Page 77 - HMS 2020

Our Diverse Planet
This year’s British Science Week theme was ‘Our Diverse Planet’. Pupils were challenged to create posters exploring diversity and came up with some brilliant research on a range of topics including animal species, communication in animals and humans, diverse habitats and regenerative agriculture. Here are some fascinating facts from our school poster winners:
“Bees are crucial to our planet’s ecosystem. Without them, the world would face a food growing crisis and our landscapes would lose much of their beauty. Bees pollinate 130,000 plants and it would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion to pollinate their crops without them. The loss of bees would have a terrible effect on our planet’s bio-diversity, agricultural industry and human nutrition.” Chloe C, Year 6
“The highest point on the planet is Mount Everest. At 29,030ft, there is not enough oxygen for humans to survive more than a few minutes at the summit. The deepest point on earth is the Mariana Trench which is 36,200ft deep under the sea. Animals have adapted to live at the highest and deepest point of our planet. The Ruppell’s Griffin Vulture can soar at 37,000ft and the snailfish has been found at depths of 27,000ft.” Diggory C, Year 6
“We all communicate in different ways and so do animals. Dolphins whistle, bees dance, mockingbirds sing, alligators slap the water, whales click and whistle, a woodpecker drums, rabbits use body language, the red fox growls and yelps.” Sabrina Q , Year 6
“All cats are members of the Felinae family. This family is very diverse! 11.3 million years ago the cat family split into 2 groups, the Pantherinae (which can roar) and the Felinae (who can’t roar). Most big cats are from the Panthera Genus. However the cheetah and the puma are in their own genuses in the Felinae sub-family. All big cats have adapted and diversified to suit their habitat.” Ellie N, Year 6
Year 4 Star-Gazers
The Astronomy Roadshow transformed our Performing Arts Centre into
a Planetarium to give Year 4 an unforgettable journey through space! They learned about satellites, meteors, gravity and became expert star gazers as they spotted the various constellations and experienced the magnificent Northern Lights.
“I learnt that the Greeks thought star signs were boring so they put animals and people there instead. I also learnt that there are more than 100 moons in the Solar System.” Luca Y
“I learnt that the universe is 4.6 billion years old and that Jupiter is the largest planet. I wonder if we will find more galaxies?” Ethan G
“I have found out that Pluto has five moons. I wonder what year it is going to be when the first person goes to Mars?” Freya S
Detective Work at Haileybury
A group of keen Year 5 and 6 scientists stepped into a Cleudo-style murder mystery at this year’s Haileybury Science Discovery Day. “We tested blood, analysed ink, made DNA necklaces, analysed fingerprint patters and ran soil tests using a universal indicator to reveal the pH” says William H. “In the powder testing we were given solutions found on each suspect and we used Bunsen burners to set them on fire which determined which type
of metal was on them and if it matched the victim,” adds Alexandra G. “We also looked at a fibre found on each of the suspects’ clothing and looked under a microscope to determine what it was.”
“Regenerative agriculture is completely carbon neutral and in some cases, carbon negative. Every 10 days, the cows move to a new field. This gives them a new set of nutritious plants to feed on a regular bases. This makes sure that the plants get time to regrow for the cows to eat. This system mimics how the animals would eat in the wild. Healthy bacteria from the cows’ waste is being put back into the soil and encouraging diverse plant growth. Soil is more sponge like so it is drought and flood resistant. This is good for bio-diversity.” Reuben G, Year 7
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