The Biology Department actively and enthusiastically participates in a number of activities and trips. We run a series of annual trips for the pupils throughout the school. The general aim of the trips is to enhance the learning experience within Biology and draw out the links between the three sciences.

Each year the Department lays on fun-filled and academically challenging practical activities for Year 6 pupils from the Preparatory School. The Faculty as a whole is well known for putting on many interesting exhibits and activities for Open Day.

A Level and IB Students visit At-Bristol February 2012

On 6th February both our A-level biologists and our International Baccalaureate biologists went on a day workshop to At-Bristol. During the workshop our students collected a sample of their own DNA and then amplified the sample of the DNA using a technique called polymerase chain reaction or PCR.

They were looking for the presence of a gene that gives the ability to taste the specific bitter taste from the chemical phenylthiocarbamide or PTC. This gene may be why some of us enjoy Brussels sprouts at Christmas while other people would rather have our turkey without these small green vegetables. In fact about 70% of people can taste PTC. Once amplified, the DNA carrying the gene was cut using a restriction endonuclease enzyme (think of this as a pair of scissors) and run on an agarose gel. The agarose gel separated the fragments of DNA and allowed the presence or absence of the gene to be detected. Our students found that there was a correlation between being able to taste the bitter chemical and the presence of the gene.

At-Bristol was a fantastic experience and gave students a real life insight into areas of their studies.

Trip Report to Bristol Zoo March 2011

The following report was written by Year 8 student Caitlin Maclean

On Thursday the 10th of March Year 7 went to Bristol Zoo. The aim of the trip was to learn about classification of living things. At 8.45 we set off, the coach packed full of excited children! As soon as the bus left the school drive, sweet packets were opened and iPods began playing! About an hour later we arrived at the zoo, we were placed into our groups. My group went straight to our first activity.

We sat around a large room and a lady started talking about animals. Next, we had to order all the animals and classify them in to the correct category (whether they were mammals, fish, reptiles, birds or amphibians.) We also had to complete some information on the board, again classifying parts of their body e.g: whether they laid eggs or if their skin was slimy. An interesting fact I learned in the lesson was 95% of animals are invertebrates and the other 5% are vertebrates. We also held cockroaches and stroked a snake!

After the first session we walked around the Zoo. I really enjoyed looking at the animals! It was really cool when we reached the seals and the penguins because we went under the water to see them from another view. After walking around for a while we went to lunch! As soon as we received our packed lunches, we ripped them open...to see what was in our sandwiches!

Following lunch, we had about 20 minutes to continue looking around the zoo before our next activity. We saw the meercats, bugs and then we came across a Ben and Jerry’s machine! Everybody started buying it, in all different flavours! Unfortunately, it was time to go to our next activity so everybody had to quickly eat up their Ben and Jerry’s ice cream!

Our next activity was about conservation, we learned about how we can stop animals becoming extinct and also ways that are making them extinct (illegal ways as-well). We learned about how one part of a food chain can affect the whole food chain. The lady also told us a story about snails and we were lucky enough to touch a massive one from Africa!

Unfortunately, we had to leave to let another group in, so to finish the brilliant day of seeing animals we saw the flamingos! I love flamingos! Finally, we went to the gift shop and made our way back to the coach.

It was a brilliant day! Thank you teachers!

Caitlin Maclean

2010 March Science Week

Keith Davenport came as a visiting speaker for our sixth form students. Keith is very experienced in the Biology and economics behind fish stock sustainability, and in particular of exotic fish from Amazonia. He gave a well considered and balanced talk, which was well received by our students.

The following was written by Year 8 student Emily Colligan

On Thursday the 19^th of November year 8 had a trip to Bristol zoo. We left the school at 8:00 in the morning by coach with the journey taking about an hour and a half. We were accompanied by Mr Bonnell, Miss Pane, Miss Kirby and Dr Martin. Once we arrived we looked around a number of different habitats such as the bat and lion enclosures and various nocturnal creatures in twilight world.

