Over the past couple of terms students in Year 8 have learnt ratios, dealt with negative numbers, explored standard form and even mastered the hardships of algebra. But how did it all come together? 

During the first term of the new school year, we were introduced to negative numbers. Throughout the first couple of lessons, we were brainstorming on where we actually see and use negative numbers. A recurring idea was “our bank account.” As much as it is difficult to admit, we all had a point where we saw a little subtraction sign in our bank app. When it's freezing outside, the thermometer might have also gone below zero- into a negative number! Although we may not realise it as quick, negative numbers are everywhere in our lives. Gradually, we also explored how to add, subtract,multiply and divide with negative numbers. We learnt some rules, such as; when there is an addition sign next to a subtraction sign in an equation, the subtraction sign cancels out the addition sign, meaning we only subtract. (i.e 6+-4 will become 6-4). Another cool method we learnt was that when you multiply/divide two numbers that are both negative, your answer will always be positive (this is because the negative signs cancel each other out!) We had lots of practice problems in Sparx to help us with these challenges!                                         

On Friday 2nd December, a group of Year 8 and Year 9s were chosen to represent the school and visit Imperial College London. Here we learnt about Jupiter’s moons and the possibility of life thriving in completely different worlds. We explored the surfaces of Galileo and Europa and also Io, a fascinating moon. As Westminster Academy students, we were fortunate enough to experience the kindness of everyone at the prestigious college, and we made our own telescopes. It was definitely a memorable journey through space. We even got to see a piece of an asteroid that was older than the Earth!

When learning about Galileo, we explored the man himself and his own named moon. Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer who discovered Europa, Ganymede, Io, Callisto and even the rings of Saturn. We learnt how different each of  Jupiter’s moons' environment was, and how high or low the chances of human survival was on these moons. . Fortunately enough we were greeted and accompanied  with specialists who have studied in detail about these moons. WA students also learn the different environments on each of these moons through songs that Imperial College students had created. “Europa, so far from Jupiter, yet it still is tidally locked …”