Page 4 - Newsletter1_2017

EPTS UPDATES
EPTSCURRENT

Once again our M5 students
are making good progress with
their science projects. These are
year-long projects in which all
EPTS Science Program students
participate. The students work in M5 Science Projects
small groups on a science project
of their choice. Students can focus
their project on one of the three
main fields of science, or they may understand how science works if
opt for a project that integrates we are to make informed decisions
more than one area of science. relating to scientific questions
which may arise in our lives.
Last year’s projects included
designing a more comfortable By Ajarn Adam, EPTS Upper
student backpack, an experiment Matayom Biology Teacher & M5
that looked at optimal growth Science Projects Coordinator
conditions for bread mould,
an investigation into mosquito
habitats, and a look at the physics
of kinetic bombardment.
This year’s projects include an
investigation into the effectiveness
of sun screen, an experiment to
see if microwave radiation affects
the growth of plant seeds, and
a project exploring the effect of
differing levels of bacteria on a Photos from the 2016 M5 Science Project Presentation Day.
microenvironment.
A key aim of the projects is to
promote students' understanding
of science and how science works,
through their own open-ended
investigations. Student are also
encouraged to make links between
what they are learning in school
and how this can relate to society
as a whole. In addition, the projects Dalton Newsletter
afford students the opportunity
to develop important skills that The greatest change so far has been present “Super Glitter Ball”. This is a
are increasingly in demand by delivery of a new ‘Smart TV’, a giant trial lab which is to be rolled out to
both universities and employers, instruction and presentation aid. This school science labs in the provinces all
such as critical thinking, creativity, is a huge improvement on the old around Thailand, just got to iron out
problem-solving, collaboration, We turned on the lights, projector, with a brighter and higher- a few kinks before letting it loose in
and the use of ICT to analyse and removed the dust sheet from the resolution screen. The TV provides Ubon…
report data. EPTS spectrophotometer, dusted screen casting, so we now present lab This semester, M4 are already
The M5 Science Projects off the microscopes, lifted the activities from anywhere in the lab, shaking things up, and sadly, applied
represent a challenging but chairs down from the bench tops, along with fun videos of smiley and Archimedes’ ideas to prove that the
ultimately rewarding experience and opened up the windows to happy students. Dalton gold nugget is actually a
for our students. They provide a let in fresh air for the first time in Highlights this semester are large piece of gold-coloured lead!
valuable learning opportunity, two months. After some gentle expected to be “Sodium BANG”, Well I never. Oh well, it was nice to
and one that is relevant whether coaxing, we fired up the Dalton hopefully just as successful as last dream about what might have been,
or not students choose to pursue lab computer. Yes, it is the start of year, when the ‘bang’ left a nasty I guess we will still be here next year.
science at university or as a career. a new semester in the EPTS science stain on the ceiling. As an extension
This is because all of us need to laboratories. to the popular slime lab, this term we - A. Kevin Fortune

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