Electrolysing Red Cabbage!

Ok, we've all made an indicator out of red cabbage, it's in Topic 6 of Spotlight 7. But can you explain how a solution of "red cabbage dye" shows these colours when a current is passed through it?

Clue - salt was added to the solution...but what was this for? Ask a Chemistry Clubber for more help!

Did you see the halo in the sky today?

Today some of the students saw a halo around the sun. Check out this website to find out more about halos, auroras and the mysterious phenomena called the Specter of the Brocken.

How good was your revision?

Now that your Annual exams are over take some time to reflect on how good your revision was. What techniques worked best for you? Flash cards? Mnemonics? Recording on to your mp3 player? There are many ways to revise and all of us remember things in different ways. Try some of the ideas on this "buzzin" web site. There are many more sites at the bottom of the KS4 past papers page that are good for all ages. Many of your teachers mentioned that you were not reading the question carefully. Here is a helpful list (with definitions) of the terms that are used by the examiners in Science exams. Print it off and stick it on the inside cover of your book or folder so that you see it every day. Highlight these words in your paper so that you know what the examiner requires in the answer.

Invigilating your exams

It has been a long time since the last post. I apologise. Perhaps the boredom of invigilating your Annual Exams has set in. Or is it the prospect of marking all those scripts in the next couple of weeks? I am sure you are not so sympathetic to us doing all that marking. May times I hear "Don't set such long papers then!". I took this photo today with a mobile phone (hence the low resolution) because there were not many lessons going on in the department at the time. Don't tell Mr Platt - I was supposed to be watching for all those cheat notes and equations written on the lids of your calculators! On a more serious note, Mr Burrell and I were thinking about giving you more control and ownership of the look of the Science site and came up with a couple of ideas. The current home page could be split into KS3 (years 7-9), KS4 (years 10-11) and KS5 (years 11-12). In other words a separate page or blog for each. Interested students from each KS could work on the design, add their own posts/pictures/ideas etc whilst keeping the menu structure (link and learn, past papers, revision notes etc) on each of the pages. The question is, who is going to do it? Well, that's really up to you. If you answer yes to any of the following questions then maybe you would like to get involved. Are you interested in Science? Do you like using computers and the internet? Bored at lunchtime? Need some hours for your CAS? Your cv is not too hot or your UCAS form needs spicing up? Anyone from any year group can take part - just post a comment with your first name and tutor group or email us (see the link under hot links) and we will get back to you. Mr Burrell runs a 'How to write your own blog' ECA two afternoon's per week and perhaps this could be part of it. Why not get involved? Ok, I'll shut up now :)

Yr9 Revision Crossword

Follow this link to a crossword as part of your revision. Good Luck

Do you want to improve your exam grade?

Read these two articles, one on how not to waste marks, and the other on how to interpret a question properly, from Catalyst magazine. The full set of Catalyst magazines is available in the Resources Centre.

One snack card gone, two more left!

Mr Moore's challenge certainly got some of you mythical creatures thinking hard. We have a winner with Fah in 8S. Her order of Griffin > Kinnaree > Satyr > Chimaera > Echidna > Sphynx > Pegasus > Centaur > Minotaur won the tastefully framed snack card you see left. But wait, there are two more cards to anyone handing in, to the Science Office or SDRC Issue Desk, a set of pictures that correctly line up the creatures (but you can't use Fah's sequence). What could be more tempting than making Mr Moore give up his precious (aka Gollum) snack cards!

Miss Sackey needs your help

If you have a few minutes Miss Sackey would be grateful if you could answer some questions about the experiments we do in your Science lessons and the way that you learn. Click here to go to the questions.

Revision, where to start?

Here's an idea...
Brainstorm a topic without using books to find out what you already know and how you think the concepts link together. Then using another colour add to your brainstorm by using books and notes. You have a instant picture of the topic and an idea of what you know already (low priority revision) and what you don't (high priority revision). Here are some that 7R did today.
Electricity.
Matter.
Growing up.
Forces.