Year 9 Biology GCSE Practical
9CG completed their first required practical for their Biology GCSE which involved looking at Osmosis occurring in plant cells. Students had to apply the science skills they developed in KS3 to their new knowledge on cell transport. Students had to accurately measure volumes of different concentrations of sugar solution and complete scientific calculations. Every student worked extremely hard.
DNA from Strawberries
8CE practiced how to use the microscopes today, a skill they learnt in year 7. Students collected DNA from strawberries and put the DNA on a slide to view under their microscopes. Setting up microscopes is a difficult skill to develop with the many little parts, including changing the objective lenses, fine and coarse focus dials. 8CE are now experts at getting the slide in view to see their specimen.
Bat noises and echolocation
Echolocation is normally difficult to detect with the human ear. Mr Philcox used his personal Magenta bat detector to demonstrate to 9W2 how bats use ultrasonic frequency to navigate and communicate. The signal generator attached to the detector was able to take the inaudible high frequency ultrasound that bat use and converted them into frequencies between 100 hz and 12Khz. This way the students were able to listen to the pitch the bats produce that otherwise would be too damaging for the human ear. During the lesson, the student`s combined their biology and physics knowledge : They looked at the structure and function of the human ear and how it converts soundwaves into an electrical signal that the brain recognises and translates into something we understand. "
UV LIGHT
" In science today, Dr Gonzalez`s class , 11W1, experimented with ultraviolet light sensitive plastic beads . The white beads turn into different colours, when exposed to the 3 different types of UV light. The students learnt about visible and invisible wavelength of light and its effects on eyes, skin, and cells . The participants used water, sunlight, UV lamps and various colour filters with laser pointers to investigate the colours produced, helping them identify the type of UV wavelength. "
