The Barometer Week 10

BAROMETER THE

WETHERBY SENIOR SCHOOL WEEKLY NOVEMBER 19th 2018 | WEEK 10

DISSECTIONS, EXPERIMENTS AND HORTICULTURE IN THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT!

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Parents, I am pleased to see that several of the articles in this week’s edition were written by the boys. Whilst the majority of this edition is given over to the exploits of the sciences, there is also the link to Oscar’s award winning film, The Penguin, which I mentioned last week and as well as an article by George B-R about his visit to UNICEF’s huge warehouse where they store goods that are shipped to emergency situations all over the world. This was a fantastic opportunity for George and I am glad that he has shared some of what he learnt with us.

The facts and figures in George’s article are staggering and the amount of goods that are sent across the globe should remind us all, on the day after Thanksgiving, how lucky we all are. I know that the boys and their families recognise this and make the most of any opportunity

to support those in need.

Following the success of the PTA’s fundraiser, the boys will soon have the opportunity to show their support for the School’s charities through the fundraising activities that the Tribs will be organising and also the shoeboxes for the West London Mission that we will be collecting again this year. The Sixth Form continue to plan their event for local elderly on December 3rd and I am looking forward to hearing the choir, currently being coached by Mr Lawrence, in full voice in the Sixth Form Centre. The boys’ musical talents will also be on display in a couple of weeks’ time when the Brass Group will be playing at Coutts Bank Christmas Concert on December 6th.

Christmas will soon begin creeping into Wetherby Senior School with the arrival of the Christmas trees followed by the Christmas Concert, Christmas lunch which this year will be organised by Trib,

to continue building the links between the different year groups in the School and the ever popular Staff Panto, an event which I nervously look forward to again this year!

Enjoy the weekend,

WEEK A MONDAY

WEEKLY DIARY 26.11.18

Artist in Residence Even (Afternoon Club) Talk for Sixth Form Boys and Sixth Form Parents - Mr and Mrs Webb, Living with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Hannah House 15:00

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

27.11.18

28.11.18

Rugby WSS 1st XV vs Emanuel (A) 14:30 Football WSS U13 ABC North Bridge House 14:30

THURSDAY

29.11.18

Rugby WSS U14 vs ASL (H) 14:40 Rugby WSS U15 A/B XV vs Emanuel (H) 14:40

FRIDAY

30.11.18

SATURDAY

01.12.17

HM Assembly at Hinde Street Methodist Church 15:15-15:45

School Play Rehearsal, Drama Studio 09:00 - 17:30

SUNDAY

02.12.17

Sixth Form Parents can collect their son’s GCSE Certificates from Miss Mendes at Parents’ Evening on 5 December. They will be in a plastic wallet, and you may wish to (but don’t have to) bring something firm to keep them flat for transporting home.

The Marcos Burnett Photography Calendar 2019 Pre-orders can be collected from reception.

Email Mrs Skinner (Hannah.

Skinner@ wetherbysenior. co.uk) for new orders. Calendars are £20 each.

WETHERBY SENIOR SCHOOL WATER BOTTLE Help reduce our school's plastic consumption by using this personalised Active Bottle, emblazoned with the Wetherby Senior School logo and your own name. Made from highly durable materials, your Active Bottle is easy to open and close, won't leak and will keep your drinks hot or cold throughout the school day.

Active Bottle supports our planet by donating 10% of all their proceeds to Clean Ocean and what's more, all remaining profits from selling the bottle will go straight to support your school's PTA and their selective charities.

Can't get better!

