Our Junior School embraced artificial intelligence and innovation with gusto during Science Week 2023. The theme was ‘Innovation: Powering Future Industries’.
The week of activities was launched in the Fiona Assembly by ‘Melissa’ who was created with artificial intelligence. She introduced our guest speaker Mr Andrew Sharpe who explained to students the evolution of AI through the development of chess-playing computers. They learnt that the technology is now so advanced that no human will play them, as they are impossible to beat!
Hillingdon students learnt about innovation in the seafood industry; Mr Peter Manettas spoke to our young Ascham students about his work in developing technology to make commercial fishing more sustainable.
Kindergarten and Year 1 students loved making paper helicopters and watching them spin down to the ground as they launched them from the balcony. Year 2 students made paper planes and learnt how using a cardboard launcher with an elastic band can make them fly further. Our Prep students went on a treasure hunt to find things they predict will weigh the same amount. They tested their predictions by putting their objects in a paper cup and placing them on a hanger to see if they would balance.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have been the focus of Science Week in Fiona. Years 3 and 4 students helped develop online neural networks by adding to the data set of Quick Draw. They then replicated this process by trying to identify some pictures from fragments of drawings. Years 5 and 6 engaged in the Day of AI where they learnt about how machines gain intelligence and trained their own teachable machine. They also explored deep fakes and developed their own AI product pitch.
A highlight of the week was the combined activity where the Hillingdon students joined the Fiona students in their Pod groups (vertical peer-support groups). Together they made bracelets with beads that represent their initials in binary code.
Science Week 2023 was a stimulating and mind-expanding success. All the Ascham Junior School students embraced their activities with enthusiasm and curiosity!
