Science

10th Grade Physics

This class was studying energy transfer and students were asked to figure out where to hold the top of a spring so that when they release the mass, it just barely touches the floor at the bottom of the bounce.

Once each group planned their strategy on a whiteboard, the teacher gave them the spring constant and mass, which were different for each group. At the end, each group presented to the class so that everyone could discuss their different results.

Advanced Projects

In direct response to the growing interest of our students to take on large-scale science projects, we offer the Advanced Projects in Science elective. To be accepted into the course, students have to submit a proposal, including design, research, and materials for their project. Below are a few examples of student work with descriptions in their own words.

From Maxine and Finley:

“We are attempting to create a portable water filtration straw. Within the device, water will flow through gravel, foam and activated carbon. The activated carbon traps these chemicals called VOCs (things like pesticides and herbicides). The foam and gravel capture various sized debris! One of our hiccups throughout this project is trying to remove dangerous pathogens that carry diseases, from the water. We want this straw to be accessible to people who might not have access to drinking water. So, getting rid of risky disease-carrying microbes is vital!”

From Alex and Lola:

“We are developing an activity tracking smart-watch. By using an accelerometer and an optical heart rate monitor, it tracks your steps, pulse, and sleep activity throughout the day. Eventually the watch will connect to your phone and send the data to an app. Currently the device is in a prototype phase and is much bigger (And less stylish) than the ideal end result. We plan to finish the electronics within the next week or two and be able to then focus on shrinking the project and building a watch enclosure.”

From Griffin:

“I am currently working on a project to create a self-regulating ecosystem. This is an underwater living machine that through the use of organic filters, such as snails, different types of plants, and gravel, cleans the water without any outside help. It is essentially like any other lake, but in this case it is my own self-controlled environment where I can experiment with what different variables work the best together to create the most efficient and clean ecosystem. My goal is to eventually create drinkable water.”