Official Journal of the Irish Science Teachers' Association Eol-Oidí Na
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SCIENCE Official Journal of the Irish Science Teachers’ Association Eol-Oidí na hÉireann, Volume 52, Number 2, March 2017 Contents Chairman’s Report Seán Fogarty 3 Dates for Diary 4 Cyanobacteria as a source of renewable energy Conor O’Brien 5 'The Farthest' 6 Antibiotic Resistance Education 6 ISTA Corporate Members 6 News & Views Mary Mullaghy 7 Teaching Energy at Junior Cycle SEAI 10 Science Education ...Collaboration between ISTA and ICASE Declan Kennedy 11 Callan, Stoney, Joly and Others Adrian Somerfield 12 Setting up a Junior Certificate investigation...Richie Moynihan & Paudie Scanlon 17 Electrolysis, ‘Electrolytic Gas’ and Hydrogen-Oxygen Bangs! Randal Henly 18 HPV Vaccine: Separating Fact from Fiction Breda Cosgrove 19 Musings Ian McCulloch 21 Book Review Brian Smyth 22 Rio Ferdinand at ‘Dream it do it’ reception ... Yvonne Higgins 23 Naughton Foundation Awards 2016 Mary Mullaghy 24 Senior Science Quiz National Final 2016 Mary Mullaghy 25 ISTA Annual Conference Main Programme 26 ISTA Annual Conference Primary Programme 28 SciFest Celebrates Ten Years of Science for All Sheila Porter 31 Exploration Dome – a review Russell Harris 32 ESERA 2017 33 Science on Stage 2017 Eilish McLoughlin 33 BT Young Scientist & Technologist 2017 34 Personalising student’s experience Niall O'Connor 35 Coteaching Science Colette Murphy 36 Pocket Know Alex Goodison 39 BioPharmaChem Ireland – Focus on STEM Sophie Moran 40 Ten personal attributes that you inherit 41 Sky and Space: Spring/Summer 2017 Seosamh Ó Braonáin 43 Astro Quiz: A bit of astronomy and a bit of nonsense. Michael Grehan 44 Where Mici didn’t venture Paul Holland 45 Capacitors à la Charlie Paul Holland 47 CROSSWORD Randal Henly 48 Cover picture: Tartaric acid crystalising Tartaric acid (HOOC.CHOH.CHOH.COOH) occurs naturally in many plants, most notably in grapes. It is a dicarboxylic acid, i.e. the tartaric acid molecule contains two carboxyl groups (−COOH). It also has two hydroxyl groups (−OH). Molecules in which a carbon atom is attached to four different groups are generally optically active; they can rotate the plane of polarised light. If you construct models of such molecules you will find that there are two possible arrangements, or isomers, which are mirror images of one another. When chemically synthesised these substances tend to have an equal mix of both isomers. However, biologically produced versions tend to be of one kind only. If you make a model of tartaric acid you will find that it hastwo carbon atoms that have four different groups attached to them. There are therefore four different isomer of tartaric acid. The picture shows crystals of tartaric acid forming from a solution on a microscope slide. The slide has been placed between two polarising filters; this gives rise to colours that change as the crystals grow. (Picture credit: http://scribblesbyjoelle.blogspot.ie/2014_06_01_archive.html ) SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 2, March 2017 1 Eol-Oidí na hÉireann IRISH SCIENCE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION Council Executive Association President: Dr Conor O'Brien, Past Chairman of PharmaChemical Ireland [email protected] Chairperson: Seán Fogarty, Rocklands, Hempfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. [email protected] Vice-chairperson: Mr. John Loughlin, 17 Drom Oir, Knocknacarra, Galway [email protected] Honorary Secretary: Dr Maria Sheehan, St Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare [email protected] Past-chairperson: Stephanie Leonard, Intermediate College, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Treasurer: John Lucey, ‘Copsewood’, Rock Road, Mallow, Co. Cork. [email protected] Assistant Treasurer: Joe Griffin, Intermediate School, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Membership Secretary: Dr Declan Kennedy, Department of Education, UCC [email protected] Website Administrator: Mary Mullaghy, 26 Bailis Manor, Athlumney, Navan, Co. Meath. [email protected] Editor of SCIENCE: Rory Geoghegan, 49 Seamount, Booterstown, Co Dublin [email protected] Branch Representatives Cork: Sean Finn, 32 Old Avenue, Glanmire, Co. Cork. [email protected] Donegal: Dr David Doherty, Gortlosky, Donegal Town, Co Donegal [email protected] Dublin: John Daly, 13 Valeview Ave., Cabinteely, Dublin 18. [email protected] Dublin: Lynn Catherine Anderson, 65 Donnybrook Manor, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. [email protected] Dublin: Mary Sheridan, 83 Lambourn Park, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 [email protected] Galway: James Stephens, Banavane, Ballinamore Bridge, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. [email protected] Kerry: Una Moroney, Intermediate College, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Kildare: Dorothy Fox, Scoil Conglais, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow. [email protected] Kilkenny: Aodhagán Ó Súilleabháin, Heywood Community School, Ballinakill, Co. Laois [email protected] Limerick/Clare: Maria Sheehan, St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare. [email protected] Monaghan: Catherine Murphy, Carnbane, Smithboro, Co Monaghan [email protected] North Midlands: Irene O’Sullivan, Moate Community School, Moate, Co .Westmeath [email protected] Sligo: Lorna Davey, Na Caisil, Drumiskabole, Ballisodare, Co Sligo [email protected] Tipperary: Paddy Daly, 9 The Spa, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. [email protected] Waterford: Mary McDonagh. 