Science Day

Sparking Curiosity and Fun!

This year, the Science Department celebrated Science Day with a variety of exciting lunchtime activities that gave students the chance to explore science in action.

One of the most popular activities was making homemade ice cream, with students choosing from delicious vanilla and berry flavours.

The Science: Ice cream was made by placing the mixture in a container surrounded by ice and salt. The salt lowered the freezing point of the ice, making it colder than ice alone and allowing the ice cream to freeze quickly.

Students also enjoyed creating their own beeswax wraps using colourful fabrics and melted beeswax.

The Science: Beeswax changes from a solid to a liquid when heated and returns to a solid when cooled. Once absorbed into the fabric, the wax creates a water-resistant surface that can be used as a reusable food wrap.

The flying tea bag demonstration was a crowd favourite, with many students amazed as the tea bags lifted into the air.

The Science: As the tea bags burned, the air inside heated up and rose. This convection current carried the lightweight ash upwards, creating the illusion of a flying tea bag.

Another creative activity was making seed bombs from recycled paper pulp and native seeds.

The Science: The paper pulp dried into firm balls that protected the seeds inside. When placed in soil and watered, the seeds can absorb moisture, begin germinating and grow into new plants.

Students were also fortunate to take part in an online session with a Biomedical Scientist from the University of Melbourne. The presentation provided valuable insights into senior subject selection, the Melbourne Model and the wide range of careers available in science and health-related fields.

Science Day was a fantastic opportunity for students to get hands-on, discover the science behind everyday phenomena and explore where a passion for science could take them in the future.