You can order online at: https://activebottle.co.uk/ collections/wetherby

IMPORTANT NOTICES

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Soup: Courgette

Soup: Minestrone

Soup: Tomato

Main: Roasted vegetable spaghetti sauce

Main: BBQ chicken drumsticks

Main: Pork/chicken sausages

Meat Free: Vegetable and cheese pizza

Meat Free: Warm cauliflower couscous

To Go With: Vegetable cous cous, sweetcorn, sweet potato wedges

To Go With: Caramelised onions, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, gravy

Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding

Dessert: Jelly bowls with whipped cream

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

EVERY DAY

Soup: Mushroom

Soup: Chicken Noodle

Main: Beef Lasagne

Main: Fish fingers (gluten free) or steamed fish with garlic & lemon

Meat Free: Baked potatoes To Go With: Garlic & parsley spaghetti pasta, courgette spirals, garlic bread, sweetcorn, tuna mayo, baked beans Dessert: Chocolate mousse

Meat Free: Tomato, courgette, aubergine lasagne

Meat Free: Farfalle pasta, grilled peppers & basil

To Go With: Grilled mixed vegetables, sautéed aubergine with salsa verde & goat’s cheese, carrot rounds

To Go With: Chips, garden peas, mushy peas, tartare sauce

Dessert: Eton Mess

Dessert: Chocolate fudge brownies

Freshly Made Bread Homemade Salads Vegetable Crudités With Hummus Sandwich & Wrap Selection Meat & Cheese Platters Fresh Fruit

MENU

5) Jurassic Park The original film came out in 1993 and has stood the test of time, with several sequels produced over the past 25 years. It tells the story of an amusement park where the attraction is dinosaurs, brought back to life by the wonders of DNA technology. Not surprisingly, things do not go to plan and our protagonists spend a thrilling hour being chased by a Tyrannosaurus rex and a group of Deinonychus antirrhopus that we were introduced to as “raptors”. The science behind the film was cutting edge at the time and has many parallels with the modern genetic engineering studied at GCSE. There was also good representation evolution, ecology and food chains all wrapped up in a “don’t mess with nature” package.

4) Rise of the Planet of the Apes Another look at what can go wrong when mankind starts trying to manipulate nature. In this case, scientists searching for a cure to Alzheimers make a hyperintelligent ape. The ape finds it hard to balance his friendship with a few humans with the injustices he sees around him and manages to inoculate other apes with the intelligence genes and start a revolution. The film not only looks at the consequences of gene manipulation, but also the morality of experimenting on primates and theories on evolution.

MR PIMLOTT’S TOP 5 BIOLOGY BLOCKBUSTERS 3) Contagion Contagion came out in 2011, shortly after a real life outbreak of Ebola had caught the nation’s attention, it tells the story of how a virus spreads from being an epidemic to being a pandemic event.

The details of how viruses are spread are excellent, as are the descriptions of what governments and people must do in order to contain such a virulent disease. The last great pandemic to affect Europe was the Spanish flu over 100 years ago, and many epidemiologists believe that another one is imminent!

2) The Martian When a freak storm forces astronauts to abandon their mission to Mars, they leave behind botanist Mark Watney, believing him to be dead by a storm that left him impaled with a radio antenna. Watney turns out to be injured, but very much alive and this 2015 film tells the story of his survival on a barren planet while he awaits rescue. The film has an abundance of science to choose from, but the best biology comes when our botanist hero colonises the planet by growing potatoes in the only fertiliser that a planet inhabited by one human being can have.

1) Gattaca Even the name of this 1997 classic is an ode to Biology, comprised of the letter codes for the four bases that make up our DNA. It is set in the near future where manipulation of an unborn child’s DNA is the norm, and to have a fighting chance in life your genome has to have the right characteristics. Job interviews are based solely on a DNA specimen and discrimination is no longer about race, colour or creed but the genetic probability of susceptibility to a future disease. Our anti-hero fights the system, and tries to mask the fact that he was conceived in a natural way, in an attempt to achieve his lifelong ambition of entering a space programme. Even though it is nearly 20 years old, it tells a terrifying tale of what could happen to humanity if genetic engineering ran rampant.

BIOLOGY IN THE SIXTH FORM Nicholas M, Year 12 writes...

I’ve been interested in Biology for a long time now. Whilst I was in the prep school, it was just an enjoyable lesson I wouldn’t mind going to and I was intrigued at the idea of mitochondria being “the powerhouses of cells”. I found myself interested to learn about the different processes that go on in our body and what organisms, both plant and animals are made of.

