St. Mother Teresa High School Grade 7/8 Science Teacher, Mr. Michael Major, led three outstanding teams from St. Mother Teresa to Carleton University for the Let's Talk Science Challenge in April. This team-based Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) competition is designed for students in Grades 6-8 to explore new STEM topics and demonstrate their knowledge in a fun and supportive environment.
And one team swam to the top - The Sciency Squids!
A Day of Science and Fun
The Grand Finale, held in person at Carleton University, was a blast. It featured a quiz and an engineering challenge. The team called "Sciency Squids" participated and secured first place overall. Mr. Major beamed proudly, saying, "It's always a pleasure to see students collaborate outside the classroom and work towards a common goal. It was also fun to see them deepen their understanding of science and technology concepts by participating in trivia and engineering challenges."
How They Did It
Step 1: Trivia Game
The students tackled a science trivia game based on a handbook released in February. They broke it into eight topics and studied in pairs. They nailed the online practice quizzes!
Step 2: Engineering Challenge
The second part was a design challenge. They had to engineer a way to transport a new invention to the Arctic, ensuring it stayed secure and dry in harsh conditions. Their brilliant design wowed the judges!
Team Spirit
Their teamwork, perseverance, and positivity made the Sciency Squids stand out, earning them crucial Spirit points. They prepared by exploring previous challenges on the Let's Talk Science website and brought their A-game to the competition.
Three cheers to the "Sciency Squids" and all the students who participated! You've shown how fun and exciting science can be. Keep up the amazing work!
Stay curious, St. Mother Teresa!
