The Science of Magic - Millennium National School

August 2013
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Issue 4, Volume 1
Cover story
The Science of Magic
“How did it happen?”, “Do it again”, “Where did you learn all this?” These were some of the reactions from
parents, kids, teachers and judges when the magicians from Std.7 to 10 and scientists from Std.5 and 6
showcased their projects during our annual science fair held on Saturday, 17th August 2013.
Each of the participating groups brought something special to the event, and all in all it was an amazing
learning experience for everyone.
In side
Govinda aala re
ll Dahi Handi was
celebrated at the school
and brought smiles to
many young faces.
Page 03
In side
In side
Parenting 101
New roads
with Dr. Atulkumar
Rakshe, an Ayurveda
specialist, for young
parents.
Mehendale spoke to
senior students about
alternative career paths.
llA parenting workshop
Page 03
llEx-student Naina
Page 04
August 2013
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Cover story
The Beginners (Std 5,6)
Winners - Reflection and
refraction (Table B)
Runners up – Colour changing
flowers (Table 74)
Joint second runners up –
Twilight Switch (Table 93), Red
cabbage as indicator (Table 86)
The Scorchers (Std 7,8)
Winners - Illusions (Table 35)
Runners up – The science
behind magic card tricks
(Table 16)
llOur dining halls and badminton hall
were bubbling with enthusiasm and activity
on Saturday. This bustle had begun almost a
month before as discussions were on within
groups about what they were going to do for
the Science fair.
We could see that the children were
pumped up right from day one as they
formed their groups and spent a lot of time
deliberating various topics before picking the
right one for their project. Our teachers acted
as mentors to each of the groups and gave
them guidance when they got stuck in their
Groups Winner
selected
and
for 2 nd
runner
round up teams
Standards
Topic
Total
entries
Beginners
5,6
How
things
work
62
9
4
Scorchers
7,8
30
5
3
Experts
9,10
10
4
2
Group
Second runners up – Magical
water (Table 22)
The Experts (Std 9,10)
Winners – Blow the balloon!
(Table 40)
Runners up – Magical
Chemistry world (Table 11)
thought process and helped them on.
As is our practice during the Science Lab
activities, they encouraged the children to
think outside the box. They motivated them to
not just put forward projects that worked, but
understand how it worked, why it worked the
way it did and what were the factors involved
in making it work. They were also encouraged
to think about what obstacles could stop it
from working the way it should, how they could
make it better and could they suggest an
alternative to the conventional methods.
This lateral thinking that we encourage
congratulations
to all the participants!
in our students on a daily basis got us
phenomenal project ideas for the fair. The
evaluation of the Science Fair projects also
was a very involving activity. We had two
judges examining every project.
Children learnt many new concepts
through their project research. We saw
innovative and creative use of simple
materials. We could also see that most
projects were made, from start to end,
exclusively by students.
Parent’s help and the use of readymade
Science
behind
magic
kits was avoided, this was greatly
appreciated and the purpose of the
exhibition was served well. One of the
parents remarked that the children were
learning science syllabus worth a year by
visiting their friend’s projects in 3 hours!
The ‘Science behind Magic’ theme saw
our children turning into great performers.
Some groups exhibited real showmanship
in performing the magic tricks. A young
spectator was delighted when the science
behind a particular magic trick was
revealed.
Our older students too, were equally
impressed by the work put up by their
juniors. This is what some of them had to
say – ‘The thought process and eye for
details was fantastic’. ‘We were amazed
with the ideas and the efforts put in to make
the ideas workable ‘, said our Class 10
students.We were more than happy that
our students gained a scientific eye to look
at magic and proved our Science Fair a
huge success.
modern teaching techniques, qualified
and dedicated teachers, technology,
academic results, facilities provided,
most delicious and healthy food, lots
of extracurricular activities, bagless
school, variety of sports that each and
every child has to play, each and every
child is equally treated, PTA meetings
held every 15 days, well managed
transport system and most important,
great management team.
parent speak
ll Dear
Sir,
We would like to share our thoughts
on the school. We have two children,
one is in 7th standard and other one is
in 2nd standard.
We are very happy with the school
for a variety of reasons, here are
some one the things that impress us
the most. Program based learning,
Thanks a lot for your great work!
With Regards,
Ashwini Kedar Hendre
Thank you, Mrs.Hendre! Such
appreciation motivates us greatly.
Team Millennium
August 2013
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Events
Parenting 101
families have just admitted their child to
our school this academic year. In order to
give them some guidance in parenting,
we arranged a parenting workshop. The
first session of this workshop, which was
conducted by Dr. Atulkumar Rakshe, a well
known Ayurveda specialist, covered health,
environment, food and inculcating discipline
in children.
He began by asking “Where are the
individuals that we have read about and
heard about? Why are we not producing
celebrated with much fanfare at school. Each
division is divided into two groups i.e. girls
and boys, and each group gets to overturn
the handi. We therefore had many young
Govindas take a shot at the handi. The
Millenium handi is filled with puffed rice and
each group gets the chance to overturn it and
drop its contents on everyone down below.
All our students, right from kindergarten up
to class 10 take part. The height of the handi
varies as per the age of the students. The
kids from kindergarten were picked up by the
teacher so that they could reach the handi. The
handi was tipped over, to the loud cheers and
claps of each group’s respective classmates.
There was also a lot of on-the-spot planning
contained more percentage of salt than is
actually required by our body for the entire
day. He talked of cases of young children
receiving the guidance and support to
coming to him with problems like blood
become exceptional human beings.
pressure, diabetes, kidney stone, obesity,
etc.
