2022-2023

Students learned about the parts of flowers, and observed a flower dissection done by volunteers. Students then had the opportunity to design their own flowers, using the flower anatomy they had learned. 

Students learned about the rock cycle, and different types of rocks. Students also used chocolate to model the rock cycle, melting and compressing it to model how rocks change throughout the cycle.  

Students learned about light, and how it reflects and refracts in mirrors and water. Students used their newfound knowledge of the behavior of light to fill in light "mazes," and consider the effects of different lenses. 

Students learned about solutions, and about physical and chemical methods of separation (filtration, magnetism, distillation, etc). Students then had the opportunity to test these methods out for themselves, by separating out sand, salt, water, and iron using magnetism and filtration. 

Students learned about potential and kinetic energy, and how simple machines can be used to change those energy levels. Students modeled these ideas using paper airplane slingshots and a drawing worksheet, and observed an Archimedes screw in action. 

Students learned about space and space exploration, and considered what might be necessary in order for humans to live outside Earth. Students used previous lessons to develop space suits to promote survival on three fictional planets. 

Students spoke with Sindhura Gopinath, a PhD student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai about her work in disease modeling and cancer biology. They had the opportunity to ask Sindhura about her work as a scientist, and what it’s like to do research professionally.