Sciences Biology

Biology

A word from the Biology Representatives

As Biology Representatives, we kicked off science week with our very own Octopus dissection. Sourcing such an abnormal animal for dissection proved a challenge but with the help of the wonderful Ms. Richardson (our Biology technician) we managed to find the appropriate resources. With this type of a dissection, practise is key which is why we had been able to practice it a week before using two differently sized octopi to allow us to have a better understanding and appreciation for the organism. With keen help from the younger years during the event, we managed to successfully identify the different organs of the large octopus, describing in detail features like the hard, solid beak and the abnormal three existing hearts.

By placing the video of the dissection onto the school firefly, we allowed those who couldn’t make it to experience the event to be able to see it online and benefit from the experience.

Overall, we believe the event was not only exciting and interesting but it also allowed some of the younger years to have the opportunity to experience a more niche and peculiar science week activity which helped them to learn more about these wonderful creatures and therefore to understand the adaptations that help the organism to survive.

Biology Representatives

Biology Olympiad Winners

Karen Ramzy Yakoub Summayah Beg Amira Nuseibeh Hannah Coxhead

Rinda Naresh

Iva Grujic

Science Week: Amazing Animals

We launched Science Week with a story about the Bone Wars; a story of bitter fued and the failure of scientific inquiry. Then we had a fascinating talk with an animal phsycologist. A visit from the Nartural History Museum gave us the chance to explore many topics including mass extinxtion, octopuses and some very well preserved shark specimens. To the delight of many of the Year 7 students, Dr Emma King came in from the Royal Institute to explode various foods in order to highlight the links between food and energy in animals. In honour of our theme, an assortment of animals visited NHEHS including the wonderful world of creepy crawlies with the giant millipedes, trantulas and scorpions and the cheeky spider monkey and cool bearded dragon

It was a fascinating week adn students throughout the school enjoyed getting involved in the range of activities that were on offer!

Biology

Getting to know Dr Pearce Nesting Hill Duckings:

During the last couple of weeks of the summer term, Notting Hill and Ealing students were waiting in great anticipation for the arrival of our cute, fluffy guests. The ducklings began hatching the week of 6th with the first of them named Dereck. Archie soon followed, whose name was inspired by the new royal baby. Frankie and Shelly hatched a few days after with Shelly having his characteristic shell stuck to his back for his first day in this new world. At the end of the summer half term they would find a new home at a local farm to live out the rest fo their days with their family as ducks do. We can’t wait to see what next year holds for the Nesting hills.

The Duckling Mums

I don’t tend to get embarrassed. Whatever that has happened was either funny or led to an emotion closer to the type of hot shame that can keep me awake at night. However, my closest answer would be when I was demonstrating static electricity using the Van der Graaf generator to some Year 8s and nothing was happening. Suddenly a large and visible spark jumped between the baseplate and the metal zip on my flies accompanied by a loud crack. The entire class descended into hysterics as I exclaimed ‘oh!’

This is a difficult one. Many are either not repeatable or mawkish. Probably the best was the child who, when in the changing room, tried a yoga stretch involving putting their legs behind their arms. As they tried to disengage the pose, they found they could not. They were eventually discovered when their plaintive cries of ‘Help me! I’m stuck’ were heard coming from the changing room.

My first day was lovely as there were many smiles and warm greetings.

My wife is an NHEHS old girl and we met at Bristol University. I’ve spent years learning to decipher the NHEHS girls use of language and Ealing accent.

So I could spend more time with people closer to my mental age. My first proper job was in academic research, problem solving on a daily basis. No two days were the same. I missed that when I worked in industry. Teaching is much more like my first job – each day could be different, each with its little challenges and rewards. It is literally a peeve about my pet. So basically, I have this dog, and I walk him and feed him and I’m totally his main carer. So basically, whenever I’m sat next to my wife on the sofa, he totally blanks me and sits on her lap. So basically, I feel used.

In addition, when people start a sentence with ‘so basically’, it makes my soul die a little.