CISH Group 4 Science Project

CISH

TheGroup 4 projectis a collaborative activity where students from different Group 4 subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared in line with aim 10—that is, to “develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge”. The project can be practically or theoretically based. Collaboration between schools in different regions is encouraged. The G4 project allows students to appreciate the environmental, social, and ethical implications of science and technology. It may also allow them tounderstand the limitations of scientific study, for example, the shortage of appropriate data and/or the lack of resources. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary cooperation and the processes involved in scientific investigation, rather than the products of such investigation. The choice of scientific or technological topic is open but the project should clearly address aims 7, 8, and 10 of the group 4 subject guides (DP Biology Guide 2016).

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Group 1 - by Henry Bai

Biosphere 2 is a world-renowned NASA project that aims to create a self-sustaining microcosm, a closed system where the only transfer is energy. However, such ambitious endeavors come with drawbacks and limitations. Our team has tackled 2 main limitations to propose a feasible and actionable solution. We researched coatings to apply, with the aim of preventing concrete from cracking and lowering its moisture in order to lower its reactivity to our environment and its surrounding gases including oxygen and carbon, elements that are imperative for the mutual, self-sustaining relationship between plants and consumers where photosynthesis and respiration function in tandem cyclically. Secondly, we"ve researched the absorption spectra of glass panes to decide on and select the most suitable tints and pigments for glass. This is one of the underlying problems with glass"s high reflectivity for our habitat. So, we chose blue and red as our main solutions to maximize light access for our producers. With consideration of energy, another approach inspired by mathematics was our application of parabolic mirrors to centralize all of our sun rays.This was to deflect them all and concentrate them on the central region of our habitat. In a nutshell, this concludes the main solutions that our project has embarked on to resolve. This is in order for a more self-sustaining infrastructure for future terrestrial habitats to reference. Overall, this was a wonderful 3-day endeavor that ended our school year on a high note. It was an opportunity for us to use up all of our remaining bursts of energy to fully optimize our learning experience.

Group 2- by Harold Heo

Title: From Engine to Motors

Team Members: Harold, Sean, John, and Henry.

Approximately 5.6 tons of carbon dioxide are produced per vehicle manufactured. 75% of this carbon dioxide is emitted from the steel chassis and the paint that covers its chassis. Our Group 4 Project was about investigating and evaluating this eco-friendly transition from the perspective of Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, and Computer Science. Is there a way to recycle these painted steel chassis and convert gasoline vehicles to electric ones? This will prevent environmental harm caused by both the production and use of these vehicles.

Group 3- by Martin Sulik

Title: Students" vitamin consumption Research question: What are the effects of vitamins on a high school student"s mental and physical health? How can vitamins ensure good mental and physical health?

Our project aimed to investigate the effects of vitamins on high school students" mental and physical health. By integrating knowledge from Biology, Chemistry, Sport Science, and Computer Science, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to understand the impact of vitamin intake on students" well-being. Throughout our research, we examined various vitamins and their effects on mental and physical health. Among the vitamins studied, B vitamins had the most significant influence on mental health. However, it is worthwhile to note that all vitamins have their own benefits and drawbacks. Our research highlighted the importance of vitamins in quantities. Vitamin intake can be achieved through a healthy and balanced diet. This includes a variety of meals with vegetables, fruits, and other nutrient-rich sources. By leveraging the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Sport Science, and Computer Science, we gathered data related to vitamin intake, mental health indicators, and physical well-being. Our findings underscored the importance of understanding vitamins" role in maintaining good mental and physical health among high school students. In conclusion, our project emphasized the significance of vitamins, particularly B vitamins, in promoting positive mental health. We also highlighted the importance of a well-rounded diet to ensure the appropriate intake of vitamins. By shedding light on the effects of vitamins on high school students" mental and physical health, we hope to contribute to the broader understanding of how nutrition impacts overall well-being in educational settings.

Group 4- by Emily Lee

Group number 4, consisting of Manolo, Emily, Ailee, and Sunshine, examined a real-world issue of volcanic activity through this project. Each was responsible for different science areas. Sunshine handled chemistry, Emily took biology, Ailee"s in Environmental systems and societies, and Manolo"s in Sports, exercise, and health science. As a team, we investigated and analyzed what volcanic activity is, how it occurs, and what impacts it causes. We also investigated how and why it happens in various fields.

