New STEM Course for 9th Graders
Chris Kaus, Physics, Astronomy, and Science & Engineering Teacher
October 13, 2016
The new Science & Engineering course developed by the Science Department introduces STEM skills to 9th graders and prepares them for future science courses at CDH. Curriculum development for this course began in summer of 2015 when the 9th grade science teachers met to construct and organize units of study, some of these units were piloted in the former 9th grade Physical Science course.
This year began with students learning how to write code. Students learned the basics of Javascript, how to program spreadsheets to perform a variety of calculations, create meaningful graphs, and create and print unique 3D designs. These designs included items from simple shapes of specific volumes to individual creations. These creations included a model bicycle, a birdhouse, a model of a digital camera, and a scale model of a car. Many activities require students to work in collaborative groups and then incorporate thoughts and ideas independently to complete assignments or projects.
Technology has been, and will remain, a focus for this course. We have included CDH’s technology staff in our curriculum development so that a variety of technology will be incorporated at every opportunity and in every unit in the course. With their help, the use of the iPad has been expanded this year. Aside from using the OnShape app to create 3-D designs, students will be using it to collect and analyze data in a variety of topics in science. For example, in one unit of study students will be collecting data on their iPads by connecting them using Vernier Labquest and a force sensor and an accelerometer. In this particular activity, students will work collaboratively to design a crumple zone for a car and measure the accelerations and forces acting on their car in a collision. Data will be collected and analyzed so that, after multiple iterations, an optimal design may be obtained.
Plans also include a unit focused on engineering. Students will look at a variety of engineering disciplines and research the jobs associated with that field, the skills and education required to be successful, and the different companies that hire those types of engineers. Students will also study the engineering design process. They will participate in multiple activities where they use this process to design (and re-design) something or to create an experiment to test a hypothesis. Guest speakers in the engineering and STEM fields will be invited to speak to our classes.
In developing this curriculum, we have included members of the math department to determine commonalities in our respective coursework. Our goal is for the students to understand that mathematics and science are intertwined, and together help explain how the world works.
Students will gain a strong understanding of the STEM world. They will develop problem-solving skills while working collaboratively and independently, using a wide range of technology to collect and analyze data. Students will establish a firm background in science that is designed to prepare them for their next three years at Cretin-Derham Hall and beyond.