Page 19 - My FlipBook

“Theory Without Jointly reported by:
“Theory Without
“Theory Without
Practice is Empty” Cayden Chan Wei Han Jr1Z(2)
Practice is Empty”
Practice is Empty”
Khoo Xin Yi Sr2ScA
2023 Science Quiz be able to get help from one of the 3 guests.
2023 Science Quiz
2023 Science Quiz
However, none of the teams ended up using
their helpline.
5th of July 2023, the much anticipated date
for the junior middle three and senior middle “Practice without theory is blind. Theory
one science classes participating in the 2023 without practice is empty.” A committee
Science Quiz. The competition was held in member quoted Immanuel Kant, right as the
conjunction with Kuen Cheng Science Week second session started.
2023, with an aim to test the students’
Each team had to build a bridge out of
knowledge of science facts and further
specified materials, some of which would be
inculcate a spirit of scientific enquiry.
given as basic resources, others being taken
For the preliminary round, teams of 3 per on a first-come-first-serve basis.
class gathered outside in the hallway at the
The criteria for the bridge was that it must
school’s MML labs. When seated, the
be built across a 50cm gap and must be 15cm
students were briefed on the rules and
wide for a robotic car (provided by the
regulations of the competition, and the quiz
Robotics Club) to pass through. Each group
promptly began. It covered the subjects of
was given weights to determine how much
Biology, Physics, Chemistry and
weight their bridge could hold. Points would
Mathematics. Students had 1 hour and 15
be given per 100g of weight added onto the
minutes, from 3:35 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., to
robotic car passing through. If collapsed, no
answer the quiz sheet as a team.
points would be awarded. They were only
“We made a few of the questions especially given 1 chance.
difficult so that we can find students with the Using materials like wooden chopsticks,
potential to go for science-related straws, pasta, newspaper, tape, popsicle
competitions and build up such a community sticks, rubber bands and more, the teams got
within the school,” stated Tan Wei Han straight to work and finished their bridge
(Sr2ScA), the group leader of the Science within 40 minutes.
Week’s activity coordination team and main
organiser of the competition. During the bridge-making, the guest alumni
were given memorabilia and took turns
Advancing onto the finals, all senior middle
talking about their past experiences with
one science students were allowed to spectate
science subjects and competitions.
the match, which was held on the 8th of July
in the school hall from 8:00a.m. to 10:30a.m. The bridges were then tested one after the
Joining the committee were three special other, with the highest scoring team adding
guests, namely Chang Kian Yau, Tristan 700g weights.
Chaang Tze Shen and Yap Yong Sheng,
Kuen Cheng’s alumni who are notable not “We should’ve placed more weights. Our
only for their science studies but also bridge clearly can withstand much more than
remarkable academic achievements. that.” stated one of the competitors, only
realising the importance of pre-testing their
After a quick briefing of the rules, the first product after the competition ended.
session of the finals began with a Quick
Answer Competition where participants had The marks were tallied and the results are as
to raise their hand first in order to be selected shown:
to answer within a certain duration. There First place : Sr1ScA
were 10 questions in total, each with different Second place : Jr3Z(5)
point values. The teams were allowed to use a Third place : Sr1ScE
“helpline” only once, from which they would Honourable mention :
Jr3Z(6), Sr1ScB, Sr1ScD

14