YEAR 7s SKYPE DR KARL

Science became ‘cool’ and real for our Year 7 students today when they spoke face-to-face (via Skype) with Science guru, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.  Mr Morrison set up the Question and Answer session which was held in the school library.  Year 7 students prepared questions they wanted to ask the celebrity scientist, ranging right across the spectrum, and they were impressed with his down-to-earth manner and easy to understand explanations and anecdotes.

 The face of this famous scientist filled the smartboard screen as Skype connected MRPS with Sydney this morning.  In their own words, the following reflections by Room 3 students sum up the full impact of using technology to allow students to interview experts in their fields.

Sachi said:  Dr. Karl talked about the appendix, emotions, sleepwalking, glass, touch screens, the strongest metals, global warming, dogs and cats, eyes, video games, that humans are meant to walk, hypnotism,  the carbon tax, meteors and satellites, dinosaurs, tectonic plates, skin and why the sky is blue.  I thought the Skype session with Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki was very interesting, to see how much Dr Karl knew about Science.  He answered almost all of our questions.

Tilly said: I liked the Skype session because we learnt about sleepwalking and your appendix (among other things).  It was pretty cool to be talking to the ‘smartest guy in Australia’.

Caleb said: I found it interesting that you melt sand to make glass, that video games are good for your reflexes and that dinosaurs aren’t really dead.

Rosalie said: I thought that it was interesting.  I feel happy about meeting someone famous.  My favourite part was when he spoke about sleepwalking and I learnt how touch screens work.

Imogen said: I liked the Skype session because we learnt about a lot of things.  One of the things we learned is that the tectonic plates are 6 to 20 kms thick and if you put a stamp on a soccer ball that’s how big the tectonic plates are compared to the rest of the world.  We also learned what your appendix is used for.

Hannah said: I felt that it was an amazing experience talking to a real famous professor.  My favourite part was asking Dr Karl my question about sleepwalking and it was great because he answered it perfectly.  One of the things I have learnt from this experience is that a thing called ‘rayleigh scattering’ makes the sky blue.

I am sure Dr Karl would have been pretty impressed with our kids too!

Photos by Mr Morrison; Written and posted by D. Veary; reflections by Room 3 students