S2 STEM Project Success

Congratulations to the twenty S2 pupils who completed a two day intensive investigation into carbon capture and storage (CCS) by doing hands-on experiments. 

Lots of countries are actively researching and investing in CCS as a way to reduce their impact on the environment and address issues surrounding climate change so it was great to see the pupils really involved in this task. The group also researched and debated issues surrounding climate change.  This was an interdisciplinary project created by the Science and Geography departments to challenge the pupils and raise awareness of STEM careers. Thanks also to Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer from Heriot Watt university who gave a great talk on her team's CCS research. 

The winners with the best final poster and presentation were Becky Anderson, Adam Cooper, Beth Mollison  and Josh Brock. The prize for the best contribution to the climate change debate went to Benedict Tan. All 20 pupils will be awarded a Bronze Crest Award for their outstanding contribution and work on this project.

S2 pupils involved: Becky Anderson, Armina Berber, Lara Byers, Rowan Foulner, Jodie McDonald, Amy  McGaff, Beth Mollison, Jodi Robertson,  Rebecca Russell, Kirsten Sanders, Josh Brock, Adam Cooper, Anthony Housego, Michael Li, Cameron Littlejohn, Andrew Overstone, Andrew Skinner,  Fraser Smith, Benedict Tan,  Fraser Angus

Great work by all! 

Outdoor Edinburgh Week

On the week commencing the 11^th – 15 May we went out with Rachel Avery. This was for S4 and 5^th years who was not doing exams. At the end the week doing the outdoor Edinburgh we got a John Muir Award certificate.

On Monday 11^th May we walked from Currie to the visitor centre at Slateford along the Water Of Leith. We all had a lovely time walking along there and enjoyed the lovely sounds and the pretty flowers and trees while we were walking along. We tasted some wild foods and we saw a heron the in river. We all played pooh sticks. Some people hadn’t played it before but some had. It was also great fun!

The heron

Team photo by the place we tried to skim stones - Mr Ingham is an expert!

On Tuesday 12^th May we went to the Botanic Gardens. We went to the glass house and the Chinese Gardens. We saw some beautiful plants and flowers while we were there and we did a bit of drawing there too which was really good fun!

In the glasshouses

Some sketching using oil pastels with Mrs Richardson

On Wednesday 13^th May we went to the Pentland hills. We were asked by the ranger to put wood chippings on the Juniper trees. We had to push 4 wheel barrows and 4 spades up a big hill where the juniper trees were. After we pushed the wheel barrows and spades up the big hill we had to go and find out where the wood chippings were kept. When we had found the wood chippings we had to put it in the wheel barrows and put the wood chippings around the juniper trees to help them grow. After we had done that we found a lovely picnic spot and had our lunch there.

At Harlaw Reservoir

Pusing the wheelbarrows through the fields...

...and down steep slopes!

Collecting the chippings 

The newly planted juniper trees with a mulch of chippings to help them grow

Our school!!

On Thursday 14^th May we went to Jupiter Artland to see the wonderful art there and learn more about the artists.

This was one of our favourites: Suck by Anish Kapoor

Weeping girls by Laura Ford

Stone coppice by Andy Goldsworthy

Exploring the amazing life mounds by Charles Jencks

On Friday 15^th May we were in school writing up what we did. Some people did a power point and others did a poster.  We presented our experiences to lots of staff at lunchtime on Wednesday 27 May as the Share part of our John Muir Award.

by Eden Anderson S5