Science Takes Center Stage

Students prepared for a loud explosion during a demonstration in Ms. Osiecki's class.

Science Research Symposium 2022

In January, the Upper School Science Department hosted the annual Science Research Symposium, showcasing our students’ love and comprehension of various topics in science. The two-day event offers engaging and thought-provoking work from our Upper School science students, spanning displays, presentations, interactive activities, and demonstrations. Lower and middle school students always enjoy traveling to the Southwest Parkway campus to participate in some of the activities the older students have prepared for them.

To begin the symposium, students from the Research and Design class presented their explorations, ranging from renewable uses for mushrooms as synthetic leather to the traditional Millikan Oil Drop experiment. Students were welcomed into the Dell Fine Arts Lobby to learn from presentations on renewable resources, the carbon cycle, EcoColumns, and so much more.

Keeping with a commitment to interdisciplinary learning, the symposium also incorporated other departments. The Dell Fine Arts Center lobby was filled with static projects from students illustrating concepts they learned from their chemistry, physics, and biology courses. Mr. McCoy’s art students decorated the gallery walls with their art pieces inspired by artist Michael Namingha, illustrating the changing landscape in line with the symposium theme, “Climate Crisis: Taking Action.” Ms. Hendrickse and Mrs. Jones’ Algebra 2 classes built projectile launchers in collaboration with the mLab to show projectile motion and

Students on a forensics lesson and nature walk in The PARK.

Science Inspires at Research Symposium

its translation into tangibility, and gave demonstrations to show their work. A forensics lesson brought our students out to the PARK, but not without a nature walk to identify our campus birds with Mr. Osborne.

The science wing filled with students in each classroom as our younger Highlanders learned from Upper School teachers. They built Egg Drop vessels, enjoyed an Augmented Reality Sandbox led by mLab instructor Mr. Wright, learned from mini-lessons about energy and entropy with Mrs. Powell, did fingerprinting experiments with Mr. Osborne, tested out their green thumb with planting and potting with Mrs. Lambrecht, covered acids and bases with Ms. Pacheco and Ms. Osiecki, and enjoyed a demonstration from Ms. Albach and Mr. Shumaker about electrolysis and water-powered vehicles. Seniors Ella Parker, Hunter McDonald, Mariana Vidaurri, Jenna Schneider and Alejandra Vidaurri of Ms. Pacheco’s Research and Design Class also presented their findings on various topics of interest and answered questions from their teachers and peers on their research.

Join us at next year's Science Research Symposium on January 26-27, 2023!

Mr. McCoy's art students pose with their pieces inspired by artist Michael Namingha.

After two day of learning and fun, liquid nitrogen ice cream hit the spot. around, students were looking forward to the egg drop on Friday afternoon. There, fourth grade students would discover whether or not vessels they had built to protect eggs from a two-story fall would prove successful. The students cheered in suspense as Mr. Latreille checked each vessel to see if the egg stayed intact upon hitting the ground. After the egg drop, Mrs. Powell, Mr. Latreille, and Mr. Wright of the Physics team closed out the symposium with a sweet treat, serving up liquid nitrogen ice cream to students on the DFAC porch.

Next year’s date is set for Jan. 26-27, so please join our Upper School Science Department for this incredible display of student learning!