For us to explore it in more detail, we chose one of the most representative impacts of volcanic activity, volcanic ash. We researched that in each of the four scientific fields. Moreover, for us to make a deeper exploration and a clear connection with the real world, we chose the most active volcano in the Philippines, called Mayon Volcano. In the process of selecting and investigating the actual volcano, we once again realized that problems affecting both the environment and humans still exist and are serious. As we looked into its actual solutions, we also found that many real-world issues can"t be solved with science. Through this, all of our team members had questions about 5W and 1H. What is it?When? And why did it happen, who"s involved in this case, and how can it be stopped or solved? By making deep considerations, questioning ourselves, and realizing the connection between science and our world, we collectively achieved the purpose of the Group 4 project. We developed it again. This project also improves students" communication and teamwork skills. Our group has naturally developed by coordinating large and small tasks through consultation between members. We also shared each other"s research knowledge, ideas, and thoughts.

Even though we worked together through communication, the difficulty we had during the project was related to teamwork. It wasn"t easy to organize everything from start to end, mostly because we didn"t have that much experience taking on long-term projects. It took us a day to set a topic and research direction. It took another day to find relevant research data, understand it, and then explain it to each other. On the last day, we put our work on a whiteboard and presented it to all the teachers. At the end of the project, we realized that although all the difficulties we had were related to teamwork, solving them was also through teamwork.

In the Group 4 project, we"ve done so many things together that it feels like three days are short, and we"ve faithfully fulfilled our roles. In that process, we"ve acquired communication and teamwork skills, but also patience, insight, and dedicated work skills.

Group 5- by Cindy Liu

Cooum River: Water Pollution and Solutions

Water pollution is a raging environmental issue that affects aquatic ecosystems, organisms, and even humans worldwide. The Cooum River, located in Chennai, India, is one such ecosystem heavily impacted by water pollution. Pollutants such as plastic waste, chemicals, and untreated sewage liquids have made the river unsuitable for many organisms.

Our project focuses on understanding the extent of water pollution"s impact on the ecosystem, and what measures can be taken to resolve the issue. Our group members are Cindy Liu, Barry Bai, Sharon Wu, and Anna Yao. Our project brings together the fields of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the problem and potential solutions. Through this interdisciplinary approach, we created a prototype for a water filtration system. This was to aid the growth and development of organisms depending on the Cooum River for survival. This prototype can be easily made from common materials and developed and industrialized by the Indian government. This will promote the Cooum River"s sustainability. This system may resolve different problems within these four subjects, like increasing dissolved oxygen levels, surface tension, photosynthesis rates, organism population, etc. Plastic waste, chemical waste, and oil spills are among the major contributors to this pollution. Effective measures such as the use of this water filtration system can be taken to reduce waterpollution in the Cooum River. This prototype water filter using biochar, rocks, sand, and charcoal can provide clean water by filtering out impurities. By taking action to mitigate water pollution"s negative impacts, we can promote sustainability and preserve our ecosystems for future generations.

Group 6 - by Michael Shi

For our Group 4 Project, we have designed a product centered around tackling the hygiene issues faced by the female population of menstrual age within rural communities in India. Since we have recognized discrepancies between urban and rural life quality and method, a factor of focus has been identified as menstrual products. Therefore, the center point for this project in terms of our group is developing a menstrual pad better suited to the needs of these aforementioned women. Throughout the planning process, we managed to integrate all four subjects, Biology, Chemistry, ESS, and Computer Science into the core of the developmentscheme. Overall, this has been a fruitful experience that has successfully cultivated an ability to interconnect scientific concepts among students of different course areas.

Group 7 - by Harry Kim

For our group 4 project, we decided to research artificial gravity and space farming. Throughout the project, we had a very meaningful experience exploring how such random topics can come together. We also explored how they could be explained in the areas of science we have explored. As we assembled our personal findings, it felt like we were matching a puzzle set together. This certainly was an interesting journey. It was also a blast to build effective models showcasing our learning and going through multiple iterations to complete them. There were multiple obstacles, even when we chose our topic, which dragged our processes longer than expected. I do agree with you that, overall, it was a very meaningful process to cooperate and draw together what we have learned individually into an interesting topic in a joint effort.