Etobicoke Collegiate Institute

During the last week of classes before the Christmas break, Ms Gullons grade 11 chemistry classes made

Christmas lanterns using pop cans. A design was etched out on the can and a variety of chemicals were used to separate the metal from the can. The picture attached shows a lit lantern with a reindeer design etched out. A student made video of this process will be uploaded soon to the science webpage of our school website.


Ms Dicks environmental class have been busy investigating landfills. In order to better assess the impact of our throwaway society, students have made mini-landfills. They will be monitoring and collecting data over the next few weeks. It is everyone’s hope that “vapours” from these landfills will be kept to a minimum.
Grade 10 students have been working in the dark for the past few weeks…..they’ve been investigating geometric optics. Students used ray boxes as well as candles to investigate properties of plane and curved mirrors, lenses as well as the refractive index of materials. Various refraction effects were discussed and demonstrated in class.
Grade 9 applied students are finishing up their astronomy units. Scaled solar system models are almost finished and will be ready for display soon.

The science program is in full swing.

The grade 9 and 10 applied and academic sciences have been busily working through their chemistry units. Both grades begin the year with a unit on chemistry.  This allows teachers to review lab safety and procedures with their students to ensure a safe environment. This unit also allows students to enhance their laboratory skills as special emphasis is put on developing observational skills and writing lab reports. Teachers have been working hard to provide their junior science students with chemical reactions that allow students to observe chemical changes, to verify the law of conservation of mass  and to observe single and double displacement reactions. Grade 10 academic students will finish their units with a titration lab.

Congratulations to Miss Gullons! One of her research papers is under review for publication in the prestigious Journal of American Chemical Society. The paper is about the kinetics of the metallation of the metalothionein protein and its folding states. Essentially, it is a sulphur containing protein that binds transition metals found in living organisms. The exciting part of this research is that it may have an environmental aspect by producing genetically engineered plants that would absorb heavy metals in contaminated soil. Cleaning up the environment with more plants!

FYI: The first units in the senior sciences are nearing their end. Students may expect tests in the coming few weeks. Extra help is always available! Teachers are also available to provide study tips to avoid test anxiety.