Specialists from the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences have given more than 20 lectures to ILS students during this year's Science Week, covering a wide range of topics such as the greenhouse effect, soil types, and rain formation mechanisms. At practical lessons, the visiting scientists taught the students about laws of physics and chemistry that we can observe every day.
"Older students showed us some physics experiments," explains section 5M1 student Taisia Yurova. "Although we're only in 5th grade, it was all very interesting, especially the "lava lamp" experiment. To do it, we first had to pour vegetable oil and food coloring into a glass and then put in aspirin or salt. The result was very beautiful. For the lava to become a lamp, we had to turn on a phone flashlight and hold the lava lamp above it."
The lecture "Parasites inside us" given to 8th graders by Candidate Doctor of Biology Yulia Tatonova of the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences also sparked great interest. The students found out which fish are edible and which are not, as well as the dangers of eating the meat of wild animals. During their practical lesson, the students observed under a microscope dangerous parasites, which can enter the body when hygienic rules are broken.
"It's good that we were told about these dangers, particularly how house pets can infect us," says section 8M3 student Mikhail Karasev. "House pets often sleep on the couch, and people don't realize what dangers are lurking inside our furry friends."
During lessons at the Primorye Oceanarium, 5th graders learned about the lives of sea creatures and the structure of Earth. They watched scientific specialists in action, and tried their hand at research, observing marine microorganisms under powerful microscopes.
ILS 9th graders had the serious task during Science Week of defending their research projects in the areas of history, IT, biology, economics, physics and foreign languages. On the final day of defenses, presentations to the judges and fellow students were made on topics including "Sales marketing", "Organizing assistance for children in orphanages", "Are discounts real or mere deceptions?", "Sugar" and "New life for the Soviet way". Every topic was researched and executed thoroughly using local sources, comparative analysis, and the best examples from world experience with these issues.
ILS 10th and 11th graders also presented projects, with excerpts from the best available in the school newspaper Fox Tales.
"Science Week is becoming richer and more interesting every year," notes ILS Principal Olga Shevchenko. "We invite specialists from the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences and are most pleased with their lectures, as experienced scientists share their knowledge with our students and explain in clear, understandable terms the complex processes of Earth. This year even our youngest students in 3rd grade and below took part. It's possible that the lectures made such a strong impression on some of our students that they will consider a career in science."
