At K. International School Tokyo, students have various opportunities during the year to share learning experiences with students from different grades. One such opportunity was provided recently when grade 12 students in their final year of the IB Diploma Programme hosted K2 students who visited the secondary chemistry laboratory as part of their science topic on “Change.”
The grade 12s conducted five different experiments that demonstrated to the K2s a physical or chemical change. In one of the experiments, the K2s observed what happened when food coloring and liquid hand soap was mixed with milk. Other experiments included burning sugar and blowing up a gum candy. For each experiment, the K2s were required to describe the change they observed.
In observing the experiments, the K2s not only gained knowledge about topics unfamiliar in their daily lives, but also learned that chemistry is fun. The grade 12s were also impressed to see the younger children’s reactions and their passion to learn more about the world around them. As one grade 12 student commented: “Currently, the kids may not know much about chemistry, but as they learn many more things in the future, they may have the opportunity of advancing to the path of chemistry.”
