Students will practice their own engineering skills, finding out how things work in the real world, through various projects, hands-on activities, and a field trip or two. The course emphasizes creative and analytical problem solving, hands-on building activities, design, and teamwork. A variety of reaction types will be studied both theoretically and in the laboratory. Applications to daily life will be explored and students will have an opportunity to test their own reasonable ideas in the realm of chemistry. This course should be taken prior to high school Chemistry.
Astronomy is often in the news and it certainly captures the imagination.
This course will provide an introduction to the field of Astronomy. We will discuss the history of astronomy, the night sky, and standard lore about phases of the moon and eclipses. Other topics we will investigate include star formation, the search for extrasolar planets, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Homework will consist of mathematical comparisons and thoughtful essays as well as some observational 'lab' work. Exams and quizzes will also form an integral part of the written work.