Joel has been involved in the CSIRO Scientists in Schools program for a few years now, visiting a local primary school (Strathfield North Public School) once or twice a year to do a day of science with a bunch of the students (usually about 150 in a day in three lots). They do experiments like making electric motors, using levers and pulleys and purifying their own DNA. Recently, the school magazine discussed the visit by Joel (and Mitchell and Ann) in July:
Science Week August 11-18
A feature of our science programs is our association with Dr Joel Mackay who works at Sydney University and is part of the CSIRO national program that creates and supports long-term partnerships between teachers and scientists. Partnerships are flexible to allow for a style and level of involvement that suits each participant. Dr Joel Mackay has been visiting the school for about four years and is always welcomed by our students with great excitement.
During Dr Mackay’s visit last term he worked with Stage 2. Thank you to Mr Steven So, one of our parents and a Science Head Teacher at Strathfield South High who kindly loaned Stage 2 all kinds of science equipment. I would like to acknowledge the work of Ms Cantanzariti who initiated the program and continues to act as the liaison person. After a recent visit Naomi from 4H wrote this creative piece. It is my pleasure to share it with you. It highlights the links between motivation, literacy and science. Congratulations on your fine effort Naomi.
Science Day
Once upon a time there was a girl named Naomi. She went to school at SNPS in Sydney. One day she arose from her bed and prepared herself for school as usual, but once she got to school the classroom was filled with telescopes and testing tubes and all “sciency stuff”. The two scientists were standing at the front of the room. They introduced themselves, “I’m Joel Mackay and this is my assistant Mitchell. Today we will be working with you on discovering your DNA.” It started off with Joel showing us a slide show about science and DNA and genes that are unique to us. Naomi was really interested by all of the information, but not as much as the experiment that was about to happen!
Mitchell assisted the students in finding their own DNA! They used a pipette to squirt two drops of Gatorade. Then they swished it around their mouths for about one minute. The girl across the desk from Naomi was Claudia who was too scared to drink the Gatorade, but in the end she drank it! The students then had to spit it back into a test tube.
Into the test tube was added two squirts of detergent and it was mixed around gently, but Naomi did it too roughly and quickly, that she had to fix it up. Then, Naomi and the rest of the table added a cold mentholated spirit sort-of-substance and made sure it didn’t mix. Some cloudy white strands started showing up, which was their DNA! The students picked it out using a skewer and placed it in a small container. Naomi didn’t get much!
She took it home and told her parents about it. Her parents were very impressed that something so fascinating had occurred and that Naomi’s DNA was unlike any other persons.
Naomi G 4H
