Greetings everyone,
This week in MS Science & Engineering, we jumped into some science disguised as play (which is my favorite kind).
The students did a nice job on their first “quiz” type assessment last week, and we spent time on Monday-Wednesday revisiting some of the stickier concepts and encouraging students to correct their mistakes. Mastery is a big part of what we strive for at DGS, so tests can always be redressed in the interest of better understanding the curriculum.
On Monday, we also had some fun with the concept of pressure, learning the most effective strategy for stabbing a potato with a drinking straw (in case, you know, that ever comes up). We often take for granted the fact that while air is a fluid, it’s still matter, and when compressed it can be pretty powerful.
Later in the week, we leapt into one of my favorite triennial units - Yo-Yo Physics. The students received their yo-yo’s (which they can keep after mastering the academic objectives), and we have begun discussing Newton’s Laws of Motion and Universal Gravitation, and how yo-yo design has evolved to negotiate dynamic forces to suit changing styles of play.
I’ve told the students every day, but I’ll put it here, too. This unit is NOT about becoming a “good” yo-yo player. It’s just a great manipulative for demonstrating elementary physics principles. Don’t get me wrong - there’s something to be said for a highly-portable, non-electronic, “actual reality”, motor skill-building device… but we’re mainly going to focus on the science.
I also want to shout out Jacquelyn for a delectable masterclass on cake baking and decorating. We have such awesome, multifaceted students, and I love hearing about their diverse interests!
Have a great weekend, and reach out with any questions or concerns!
:) Ed Haponik
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