Science is rarely confined to a single subject – and neither are the challenges our students are learning to solve!

Our NIS Collaborative Science Project brought together Grade 12 Biology, Chemistry, and Physics students in interdisciplinary teams to investigate real-world scientific scenarios based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Clean Water and Sanitation and Sustainable Cities and Communities). Students determined their own approach, designed experiments, collected and analysed data, and drew conclusions – moving between our four science lab classrooms to access the resources their investigations require.

Just as importantly, students were challenged to look beyond the experiment itself. Each team considered the environmental, social, and ethical dimensions of their chosen scenario, exchanging ideas and drawing on different scientific perspectives as they worked towards a shared understanding.

The project also provided valuable preparation for the IB Diploma Programme Internal Assessment process, giving students a supported opportunity to develop skills in research, experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication, and reflection.

It’s collaborative inquiry in action: students making decisions, asking questions, testing ideas, and discovering how different areas of science connect when tackling the complex problems of the real world!