Science Night
The GISW’s Night of Science Excites and Draws Many
The Night of Science on November 4th proved to be a joyous evening of exploration and excitement, highlighting aspects of applied science from the school’s STEM-related programs. The main actors in most of the presentations were students who had worked diligently for weeks to prepare their exhibits. More than 50 participants took part in the three-hour program, including 11 students from Gymnasium Höchstadt in Bavaria with their teachers and coaches, three presenting scientists of different backgrounds, as well as GISW students from preschool through high school. Among the more than 350 visitors were fellow students, parents, teachers, members of the school administration and the board of directors as well as numerous guests of GISW.
At the same time, the "Night of Science" marked the conclusion of the "Makeathon" a transatlantic innovation project between GISW and Gymnasium Höchstadt, the 3rd phase of which took place here from Oct. 31 - Nov. 4. The goal was to develop new technological solutions to practical problems - from concept to functional prototype. Specifically, teams presented a "Better Bin" waste separation system, an "Evoscan" smart student backpack, and a "BoardBot" whiteboard robot.
The spectrum of science presentations at the Night of Science included advances in neurology that benefit severely injured patients, demonstrations of physical principles with giant soap bubbles and a sonic cannon, a "banana piano," lighting systems for haunted houses, among others. The initiatives for an environmentally friendly school were not neglected. There were presentations on reforestation, the pollinator garden, “trash monsters” and the "Native Birds on Campus" project. The latter was explained by fourth and seventh graders - accompanied by three large live owls.
Ten of the fifteen exhibit booths were interactive and invited direct engagement with scientific phenomena, which fascinated the many visitors and underscored the fun of discovery.
A particularly impressive surprise from this event was the offer of an Internship at the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research for two members of the Makeathon group by our keynote speaker, Dr. Joe Bonner. What a bonus!
The atmosphere of excitement, discovery, humor, and engagement of the GISW community was enhanced by the highly acclaimed food served in the cafeteria by 11th and 12th grade students.
Views of the “Night of Science” by our 5th graders:
"The Night of Science was a very big festival. There were many machines to watch that could do clever things. For example, one could draw on a white board automatically and very cool was a backpack that packs itself. For example, if you are a little late in the morning, everything is already packed."
"My favorite invention was a smart trash can. It worked by scanning the trash with a camera and then deciding for itself which trash bin to put things in."
"On Science Night, I saw a lot of cool things. For example, you could play a banana piano and learn a lot about owls. The best thing was the food buffet because it tasted mega good and there were a lot of choices."
"With my family I went to the Night of Science. At one table I could build an automatic hand, at another I could blow out candles with a kind of drum. Everywhere it was explained how everything worked. Then I visited a real owl. He/she was full of beauty! At the end I painted my own bird house to take home. Unfortunately, I then had to leave. But it was so much fun!"
