Page 76 - HMS 2020

The Prep School has been investigating and highlighting the problem of plastic waste through science lessons, workshops and even art lessons.
Air Resistance Investigation
During the Lent term, Year 4 had
fun learning about air resistance. They created parachutes in various sizes and shapes, launching them from their desktops before heading to the main mansion stairwell and timing which parachute fell the slowest, therefore using the most
air resistance. “Our results show
that the largest parachute was the slowest. This parachute created the most air resistance because it was large enough to trap a lot of air under it which made it slow down. If I was working as a parachute designer I would make my parachutes huge and with flimsy but strong fabric.” Holly K
Prep School STEM
Plastic Pollution
Year 3 enjoyed a special environmental workshop with ZSL Whipsnade to learn more about the single-use plastics polluting our oceans and their ‘One Less’ campaign. The children discovered how micro-plastics from our clothes and plastic products can end up in the ocean and enter our food chain! They also examined the arguments for which material would make the best re-usable water bottle and heard how ZSL no longer stock any plastic water bottles at their zoos.
Plastic pollution was also a hot topic with legendary underwater adventurer Paul Rose who answered questions from Year 6 and other school children around the UK all the way from the Seychelles! He conducted a live virtual field trip and beach clean-up with the United Nations. Art scholars in Year 6, meanwhile used broken and unwanted plastic toys to
create some thought-provoking and sometimes sinister sculptures to highlight the plastics crisis that will impact their generation and generations to come.
In the Senior School, Ava G, Hannah B and Amelie C in Year 7 prepared a fantastic assembly for Pre-Prep on the impact of single use plastics on the environment. With the help of their young volunteers, the girls showed how to help reduce, reuse and recycle as we begin our journey towards being a plastic free school.
Year 7 also enjoyed a Q&A with a zookeeper in the aquarium section of Whipsnade Zoo. “It was interesting to hear that they worked on scientific projects
as well as caring for the aquatic animals,” says Will G. “The zoo keepers had been
to many locations around the world to work on conservation projects to save rare breeds of fish and anemones. I learnt that some fish live in deep dark caves
and have no eyes. It is sad that plastic is polluting the oceans and seas. The carpets in the aquarium are made from plastic that has been removed from the ocean and recycled. It makes you realise that we should do more to reduce the amount
of plastic that we use.”
Thanks to the Partnership Grant awarded by the Royal Society, the STEM Club have taken on building a scaled up model of a plastic bottle kayak that our Middle School pupils have been investigating in science. The boat, once completed, will be able to
hold the weight of an adult who should be able to kayak down the river. Now who is going to be our first volunteer? “I love stem club and it is my favourite club of the week,” says Alexandra G. “The bottle boat is really fun as we are collaborating and using our team leadership powers to think about what everyone else has to say about the project.”
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Sabrina Q
Bella H