5 Williamstown Village, Williamstown Road, Waterford [email protected] Wexford: Sean Fogarty, Rocklands, Hempfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. [email protected] Editorial Team Editor: Rory Geoghegan, 49 Seamount, Stillorgan Road, Booterstown, Co. Dublin [email protected] Assistant Editor for Biology: Siobhán Sweeney, 22, Ashton Park, Monkstown, Co Dublin [email protected] Assistant Editor for Chemistry: Mary Mullaghy, Eureka Secondary School, Kells [email protected] Assistant Editors for Physics: Richard Fox, Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 [email protected] Seosamh Ó Braonáin, Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 [email protected] Assistant Editor for Primary Science: Dr Maeve Liston, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick [email protected] 2 www.ista.ie Chairman’s Report Seán Fogarty s graduates and teachers of science we are drip painting, owed much to his state of inebriation at the all well aware of the many effects that are time they were painted. If you or I were to try painting documented in scientific literature, from the by dripping paint over a canvas placed at our feet, we A would, it seems, do so in a fairly regular pattern as we Accordion effect to the Zeeman effect and many in between. However, I had never heard of the swayed ‘to and fro’ above the canvas – assuming we are sober of course. Our motion becomes chaotic in nature if Magpie effect, this one was new to me. Seemingly our stance is impaired by alcohol. The image thus formed I am a living example of the Magpie. then becomes fractal in its structure. Much of what we I, along with our president, Dr. Conor O’Brien, had see and appreciate in the natural canvas of the world come to the UK’s Association of Science Education around us has a fractal form. It was this similarity to (ASE) annual conference in Reading just after nature that attracted many to Jackson's art and made him Christmas to see what was new in the world of science famous. US President John F Kennedy stated of Ireland, education. in his June 1963 speech to Dáil Éireann, that “no larger nation has ever provided the world with more literary and The talk I was attending concerned CPD for science artistic genius”. I can’t help but wonder if the possible teachers. Apparently, when science educators attend link between alcohol and the creative arts has anything to an event like ASE conference, or our own ISTA AGM, do with that? Now there’s a young scientist project! we are always on the lookout for new ideas, tips and tricks and, like the magpie, we collect and gather all The second item that caught my attention was a more the handouts, brochures, notes, tips, tricks and photos down to earth workshop on literacy in science. The and bring them back only to stash them away at our workshop was run by Sofia Ali, an education and training desks at school or home. Unlike the myth of the magpie consultant, from the University of Birmingham. I was stealing shiny things to stash in its nest we at least have drawn to this workshop partially due to the current the genuine intention of using each piece of knowledge focus on literacy and numeracy in our schools and by or good idea we have gleaned. Alas we probably do not the realisation that the students that I teach have, in my succeed any better than the poor magpie. This has been opinion anyway, poor literacy skills when it comes to proved to me on many occasions when I open a drawer any form of scientific writing. This workshop gave some or locker to find items neatly packed away from some practical methods to develop the scientific literacy skills meeting or other that I had had the best of intentions of students and how to get them to recognise and develop to use but had never got around to. On the positive the objective and accurate writing style used in science side, I have indeed made use of a fair percentage of the as opposed to the more informal descriptions they are ideas I have come across and they have assisted me as used to. The features of academic writing in science a teacher throughout the years, what is worrying is that such as the use of the passive voice, precise verbs, a large proportion of the good ideas remain untapped. nominalisation and subject specific vocabulary were This does raise the question of the time available to all explored. This workshop opened my eyes to much I process, trial and implement the knowledge gained at did not know about the teaching of scientific literacy as all sorts of CPD. It would seem logical to me that to well as the wide range of skills we will need if we are fully benefit from such events teachers need a time to improve the scientific literacy of our students.