9th Grade
Project
10 weeks
"Aloha Science: Hawaii's Wonders in Action!"
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Purpose
The purpose of this 20-week course is to immerse 9th-grade students in Hawaii's distinct environment and culture through project-based learning, enabling them to apply foundational science principles to real-world challenges. Students will explore units on motion and force, energy, electricity, waves, matter, atomic structure, bonding, and reactions, engaging in hands-on projects that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By integrating local context and community partnerships, the course aims to deepen students' understanding of scientific concepts and cultivate a sense of place and identity, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Learning goals
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of physical science concepts across a 20-week course, covering units on science foundations, motion and force, energy, electricity, waves, matter, atomic structure, bonding, and reactions. They will engage in hands-on projects that integrate Hawaii's unique environment, applying mathematical models and computational tools to design sustainable solutions and materials. Through collaboration with community partners, students will enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, exploring the interaction of magnetic and electric fields and wave behavior in local ecosystems. Self-directed learning and academic mindset competencies will be fostered through reflective practices and peer feedback sessions.
Standards
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS3-1 - Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS2-5 - Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS2-4 - Use mathematical representations of Newton's Law of Gravitation and Coulomb's Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS2-6 - Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS3-3 - Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS4-1 - Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.
- [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-PS2-2 - Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
Competencies
- Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
- Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
- Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
Products
Students will design and construct solar-powered water purification systems using locally sourced materials, demonstrating their effectiveness in providing clean water to Hawaiian communities. Additionally, students will create multimedia presentations that analyze the impact of ocean waves on Hawaii's coastline, using mathematical models and data visualizations to propose sustainable coastal management strategies. Furthermore, they will produce a documentary film that captures the process of developing materials resilient to Hawaii's climate, featuring interviews with local scientists and showcasing student-led experiments. To expand the course to 20 weeks, students will also develop interactive exhibits that explore foundational concepts of motion and force, energy transformations, and wave behaviors in Hawaiian contexts. They will create computational models to simulate atomic structures and bonding reactions, presenting their findings in a virtual science fair.
Launch
Kick off the expanded 20-week course with the "Hawaiian Science Exploration," a multifaceted scavenger hunt that introduces students to the foundational concepts of physical science, including motion, force, energy, electricity, waves, matter, atomic structure, bonding, and reactions. Students will engage with their environment to identify examples of these concepts in action, collecting data and observations that will inform their projects throughout the course. This immersive activity fosters a deep connection to Hawaii's unique ecosystem and cultural context, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of scientific principles and their real-world applications.
Exhibition
The 'Hawaii Science Showcase' will be expanded to include interactive exhibits that demonstrate students' understanding of foundational science concepts, motion and force, energy, electricity, waves, matter, atomic structure, bonding, and reactions. Students will present their solar-powered water purification systems alongside multimedia presentations on sustainable coastal management strategies and documentaries on materials designed to withstand Hawaii's climate. The event will invite family, friends, and community members to engage with diverse student-led experiments, fostering a deeper appreciation for Hawaii's unique environment and its influence on scientific phenomena.
