Junior Science Academy Class Descriptions
4th Grade Classes
Artifacts and Culture of Ancient Problem Solvers
- This class encourages use of Science and Engineering Practices while exploring Social Studies Standard I, Objectives 1&2, and Standard II, Objective 1
Biology: Structure and Function in Living Organisms
- Using the museum dioramas, explore what they learned and develop their own conclusions about the function of animal sounds
- This class uses Museum quality specimens to further understanding of SEEd standards 4.1.1 and 4.1.2
*New* Energy Transfer and Water
- This class will be taught September-October and March-May
- Use engineering principles to create a pump out of pvc pipe and test it with various iterations
- Investigate the types of energy at work in a pump
- Explain the cause and effect between the speed of pumping and amount of water transferred via computational thinking and flow rate
- Analyze data sets regarding water usage in the state of Utah
- This class uses tools and data to increase understanding of SEEd standards 4.2.1 and Standard 4.2.4
Fossils: Stability and Change in the Fossil Record
- Observe and record the structures of fossils to better understand what a fossil is
- Compare the patterns in Green River leaf fossils to modern leaves to determine the environment in Utah 52 million years ago
- Compare and contrast trilobite fossils to better understand stability and change in an organism over time
- Observe the ceratopsian wall to develop conclusions about why an organism might change
- This class allows students close interaction with museum quality fossils to improve their comprehension of SEEd standards 4.1.3 and 4.1.4
*New* Making Waves
- Explore the difference between amplitude and wavelength with hands on models
- Observe seismographs and develop conclusions about the patterns of energy they display
- Develop a conclusion about which materials effectively block the energy from radio waves
- This class uses Museums exhibits, data, and hand on activities to deepen students comprehension of SEED standards 4.3.1 and 4.3.3.
5th Grade Classes
Earth's Systems: Using Models to Find Solutions
- Analyze and interpret patterns in maps and weather data to understand local trends in temperature inversion
- Learn what is in our atmosphere and how those various molecules react to temperature changes
- Investigate a model to understand how convection and inversion work in the atmosphere
- Understand how our landscape and naturally occurring weather patterns in the atmosphere can impact particulate matter in the air
- Analyze the system model of a Salt Lake inversion day and design solutions to the problem
- This class uses Museum exhibits, data, and tools to help students comprehension of SEEd Standards 5.1.4 and 5.1.5