Science, Science Everywhere!

In the winter, the 8th grade Science curriculum is divided into a few different units. The first month of the term is spent studying human sexuality and genetics. Students learn about reproductive anatomy and physiology, reviewing internal and external human anatomy and the processes involved with human reproduction. Students also learn a number of gender and sexuality terms to better understand the variety of human experiences and we had a visit from the educational representative through Planned Parenthood last Friday. She taught the students about the three different general types of sexually transmitted diseases (bacterial, viral, and parasitic) as well as discussing methods of birth control and STD prevention. Students had the opportunity to practice proper condom application using wooden models and asked some great questions about healthy sexuality.

Students also learned about the science of genetics through two labs. First, they learned about reproduction on a molecular level, diving into the structure of DNA and the human genome. Students learned about how DNA makes up chromosomes and the history of human genome mapping, which enables us to place certain traits on specific chromosomes. Students explored how reproductive genetics affects the expression of traits through dominant and recessive genes, and mapped out their own traits, matching chromosomes with traits and assessing the probability of trait expression. In the second lab, students created Punnet Squares to explore the probability of inherited traits with different situations of dominance and recession. We also matched the class's expressed traits with the probability of those traits appearing in the general population.

In mid-January, we shifted our focus in Science to the Avalanche Unit, which incorporates physics, chemistry, psychology, and geology (among other scientific disciplines) to help students understand how to travel safely in the snowy backcountry. Thus far, students have learned about the triangle of snowpack, weather, and terrain that we humans venture into when we explore our backyard. We've learned about how snowpacks are a "horizontal representation of the winter's snow and weather," and had the chance to create simulated snowpack in the lab using various edible products to represent different types of snow: brown sugar as a wind crust, white flour as new snow or slab, white sugar as facets, and potato flakes as surface or buried surface hoar. Students then applied angles and triggers to their simulated snowpacks to see how the layers interact under pressure to eventually slide down a variety of surfaces. Yesterday, we dove into the chemistry of snow, learning about how snow metamorphizes over time and with various pressures like wind and sun. Fun fact: When snowflakes are falling from the sky, they are referred to as snowflakes, but once they hit something (the ground or another surface), scientists called them "snow crystals" or "snow grains."

    

The big focus now is preparing for next week's backcountry ski trip. During this trip, students will continue their exploration of snow science, learning how to dig snow pits and conduct field tests to assess the snow's stability. Students will also embark on a study of the mind as they learn about the heuristic traps that we can fall into when we are making choices about safe travel. With rapid warming predicted this weekend, followed by a relative plummet in temperatures next week, we will surely see some interesting snow chemistry in action!