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, 3D Printing and Prototyping , SeaPerch Underwater ROVs and StratoStar High Altitude Weather Balloons.
LEGO Robotics is a program that enables individuals without formal training in engineering and computer programming to design, build, and program small-scale robots. 3D Printing and Prototyping will introduce students to the field of 3D printing and its various uses. Students will create their own objects using online CAD software and then print them out on our 3D printer. They will also design prototype fan blades and use their findings from the class to design the optimal fan blade in terms of energy output. 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 Sea Perch ROVs will be the capstone project of the underwater explorer unit. The StratoStar program will engage teams of students to design and build experiments to be launched into near space (90,000 ft) via a high altitude weather balloon. Student groups will then present their finding from the experiment in a scientific poster presentation. 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 science project, which he may enter in the Lower School Science Fair. Form A Science meets three times a week for the entire year.
LEGO Robotics is a program that enables individuals without formal training in engineering and computer programming to design, build, and program small-scale robots. 3D Printing and Prototyping will introduce students to the field of 3D printing and its various uses. Students will create their own objects using online CAD software and then print them out on our 3D printer. They will also design prototype fan blades and use their findings from the class to design the optimal fan blade in terms of energy output. 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 Sea Perch ROVs will be the capstone project of the underwater explorer unit. The StratoStar program will engage teams of students to design and build experiments to be launched into near space (90,000 ft) via a high altitude weather balloon. Student groups will then present their finding from the experiment in a scientific poster presentation. 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 science project, which he may enter in the Lower School Science Fair. Form A Science meets three times a week for the entire year.