The best way to know that you have truly learned a subject is to teach it. Qatar Academy Senior School Grade 6 students had an opportunity to prove this theory when Primary students came up for a chemistry lesson recently.
The challenge was for the older students to teach the younger students various chemistry terms using science experiments.
Third grader Ali Ahmed learned a lot about chemistry during his short visit. “I really liked the presentations. I learned that ice doesn’t melt as fast as I thought it would. I liked that acid was breaking the metal magnesium. I learned that when you put vinegar with baking powder it becomes a gas and blows up the balloon, this is a physical change.”
He continues: “I liked that they sixth graders spoke very clearly and answered our questions,”
“The third graders were mesmerised by the Grade 6 presentations,” commented Grade 3 teacher Joanna Mathison. She continues: “They came away from the experience with not only a deeper understanding of their current unit of inquiry, ‘How the World Works’, but with an enthusiasm for science in the secondary school,”
Science teacher Innes Isom came up with the idea for his students to teach their terms to the Primary classes. “From a teacher’s standpoint it was a great way to see my students presenting their learning to an authentic audience. They really took care to write a script and present their learning.”
Grade 3 student Said Jaber adds: “The sixth graders taught us a lot. I was inspired that you can use so many experiments to explore real science. I am looking forward to doing science in the lab when I am in 6th grade.”
The Peninsula
