Super Science Day: 12 March

Pre-School and Junior Primary

The Junior Primary Super Science Day on 12 March was a spectacular celebration of curiosity and wonder that perfectly embodied the Clifton vision of nurturing inquisitive minds through hands-on discovery. The morning ignited with a sense of mentorship as our younger children explored the Grade 7 Expo at the EAC foyer, marveling at the innovative projects of their older peers. This spirit of inquiry continued as the Grade 3s delved into the fascinating world of biomimicry with Paul Fleischack, learning how nature’s designs solve human problems, while the Grade 1 and 2 children headed to the MPR for a morning of exhilarating experiments. Even our littlest scientists in the Pre-School were swept up in the magic, spending their day crafting kinetic sand and embarking on nature walks to collect hidden treasures from the outdoors.

The energy reached a fever pitch thanks to the presence of Clint Sliedrecht, the Head of Science at Michaelhouse, who brought a masterclass of "serious fun" to our campus. His demonstrations were nothing short of riveting; from the ethereal clouds of dry ice to the swirling colors of magic milk and the high-octane thrill of explosive rockets, the children were utterly captivated. The scientific expertise clearly runs in the family, as Mrs. Sliedrecht took the lead with her own set of impressive experiments in Grade 0. She guided the children through the mechanics of friction, the mystery of solutions, and several exciting explosions, proving she had been well-schooled by her husband in the art of the "wow" factor.

Later in the day, the Grade 3s joined the Senior Primary to share in Mr. Sliedrecht’s expertise, further strengthening the bonds of our school community through a shared love of STEM. Back in their classrooms, the children took the lead during dedicated science lessons, testing their own hypotheses and exploring the "how" and "why" behind the world around them. The atmosphere was made all the more magical by our dedicated teachers, who fully embraced the spirit of the day by dressing up in crisp science coats, sporting wacky glasses, and styling some truly "mad scientist" hair. It was a day where the boundaries between play and profound learning disappeared, leaving our young scientists inspired, educated, and eager for the next big discovery.

Senior Primary

Under the aptly named theme, "Sweat the Small Stuff," our Grade 7 scientists kicked off our Super Science Day proceedings by celebrating the unsung heroes of the Clifton campus: the insects, beetles, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that usually try their best to stay out of our way. Using a design thinking framework and using creatures found within our Clifton iNaturalist ‘zone’, the Grade 7s did themselves proud in sharing their findings with the entire school over the course of a 2-hour expo.

The day took a high-tech turn with a captivating session on biomimicry led by Mr. Fleischack. It turns out that humans aren't quite as original as we thought! Mr. Fleischack, speaking on a topic very dear to his heart, revealed that Nature is the world’s oldest and most successful patent office.

Amongst a host of fascinating facts, we learnt that the Shinkansen Bullet Train’s aerodynamic nose was inspired by the beak of a Kingfisher. Also, Velcro is based entirely on the hook-and-loop structure of a simple plant burr.

The session wrapped up with a pop quiz. The children achieved impressive scores, proving that they weren't just listening—they were already starting to see the world through a "biomimetic" lens. Perhaps an invention of the future took root in today’s session?

On then, to things that go ‘Pop!’, ‘Fizz!’ and ‘Bang!’. Mr Sliedricht and Mr Duma from Michaelhouse brought Science to life with a captivating set of experiments demonstrating surface tension, and others more interestingly named ‘Devil’s Toothpaste’ and ‘Egg in a bottle’. Some liquid nitrogen came into play, providing frozen flowers and a banana that splintered into bit… and a tennis ball that could not bounce!  

A definite highlight, and the grand finale, were the liquid nitrogen powered bottle rockets launched by Mr Sliedricht (one is still not accounted for), and the exploding balloons, each filled with a different gas.

Filled with excitement (not gas!), the children then returned to their homeroom classes for an hour of scientific fun, including rubber-band powered boats and balloon jets. A fun-filled, fact-filled, eye-opener of a day!