During my time at the senior school, my interest in the subject has developed a lot more. In the very beginning of Year 9, before starting GCSE work I remember fondly learning about Forensic Science (during which I asked A LOT of questions).

To me, finding out we can use chromatography to distinguish different blood types at crime scenes was awesome. This was the same for when we looked at different hair cells and fingerprints.

Ever since that lesson I have wanted to find out more about Biology. I really looked forward to every single lesson and during Years 10 and 11, learning the topics in the IGCSE course was pure enjoyment. It was weird, I genuinely liked revising the topics for my GCSEs so much that my revision timetable has about double the amount of Biology, which now thinking back wasn’t probably the best idea…

I didn’t even mind studying the plant based topics, which are usually labelled as the “boring” topics; in fact, I really enjoyed learning about the structure of the leaf cells and photosynthesis. For me however, the most interesting topics were: Biotechnology (including the manufacture of yogurt), Organ systems (such as the digestive and reproductive systems) and Agricultural biology (such as eutrophication). I found everything I had learnt so far so intriguing, so I had to choose this subject for an A Level.

Now studying at A Level and I’m not going to lie, there’s obviously a huge jump, which you can tell as soon as you start the year. Suddenly, you are covering topics like protein synthesis in one lesson, for which you need to

know as much information as you needed when you were studying entire topics for a term at GCSE. It is tough.

However, personally, I am loving studying Biology A-Level and I find it even more interesting than at GCSE. All those questions you had in GCSE suddenly make sense.

We have two teachers at A Level. With Mrs Skinner, we are learning about genes and health, which includes protein synthesis and the structure of proteins. Meanwhile, Mr Pimlott is teaching us about the cardiovascular system, including the structure of the heart, risk of heart disease and the treatment. I am thoroughly enjoying both topics at the moment and can’t wait for further topics during the next two years as well as at university.

BIOLOGY IN YEAR 9 It has been a busy term for the boys in Year 9 in Biology. As part of their IGCSE Biology course, the boys have been learning about the levels of organisation in living organisms, including cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. In order to get to learn about the different organs and systems that make up a typical animal, the boys carried out their own dissection of a frog.

The boys showed impressive team work, as well as excellent dissection and observation skills. This was probably one of my favourite lessons so far this year!

LAMB PLUCK DISSECTION (not for the faint-hearted): Henry B, Year 10 writes...

In light of Biology week, some boys were treated to a lamb pluck dissection, carefully executed by Mrs. Bennet at lunch break on Wednesday.

The pluck consists of the heart, liver and the lungs & trachea (windpipe). First, boys had a chance to observe the structure of the larynx and cricoid before looking at the trachea which has several rings of cartilage that prevent it from collapsing. Inferiorly, it splits into two bronchi which are connected to the lungs. From

here, the bronchi branch into several bronchioles which get smaller and smaller and lead to the air sacs which contain millions of microscopic alveoli (where gas exchange takes place). The lung itself feels rather spongy and this is because of these air sacs. The heart is composed of four chambers – the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle and right ventricle. The left and right sides are separated by a septum. Sheep, like humans, utilise a double circulatory system. This means that the right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs (for gas

exchange) and back to the heart whilst the left side pumps the oxygenated blood from the lungs to everywhere else in the body. When feeling the heart, it is clear that the left side has greater muscle bulk than the right as it has to work harder in pumping the blood throughout the body as opposed to just through the lungs. The liver is quite firm to the touch; it is possible to feel its four lobes.

Generally, a fresh liver is jellylike in consistency. In this case, the tissues hardened as they were inactive and, as a result, the blood inside congealed.

ACTIVITIES BULLETIN: HORTICULTURE Mrs Bennet writes...

This term a few boys from Year 7, 8 and 9 have been learning about horticulture.

Each week, members of the Horticulture Club arrive eager to water the Geraniums, Aloe Vera, Spider plant and Tradescantia in the labs.

We then carry out an activity!

