February 9-13

Curriculum Update

Science

This week we started our Testing Materials and Designs Unit. Throughout this unit, students will evaluate the suitability of different materials and designs for some building tasks. The path that we have chosen to do this unit is through the premise that we are an engineering company who will be given a number of tasks. Each of the tasks that the students are presented with will involve an experiment. Students will be using the scientific method to go through a number of tests in order to determine the best choice of designs or materials.

This week we introduced the unit by holding a classroom vote to determine the 

name of our company - in the end the students voted for 3FM Engineering Company. 

We went over our company rules and we completed an activity to help students 

understand the idea of a FAIR TEST. It is important for students to understand that 

in order for their experiments to be considered fair - they can only change ONE variable 

in the test - otherwise the results are flawed. 

Finally, the students were given their first task - to determine which shape 

would hold the most mass - an arch shape or a square shape? We performed 

our first experiment as a group to help model the scientific method and what 

is expected as they go through their tests.

Ask your child why the arch is stronger than the square shape? 

Hint: the force is distributed equally in an arch making it stronger.

Social Studies

This week in social studies we continued to look at the access to services that are available in the countries of Peru and Tunisia. Students evaluated the concept that quality of life is affected by access to services and many were quite dismayed at the fact that there are communities that do not have running water or electricity. Although students understand that people can survive without these services - they recognize that these services can make our lives easier and more comfortable. Many of the students were openly unimpressed with the idea of being without many of the luxuries that they have in their own lives - such as computers and video games. We also discussed the importance of access to health-care, including doctors, hospitals and medicine; something that is not readily available in some communities. In addition, students evaluated the differences in services available in rural communities versus urban communities.

Hope everyone had a Happy Hearts Day and a fabulous Family Day weekend.