Fearless Year 5s go to the GDST Junior Science Conference

On Thursday 4 May, five fearless Year Five volunteers traveled to London with Mrs Williams to take part in the inaugural GDST Junior Science Conference at the Royal Institution. The Royal Institution has a long history of teaching by showing and doing and this was a very active day of science for the girls.

Martha, Meeku, Imogen, Annabel and Isabella had a busy day that included: sitting in the famous lecture theatre listening to the history of the Institute, exploring the museum and also meeting and discussing science with other girls from GDST schools. Along the way, they learnt that female scientists come in many guises – from marine biologists to astronauts, from engineers to leading sportswomen.

Earlier in the day, girls donned lab coats to extract their DNA from the insides of their cheeks by first taking a sample and then using a lyse to break open the cells, physically manipulating chromosome models and discussing various features of their genetic inheritance.

We learned how, due to our DNA, certain people can or can not roll their tongue and how it is even rarer to be able to roll it into 3 peaks. After that they used ethanol to separate the DNA and finally once they had isolated it they put it in a necklace which they could take home!

Mrs L Williams

Read more about being part of a GDST Junior school with Sheffield Girls'.