My favourite area was the sea lions and penguins. The penguin area smelt of fish and one of the sea lions jumped off the rock and into the water and splashed everybody.

Later on we went to the workshops and we got to stroke the animals shown. The guinea pig was so cute it was a brown female. There were a number of items on the floor which we had to group into mammals, fish, reptiles, birds and amphibians.

After lunch we visited bugs world and looked at honey bees, spiders, crabs and insects. I can not believe we even saw the deadly black widow spider living under a toilet seat.

Warminster_School

I really enjoyed looking at the aquarium with my favourite tropical fish being the clown fish made famous in finding Nemo. The Giant Gourami were the biggest fish I have ever seen with the scariest being the piranha with its huge teeth. Being able to walk under the water tunnels gave such a clear view of all of the fish.

By Emily Colligan Year 8

Y8 Bristol Zoo November 2009

In November the school took year 8 to Bristol Zoo to support and extend their learning in Key Stage three Biology and Geography. They attended two workshops on Classification and Conservation. During these workshops the pupils had the opportunity to handle a variety of “bio-facts”. These included live animals, pelts, skulls and materials confiscated from airports. The live animals that our brave students were able to handle were the Madagascan hissing cockroach, the Egyptian miniature tortoise, a snake, a stick insect, and a guinea pig. Between the workshops we had the opportunity to tour the zoo. Our pupils found their visit both educational and interesting.

February 2009 Darwin's 200th Birthday

The school celebrates the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. A series of events were held throughout the school.

Year 8 Trip to Bristol Zoo Dec 2^nd 2008

The Year 8 visit to Bristol Zoo was a huge success. Our pupils concentrated on two aspects of Biology: conservation and classification. Between the two talks given by Bristol Zoo staff, pupils had the opportunity to tour the zoo itself. Highlights within the zoo included the gorillas, seals and penguins, and the ‘Twilight World’. During the talks pupils were able to handle a selection of live animals - if they were sufficiently brave! These animals were the Madagascan hissing cockroach, a miniature tortoise and a brown rat. Our pupils were a credit to the school and everyone found their visit to zoo both educational and interesting.

Year 7 Trip to the Science Museum, South Kensington

Through the 'Supercool Show' pupils are given an opportunity to reinforce their understanding of Key elements of the KS3 Science.

Year 8 Trip to Bristol Zoo Feb 2008. This trip focused around two workshops on conservation and on classification. In addition the pupils had the opportunity to tour the zoo and meet the animals. Conservation and classification are both important topics within the KS3 Biology course. Pupils learnt about the inter-relatedness of living things and in both workshops had the opportunity to handle living zoological specimens themselves, including cockroaches and a snake. In the conservation workshop pupils learnt about the danger of extinction and the value of checking for environmentally conscious products.

Warminster_School

Year 10 Trip to the Natural History Museum, South Kensington

Pupils take part in specific workshops to reinforce their knowledge of Earth History and Evolution. They have the opportunity to undertake experimental practical work on fossils in 'EarthLab' and research and revision work on evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere within several of the galleries. Warminster School has a strong relationship with the Natural History Museum and scientists at the museum support our work there. We were the first school to use EarthLab and we have helped in the development of museum school-based resources.

Sixth Form Trips and Visiting Speakers

Occasional outside speakers give lectures in the school. For example in Biology, a Lecturer from Bath University gave a talk on the 'Brain'. The sixth form visit Bournemouth University on the annual A-level study day focussing on issues in Biology.

Open Day

Warminster_School

A really successful Open Day! Year 8 biologists studied the effect of caffeine on the heart rate of water fleas. Our students really enjoyed themselves and also learnt about the stimulatory effects of caffeine. One of our advanced level microscopes was linked up to the CCTV video link which allowed us to show a living specimen on a full screen.

Warminster School, Church Street, Warminster, BA12 8PJ Tel. +44 (0)1985-210100

school web design by mlsmedia