Science

I believe the best way to learn about science concepts is to experience them whenever possible.  The curriculum is experiment or lab based and guided with the questions of “So What” and “What If” to make sense and connections with our learning.  Past experiments have included (but are not limited to) using dry ice to see how sublimation works and the effect is has on liquids,   placing apples in various substances to see which is the best/worst for preserving apples (and the difference between a control and variable, using a variety of tests and observations to identify rock and mineral samples for category and type, growing a mini window garden and evaluating factors that might be hindering their growth, etc.  When possible, we also observe labs being done via the internet using unavailable chemicals or are too dangerous for the classroom (such as what liquid nitrogen does to various objects, simulations of how tsunamis occur, volcanoes erupting, what the organs in a body actually look like and how they work, etc.)

In addition to classroom and virtual lab experiments, we also do at least one simulation a year where the student is given the role as a specific type of scientist and has to collaboratively (in a group) solve or create possibilities for solutions to the scenario.  Past scenarios have included: the NASA Imagine Mars project where the students have to design a base that would sustain life on the surface of Mars, Crime Scene Investigation where the students use forensic science to determine who committed the crime and which story is supported by the evidence given, designing and building a model bridge for a specified span of the Snake River Canyon, becoming a County Health Department investigator that has to find the cause and source of an major disease breakout (including which disease it is), opportunity to participate in the state Invention Convention (via their Math and Science block class), etc .   As much as possible, I try to bring in experts from the field (engineers, dental forensics examiner, Health Department official, etc.) to present how they solve similar problems in their jobs and answer student questions.  I am working to increase the types and number of community members to come and do this with our class.