Form A Science Class
The Form A science course focuses on engineering and technology with students discovering and understanding the application of basic/foundational/pure scientific principles to contemporary innovations and industries. Projects that students will be engaged in throughout the year will be LEGO NXT Mindstorm Robotics, Introduction to Coding, 3D Printing and Prototyping, SeaPerch Underwater ROVs and Engineering Contests (Mouse Trap Cars and Earthquake Towers).
LEGO Robotics is a program that enables individuals to design, build, and program small-scale robots. Students will program their LEGO robots to do basic tasks culminating in a LEGO Robot Field Day where the robots compete against each other in a student designed event. The Introduction to Coding unit will have students take the Computer Science Fundamentals: Express course offered at www.code.org. As a result of the course, students will master the core computer science and programming concepts such as computational thinking, algorithms, functions, and conditionals. In addition students will be learn to code in Scratch where they will design their own video game and electronic greeting card. 3D Printing and Prototyping will introduce students to the field of 3D printing and its various uses. Students will create their own objects using the online CAD software Tinkercad and then print them out on our Ultimaker 2 3D printer. They will also design prototype bumpers for and egg car and use their findings from the class to design the optimal bumper to protect the egg car. The SeaPerch program will give students meaningful hands-on experience in building and designing robots and applying that experience to the scientific field of underwater exploration. The building of the SeaPerch ROVs will be the capstone project of the underwater explorer unit. The Engineering Contests unit will engage teams of students to design and build mouse trap cars and earthquake towers. Student groups will then compete against each other to see whose design worked the best.
Each student will keep a weekly blog to track their learning and growth throughout the year. In the spring each student must do an independent Maker Faire project, which will be part of the Lower School Science Week. Form A Science meets four times in our seven-day cycle for the entire year.
LEGO Robotics is a program that enables individuals to design, build, and program small-scale robots. Students will program their LEGO robots to do basic tasks culminating in a LEGO Robot Field Day where the robots compete against each other in a student designed event. The Introduction to Coding unit will have students take the Computer Science Fundamentals: Express course offered at www.code.org. As a result of the course, students will master the core computer science and programming concepts such as computational thinking, algorithms, functions, and conditionals. In addition students will be learn to code in Scratch where they will design their own video game and electronic greeting card. 3D Printing and Prototyping will introduce students to the field of 3D printing and its various uses. Students will create their own objects using the online CAD software Tinkercad and then print them out on our Ultimaker 2 3D printer. They will also design prototype bumpers for and egg car and use their findings from the class to design the optimal bumper to protect the egg car. The SeaPerch program will give students meaningful hands-on experience in building and designing robots and applying that experience to the scientific field of underwater exploration. The building of the SeaPerch ROVs will be the capstone project of the underwater explorer unit. The Engineering Contests unit will engage teams of students to design and build mouse trap cars and earthquake towers. Student groups will then compete against each other to see whose design worked the best.
Each student will keep a weekly blog to track their learning and growth throughout the year. In the spring each student must do an independent Maker Faire project, which will be part of the Lower School Science Week. Form A Science meets four times in our seven-day cycle for the entire year.