He thinks ‘A good parent is a bad
environment have led to changes in our
parent’. i.e if you are a good parent in the
lifestyle, which includes food, health and
eyes of your child, a parent who says yes
technology. He spoke of how advancements
to everything the child asks for without
in technology have led to ease and comfort,
considering the eventual repercussions to
but at the same time, how we have lost
the child’s physical and mental well being,
the need to exercise and are addicted
then you are a bad parent.
to processed food products. He also
He requested the parents to enjoy the
emphasized the need to go back to our
simple pleasures of life with their child, like
basics, in terms of eating healthy fresh food
floating paper boats in the rain etc. He also
instead of junk food, playing outdoors as
felt that the parents need to follow a more
opposed to being cooped up in front of the
disciplined and healthy lifestyle which would
television, as a parent, knowing when to say
gradually permeate through to their child,
‘no’ to your child, thus developing a sense of
making them more fitness oriented, able
discipline in them.
bodied and able minded adults of the future.
Money has now become our one and only
The feedback to the session was
priority, whereas our priorities should be
positively overwhelming. We are in the
health, culture, family and society.
process of coming up with many more such
Dr. Rakshe highlighted the fact that
Govinda aala re
llAs all our students know, Dahi Handi is
Even a single packet of potato wafers
children have the potential, but are not
In his talk, Dr. Rakshe talked about
young parents living in nuclear
percentages of salt, sugar, trans fats etc.
any thinkers and philosophers now?” Our
how the changes in our surroundings and
llMany
these processed foods contained higher
and strategizing, deciding who goes on top
of the pyramid, who will be at the base etc,
which was fun to watch. When asked how they
decided that a certain student was to be at the
top or at the base, they said that it depended
on the height, weight, agility and strength of
each student. Interesting deductions!
Once the handi was toppled the students
let down their hair and danced away. The
kindergarten teachers encouraged the young
ones. The older lot of kids needed no such
encouragement, they had a lot of fun dancing
to festive music. The event ended on a sweet
note with each child being given toffees or
candy.
workshops for our parents.
August 2013
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activity
A Path Less Travelled
ll Naina
Mehendale, one of our exstudents and head girl, who passed out
in 2009, had topped the school in her
at the Delhi campus which was her
ultimate dream, but the NIFT Kolkata
centre instead. She left after a year as
class 10 exams with more than 92%.
She is now pursuing her Bachelor’s
degree at University of the Arts, London
and visited the school to talk to the
students from class 10 and 11. She had
she was very unhappy. She then got the
opportunity to pursue a course at the
University of Arts, London. She joined
the university with the aim of studying
fashion designing, but discovered
a high score and instead of going the
standard way, she decided to follow a
different route, and chose to study Arts.
She completed junior college at
Fergusson College, and that opened
filmmaking in her foundation year. She
has already made a couple of films as
part of her course curriculum for which
she has received much appreciation
among her peers and mentors.
her eyes to many career options which
She emphasized the importance
she wasn’t aware of. She interned at
Femina during this time where she got
to meet and interact with people from
various fields. This is when she realized
of networking. She advised them to
actually “look at things” and to be
focused, but also keep an open mind to
consider other options. She suggested
the importance of communication and
networking. She later got a job as a
that they become self aware and
then pursue their chosen career with
blogger for a fashion website based on
her social networking skills.
passion. The students were grateful that
Naina exposed them to different options
She spoke of how she was
determined to get into National Institute
of Fashion Technology in Delhi, and
and were now willing to explore careers
that were off the beaten path.
Thank you, Naina! We are proud
become a famous fashion designer, but of you and are sure you will succeed
life had other plans for her. Her entrance greatly.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Independence has given us a lot of
things,
Our abilities are evolved from nothing
into something,
We got a right to question some action,
Or fight election for some section,
We are proud to say this is our land,
No outside country can dictate us what
we should do and what we can,
To this day we live free without fear,
Due to the sacrifices made happily
without any tear,
Today we live free, think free, and have
least of sorrow,
Credit goes to our enthusiastic past, rich
present and bright future tomorrow.
— Pranav Deo, 9A
The winner of last month’s quiz, New
from Old, is Raghav Paranjpe, 7A.
Team Millennium
exam marks did not get her into NIFT
Congratulations!
School Elections
person for the role, and what they would do
ll Elections were held in our
school on August 21st to elect student
representatives. We invited Mr.Shrikant
students to compete fairly.
We gave the students two weeks
after this talk to prepare their campaign
once elected. Each candidate managed to
successfully put forth their views.
On election day, the students followed
all the rules and discipline pertaining to
the day and even got their finger marked
Bharatiya, Sanghatan Mantri, Maharashtra
state for the BJP, to educate the students
about electoral procedures and the
importance of campaigning. This talk
proved interesting and motivated the
posters and speeches. Soon there were
colourful posters all over the school.
On a pre-assigned day each candidate
gave a speech detailing why they should
be elected, how they would be the ideal
with ink to confirm they cast their vote. The
results are listed below. We hope that these
young students follow the footsteps of their
predecessors and lead their house and the
school to glory.
SCHOOL
ELECTIONS
Head Boy & Head Girl
Blue House
Rohit Jayanti
Tejal Bankar
Capt. – Ajay Majethia
Vice Capt. – Tanvi Bhide
VOTE
GREEN House
Capt. – Karan Gandhi
Vice Capt. – Omkar Apte
RED House
Capt. – Shreyas Kulkarni
Vice Capt. – Urja Mishra
YELLOW House
Capt. – Bhargavi Thakar
Vice Capt. – Vedant Limaye