On Monday, June 30, 2025, scientists from the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences (BCS) brought science to life for students at Ellerton Primary School, St. George, as part of their STEM Week celebrations. The presentations were the collaborative effort of Biology Technicians: Ms. Kim Ashby, Ms. Danielle Ifill and Mr. Kirk Mayers; and Chemistry Technician, Dr. Joanne Simmons-Boyce. They included Sight vs. Scent, Skull Match and Secret Agents, all designed to spark curiosity and excitement about science. Among the day’s highlights was the opportunity for students to meet two new members of the department’s animal collection, Charlena and Bella, a pair of Flowerpot snakes (Indotyphlops braminus).

On the day, Ms. Ashby, Dr. Kelly Brathwaite (Lecturer in Microbiology) and Dr. Simmons-Boyce received a warm welcome from the eager students, some of whom remembered them from last year’s STEM Week.
 
Plant & Animal Identification
Ms. Ashby and Dr. Brathwaite jointly manned Sight vs. Scent - an identification activity using the senses that introduced students to common garden herbs/plants used in Barbadian culinary preparations. On display were thyme, chives, parsley, tarragon, mint, spinach, basil, celery, hot peppers and rosemary. The majority of students readily recognized the hot peppers and surprisingly, the mint. Interestingly, many failed to recognize chives even though the school had some growing in their garden. The Skull Match activity proved to be a hit with the young ones, many of whom had never seen or interacted with facial skeletal forms before. They eagerly tried to match the skeletons to their correct names, based on their distinctive features. Charlena and Bella also created much excitement as students learnt that these reptiles feed on the eggs, larvae and pupae of termites and ants; are blind and are an all-female species!
 
The Chemistry of Leaveners
The Secret Agents presentation was an exploration of the leavening agents - baking powder and yeast - used in baking. Dr. Simmons-Boyce demonstrated how each of these agents is able to release carbon dioxide which causes baked goods to rise. Students mixed baking powder, a combination of an acid (cream of tartar) and baking soda, with water and observed its foaming action. They also played a game where they pretended to be individual yeast cells, which when mixed with sugar and warm water, passed gas (CO₂)! Students were challenged to use their problem solving skills to explain why only one of three balloon-capped bottles, had (its balloon) inflated. They reasoned that it was because the bottle contained yeast, sugar and warm water whilst its counterparts both lacked sugar (food for the yeasts) and one was not at the right temperature. Many of them closely examined the prepared yeast dough, noting its numerous holes and puffiness. 
The presentations were well received by both students and teachers as was evidenced by their engaging and animated responses. Mrs. Nikita Prescott-Johnson, coordinator for the STEM Week, commended the department’s willingness to bring science to Ellerton Primary and extended an invitation for us to join them again next year.