Rubric
Plan
| Week 1 |
Day 1
|
Day 2
|
Day 3
|
Day 4
|
Day 5
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Project Launch: Hawaiian Energy Quest
Activity
55m
|
Introduction to Renewable Energy
Activity
25m
Mapping Energy Sources
Activity
30m
|
Design Challenge: Solar-Powered Device
Activity
25m
Brainstorming Session
Activity
30m
|
Hands-On Experiment: Electric Currents
Activity
30m
Data Analysis Workshop
Activity
25m
|
Reflection Journal Setup
Activity
20m
Essential Question Discussion
Activity
35m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 2 |
Day 6
|
Day 7
|
Day 8
|
Day 9
|
Day 10
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Introduction to Energy Conservation
Activity
25m
Hands-on Experiment: Solar Energy Efficiency
Activity
30m
|
Exploring Hawaii's Renewable Energy Sources
Activity
30m
Design Challenge: Solar-Powered Device
Activity
25m
|
Mathematical Modeling Workshop
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Investigation of Electric Currents and Magnetic Fields
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal
Activity
25m
|
Design Review Session
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 3 |
Day 11
|
Day 12
|
Day 13
|
Day 14
|
Day 15
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Exploring Energy Transfer
Activity
25m
Hands-On Solar Panel Experiment
Activity
30m
|
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Design Workshop: Solar-Powered Solutions
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Introduction to Magnetic Fields
Activity
20m
Magnetic Field Experiment
Activity
35m
|
Data Analysis: Magnetic Fields and Currents
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 4 |
Day 16
|
Day 17
|
Day 18
|
Day 19
|
Day 20
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Introduction to Waves and Hawaiian Media
Activity
25m
Hands-On Wave Simulation
Activity
30m
|
Data Analysis Workshop: Wave Behavior
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Design Challenge: Wave-Resilient Structures
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Investigation of Molecular Structures
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal
Activity
25m
|
Design Review Session
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 5 |
Day 21
|
Day 22
|
Day 23
|
Day 24
|
Day 25
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Understanding Wave Behavior
Activity
25m
Hands-On Wave Experiment
Activity
30m
|
Data Analysis: Wave Experiment
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Design Challenge: Coastal Management Strategy
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Exploration of Molecular Structure
Activity
25m
Hands-On Material Experiment
Activity
30m
|
Data Analysis: Material Properties
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 6 |
Day 26
|
Day 27
|
Day 28
|
Day 29
|
Day 30
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Introduction to Energy Conversion Devices
Activity
20m
Hands-On Design: Energy Conversion Device
Activity
35m
|
Mathematical Modeling Workshop: Energy Conversion
Activity
30m
Peer Review Session
Activity
25m
|
Experimentation: Testing Energy Conversion
Activity
30m
Data Analysis and Reflection
Activity
25m
|
Investigating Ocean Wave Dynamics
Activity
30m
Design Challenge: Wave-Resilient Structures
Activity
25m
|
Design Review Session
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 7 |
Day 31
|
Day 32
|
Day 33
|
Day 34
|
Day 35
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Introduction to Material Resilience
Activity
25m
Hands-On Experiment: Material Testing
Activity
30m
|
Data Analysis Workshop: Material Resilience
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Design Challenge: Resilient Material Structures
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Investigation of Renewable Energy Devices
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal
Activity
25m
|
Design Review Session
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 8 |
Day 36
|
Day 37
|
Day 38
|
Day 39
|
Day 40
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Wave Impact Analysis
Activity
25m
Hands-On Experiment: Wave Energy Conversion
Activity
30m
|
Data Interpretation Workshop
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Design Challenge: Innovative Wave Energy Device
Activity
30m
Peer Feedback Session
Activity
25m
|
Investigation of Energy Flow in Systems
Activity
30m
Design Refinement Workshop
Activity
25m
|
Design Review Session
Activity
30m
Reflection Circle
Activity
25m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 9 |
Day 41
|
Day 42
|
Day 43
|
Day 44
|
Day 45
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Introduction to Project Exhibition
Activity
20m
Exhibition Preparation Workshop
Activity
35m
|
Rehearsal of Presentations
Activity
25m
Peer Review and Feedback
Activity
30m
|
Final Adjustments and Refinements
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Showcase Setup and Logistics
Activity
30m
Individual Reflection and Goal Setting
Activity
25m
|
Hawaii Science Showcase
Activity
55m
|
| Preparation | |||||
| Week 10 |
Day 46
|
Day 47
|
Day 48
|
Day 49
|
Day 50
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase |
Project Activities
|
||||
| Activities |
Final Design Refinement
Activity
25m
Data Visualization Workshop
Activity
30m
|
Presentation Preparation
Activity
30m
Peer Review Session
Activity
25m
|
Technical Report Writing
Activity
30m
Reflection Journal Entry
Activity
25m
|
Hawaii Science Showcase Rehearsal
Activity
30m
Final Touches
Activity
25m
|
Hawaii Science Showcase
Activity
55m
|
| Preparation | |||||