So far, boys have learnt how to sow seeds and grow broad beans, what varieties of pumpkin there are and when to harvest them, how to carve a pumpkin, how to identify different herbs, how many triggered trichomes are needed to close a Venus fly trap, the importance of plants in medicine and the anti-microbial properties of garlic, mint and sage! And we even carried out the role of a Pomologist. This involved tasting different varieties of apples, comparing the flavour, colour, size and texture and discussing the role of selective breeding.

Matteus and Guillaume wrote “horticulture has been very educational and exciting!�

TEACHER’S PETS

Winston and Freia are working together to solve the inverse of a 3x3 matrix (above).

Benji has been up all night revising for his history assessment (left).

Puppy is getting ready for duty on Marylebone Lane (above).

Cleo has been learning about screen printing using a range of different media (right).

This week in Horticulture Club, Arya and Sansa have been planting cat grass (below).

Panda is relaxing after cooking up a feast at Hannah House (above).

Otis is finding it difficult to keep on top of all the Biology prep he has to mark!

Percy is wishing there were some real ducks to chase, not just painted ones!

CHEMISTRY WEEK: SCIENCE IN ACTION Harry H, Year 11 writes...

On Monday 19th November Year 11 joined 850 other GCSE pupils and spent the day at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster for a series of lectures about ‘Science in Action’. The lectures covered a broad range of subjects – from material science, Healthcare science, astrophysics, and more! Highlights included: watching an ultrasound of an emptying bladder (luckily not performed live!), whipping a newspaper out of a boy’s hands and demonstrating the whip breaking the speed of sound, comparing pictures of galaxies from the 1850s to today, and a massive Kahoot to find out how people stay healthy in winter! Amidst all the fun, we learned a great deal about the applications of science to everyday life.

Perhaps the most encouraging message from the day came from the astrophysicist, Dr. Becky Smethurst. She gave the example of how there was neither enough time nor scientists to classify an enormous number of photographs of the galaxies and how members of the public volunteered to assist, thereby completing the classification far quicker than expected – science could not function without team work.

To conclude, it is fair to say that the day sparked a new curiosity, enthusiasm, and for some perhaps, a burning passion for all the possibilities that science holds.

IT’S A KIND OF MAGIC... IN THE CHEMISTRY LAB! Tommaso S writes...

Last but certainly not the least: Methane bubbles. This was certainly my favourite out of the three.

Methane from the gas tap was bubbled through soapy water by Miss Ataii whilst Miss Lindsay waited patiently with a lit match. Miss Hoskins thoroughly wetted her arms before scooping up the fuelfilled bubbles. She was right to do so! A blast of fire emitted from Miss Hoskins’ bare hands! OUCH! A top-tip: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

On Wednesday 21st November, Miss Lindsay, Miss Hoskins and Miss Ataii teamed up and wowed the Year 9s and 10s with mind-boggling experiments at lunchtime in lab M35.

The first experiment: The reaction of acetone with polystyrene (see below).

Acetone is an organic compound with the formula of (CH3)2CO which is very flammable. When the acetone was added to the pieces of polystyrene, only the air in the foam left causing the pieces to lose their structure. This is because the acetone split the long chain of molecules within the polystyrene.

The second experiment: The Elephant Toothpaste Reaction.

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is an exothermic reaction (it gives off heat). When dish soap was added to create bubbles and potassium iodide was added to act as a catalyst, a yellow swirl of foam erupted out of the beaker. What a plot-twist!

I don’t know about the other members of the audience but I really enjoyed these Chemistry demos. Next, time let’s see whether the Biology and Physics teachers can top this.

It’s on!

GEORGE B-R VISITS UNICEF SUPPLY DIVISION George B-R, Year 10 writes...

Last Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the largest Humanitarian warehouse in the world which is owned and operated by UNICEF. The warehouse is the size of 3 football pitches which is operated by robots and staffed by 60 people on the warehouse floor. At any one time they have $10 million of packaged aid available to be distributed to any emergency situation anywhere around the world.

