Science Practical on Reflection of Light
Our Science teacher brought the class to the science laboratory to complete our practicals on the reflection of light during Term 3. We were supposed to conduct an experiment to show the reflection of light. Ever since Secondary 1, I have been looking forward to every practical lesson as it is usually very interesting. It is a new way of learning that puts all the theories we have learnt into use. Although I had similar lessons in primary school, it was not so hands-on, as more often than not the teacher would demonstrate and we would just sit and watch. However, this practical lesson appealed to me the most as we were free to explore the various properties of light. We could even make use of two mirrors to create an "infinity" image by placing an object in the middle of the two parallel mirrors. Another fun discovery was when we created a "bent" rainbow. Firstly, we had to split the beam of light into the seven colours of the rainbow using a prism, then we used a mirror to deflect all the seven rays of light. As typical rainbows are curved, we were quite intrigued that we could actually come up with an idea like this.
This was also the first practical that we conducted in the dark. This was to prevent the overhead lights from interfering with the light beams, and also for us to accurately measure the angle of incidence and reflection. I must admit that we went a little overboard when we got restless. Instead of completing the worksheet, we ended up fooling around with shadows. Some daring ones even fought with each other, wielding torch-lights as light sabers. All in all, I still feel that this was a very engaging experience to be able to experiment at our own pace and without any limitations. Truly, it beats having lessons in class, where sometimes, no amount of explanation from the teacher can help us understand a particular theory.
Ecology Field Trip@MacRitchie Reservoir
Our Science teacher brought us on a field trip to MacRitchie Reservoir to learn more about the ecology there. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a flock of birds that flew over our heads as we stepped out of the bus. All was quiet, creating a very serene atmosphere in addition to the picturesque scenery all around us. We were supposed to move between six stations all around the reservoir to complete the activities. As we started, I was impressed with the number of birds that I noticed all around. This could be due to the fact that there were not many people there, so the birds would not be afraid of the presence of a large crowd. Although we had ample time to stroll to the next station, I felt that the stations were too far apart, and that the extra time used for walking might have been used for more time allocated to each station so that we can learn more about the flora, fauna and various activities at the reservoir.
The activities, I must admit, were actually quite interesting, especially the station where we had to take a sample of the water and study it. There was a lot of commotion about who would have the privilege of fetching the water from a bucket, as it was like fishing, whereby the bucket was tied to a string and was thrown into the water far below to scoop up the water. Even though I did not get a chance to do it, I could sense the excitement everyone had, especially when once, a careless classmate accidentally splashed some of the water over all of us. In conclusion, this trip was an eventful one, and I learnt many facts and information about the environment in the reservoir that I never knew. Thus, with this insight, I am more prepared to study the topic of Ecology after this experience.
This was also the first practical that we conducted in the dark. This was to prevent the overhead lights from interfering with the light beams, and also for us to accurately measure the angle of incidence and reflection. I must admit that we went a little overboard when we got restless. Instead of completing the worksheet, we ended up fooling around with shadows. Some daring ones even fought with each other, wielding torch-lights as light sabers. All in all, I still feel that this was a very engaging experience to be able to experiment at our own pace and without any limitations. Truly, it beats having lessons in class, where sometimes, no amount of explanation from the teacher can help us understand a particular theory.
Ecology Field Trip@MacRitchie Reservoir
Our Science teacher brought us on a field trip to MacRitchie Reservoir to learn more about the ecology there. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a flock of birds that flew over our heads as we stepped out of the bus. All was quiet, creating a very serene atmosphere in addition to the picturesque scenery all around us. We were supposed to move between six stations all around the reservoir to complete the activities. As we started, I was impressed with the number of birds that I noticed all around. This could be due to the fact that there were not many people there, so the birds would not be afraid of the presence of a large crowd. Although we had ample time to stroll to the next station, I felt that the stations were too far apart, and that the extra time used for walking might have been used for more time allocated to each station so that we can learn more about the flora, fauna and various activities at the reservoir.
The activities, I must admit, were actually quite interesting, especially the station where we had to take a sample of the water and study it. There was a lot of commotion about who would have the privilege of fetching the water from a bucket, as it was like fishing, whereby the bucket was tied to a string and was thrown into the water far below to scoop up the water. Even though I did not get a chance to do it, I could sense the excitement everyone had, especially when once, a careless classmate accidentally splashed some of the water over all of us. In conclusion, this trip was an eventful one, and I learnt many facts and information about the environment in the reservoir that I never knew. Thus, with this insight, I am more prepared to study the topic of Ecology after this experience.
