Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE Used in Qatar's "Hassan Bin Thabit Scientific Excellence" School Competition
Hassan Bin Thabit Secondary School for Boys (Doha, Qatar) organized a competition in March 2023 titled "Hassan Bin Thabit Scientific Excellence (1st Edition: Illustrated Environmental Experiments)" as part of its activities using The GLOBE Program.
The competition was organized by the Chemistry Department under the supervision of the Educational Supervision Administration at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The competition aimed at promoting a spirit of constructive competition and challenge among students by conducting an experiment to measure the pH of the soil in the school garden, determining the appropriate agricultural crops for cultivation based on the results, recording a video, and sending it to the organizing school. Schools were given a one-month opportunity to record and submit the video and the judging and announcement of the winning schools took place in May.
Several schools have extended the competition to include research on soil treatment and pH modification for cultivating additional crops that are in high demand within society. This proves challenging in standard soil conditions.
Assistant Country Coordinator Sherif ElHefnawy states, "It is crucial to establish a connection between the chemistry concepts introduced in the classroom and real-life situations. This linkage becomes particularly significant when addressing pressing issues such as agricultural challenges in Qatar." He continues, "We believe that this competition inspires high school students in Qatar to engage in global activities and encourages numerous teachers to participate in Globe programs. They are enthusiastic about learning more about The GLOBE Program!"
Images courtesy Sherif ElHefnawy, Assistant Country Coordinator, Qatar.