Students join forces in science study

St Joseph's School in Temuka celebrated the end of term two with a school science fair, held in the last week of the term.

All students were part of a scientific investigation around the topic of "Force Factor", which saw students learning about the mechanics of forces.

Focusing all projects around the same topic is "an excellent way of combining many learning areas into a presentation, but still ensuring rigorous science learning happens," said principal Bernie Leonard. "In a school our size it is exciting to have all classes focus on the same topic, so all students are talking the same talk."

After the excitement of igniting day, when students had the opportunity to look at a huge range of machines on site, each class learned the language and process of scientific testing.

Students then launched their own investigations. Topics ranged from the distance that golf clubs can hit, to the effect of different types of surfaces to bike on.

The junior students made their own jetboats powered by balloons and tested these at the Century pool.

During the investigation period the school also had interesting visitors, including Jonathan Nelson with his hand bike, and Richard Jamieson, who designed and made a new commercial hay feeder.

The science fair was well-supported, Ms Leonard said, and gave students an opportunity to "share their learning with the school community".

- © Fairfax NZ News