This warehouse only supplies 5% of the total goods of what UNICEF actually provides for children in need around the world.

UNICEF is not just the delivery of aid to the people who need it most but are also responsible for the creation of many of the goods. The huge scales that UNICEF operates means they can influence markets around the world, while at the same time attempting to use local industry to produce as much as possible and as environmentally sustainable as possible.

UNICEF are responsible for many new innovations within the markets which are adapted to suit changing emergency situations and logistics. We were shown items which have been adapted to suit the environment. For example

In 2017, UNICEF procured $3.46 billion of supplies and services for 146 countries and areas around the world.

This is spread across various commodity groups.

Vaccines $1.317 billion Nutrition $219.2 million Medical supplies $188.8 million Pharmaceuticals $164.2 million Water & Sanitation $ 109.2 million Education $72.4 million Bed Nets $39.6 million

the 10L water bottles have been made flat pack for easy shipping and handles have been adapted for both adults to carry but also for two smaller children needing two handles etc. while at the same time maintaining durability and keeping a light weight structure.

Determining malnutrition of children has been made a speedier process, they have created a colour coded measuring band which can be placed around a child’s arm to measure the zone of severity – this now quickens the process of getting the most serious of children to emergency treatment as soon as possible.

OSCAR T’S FILM SUCCESS! Miss Bradley writes…

Last week we found out the fantastic news that Oscar T’s film won his category in this year’s ISA Film and Digital Art Competition. His original and inventive film: ‘The Penguin’ can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=Sf7LdlajWfI&feature=yo utu.be Oscar T says: I love making films and when

I heard about the competition, I was already working on a longer one with a friend. The competition seemed like a good way of experimenting with some of my ideas in a short film format. The inspiration for the film came when I was in Portobello Road and I found a sewing kit for a cute penguin toy. Once I had made it though, I realised it was quite creepy and could be a great film villain. Once I had written the screenplay, the scenes took about a day to film, but the editing took around

two months. I enjoyed coming up with the small details of the film, like the Stephen King reference at the beginning is a joke that foreshadows the events that follow. My favourite filmmakers are Francis Ford Coppola – I like The Godfather films. I also admire Steven Spielberg’s work. I am now working on a film with my friend called ‘Sleep’, which is about a girl who finds out a monstrous secret about her father.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY CALENDARS Year 10 Wildlife Photography Calendars Now on Sale!

For the past two years, the Biology and Art department have worked together to organise a Wildlife Photography Competition for boys in Year 9 (currently in Year 10). This annual competition is held in memory of Marcos Burnett, a former Wetherby Senior student and a really keen wildlife photographer, who tragically lost his life in the Italian Earthquake in 2016.

Back in March, we took all Year 10 boys on a field day to the Natural History Museum to visit the Wildlife Photography Competition, where they got a chance to see some of the finest wildlife photography. In the afternoon, we visited The Royal Botanic Garden in Kew, where the boys took their own photographs of flowers, trees and animals in the garden.

After the field day, each boy submitted their favourite wildlife photograph to enter the competition. We had some fantastic entries but the overall winner was Maxime Hashem, with his beautiful photograph “Angry Bird”.

We have put together a calendar displaying all of the photographs from the boys who are now in Year 10 and they are available to be purchased. If you would like to buy one (or more) of these calendars, please can you email Hannah Skinner (hannah. skinner@wetherbysenior. co.uk). Calendars cost £20 and all profits will go towards our school charities.

SPORTS NEWS

RUGBY U17A WSS vs KCS, Wimbledon Boys-U17B 24-12 Man of the Match: Jock S FOOTBALL U15A WSS vs Hurstmere Foundation School 0-3 U15 A WSS vs Fulham 7-0 1st XI vs Radnor House Twickenham 0-1 U16A WSS vs Radnor House Twickenham 4-0 U13A WSS vs Notting Hill Preparatory School 0-3 U13B WSS vs Notting Hill Preparatory School 0-2 U15A WSS vs Radnor House Twickenham 0-1

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