for details.