04 Jun 2024
On 8 May 2024, Narrabri High School year 12 Biology and Chemistry students engaged in “Kickstart” HSC workshops designed and run by the University of Sydney. These workshops gave the students the opportunity to conduct experiments and demonstration some of the key ideas in the syllabus which are sometimes difficult to do in the classroom setting.
Year 12 Biology and Chemistry students kicked off the day with a Bushtucker tour at Illara State Forest. This cultural experience, led by expert scientist Kerrie Saunders, taught them about the various types of foods and survival uses of native plant life. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a yarning circle discussion with Kerrie, deepening their understanding of the local environment.
In the chemistry workshop, students participated in IR Spectroscopy and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry and watch demonstrations of NMR Spectroscopy and AAS. They used the spectra produced from IR and NMR Spectroscopy, along with Mass Spectrometry data, to identify an unknown substance. Students also used the results of UV-Vis and AAS to determine the concentration of a metal ion in water.
In the biology workshop, students learnt about an inherited disease – sickle cell anaemia and its genetic cause (single-nucleotide polymorphism). Aligning with inquiry-based learning, students investigated the genetic cause of sickle cell anaemia with a case study. Their job was to determine whether a child has inherited the disease and to discuss in small groups the steps and experiments that would be needed to answer this question. This involved conducting hands-on activities in:
• DNA extraction
• Lego-based Polymerase Chain Reaction activities
• Paper-based restriction enzyme digests
• Gel electrophoresis and visualisation
