Sixth Grade G/T

The G/T curriculum unit offered to sixth graders this first marking period was

“Out of This World,” the study of space exploration. Students learned about rockets and man’s adventure into space. They learned about Robert Goddard and his contribution to rocket design. To understand Newton’s Laws of Motions and their application in space travel, students conducted experiments, then built and launched bottle rockets. Students also wrote essays debating the merits of government funding for future space travel.

Students researched the planets in the Solar System and created posters to display their findings. To support this investigation, students took a field trip to the Franklin Institute; they viewed the IMAX film, “Space Station”, watched a planetarium show, attended a hand-on workshop and engaged in the many interactive activities in the exhibit, “Space Command.”

Seventh Grade G/T

The seventh grade G/T students began their year with the unit, “Flying High,” the study of aviation. Students learned about man’s early attempt at flight, from the ornithopter, to balloons, gliders, and finally to the first successful controllable powered flight by the Wright Brothers. Students also studied the lives of other famous aviators and evaluated the impact their lives had on the world and American history. Using the Internet, students did research on the life of an aviator, wrote a biography and created a stamp to commemorate his/her achievement. After learning about the principles of flight, students built and flew their own model airplane. A field trip to the Air Victory Museum highlighted this interesting course of study.

Eighth Grade G/T

The eighth graders began this year by exploring the field of Genetics and the Human Genome Project. They had to conquer an extensive amount of new vocabulary and learn new concepts in biology. Students studied Gregor Mendel and his contributions to the laws of heredity. They learned how to use Punnett squares to predict the probably of genetic traits being passed on to offspring. After learning about the structure and function of DNA, students designed and built models to demonstrate their knowledge. Embryonic stem cells, their potential, and the controversy surrounding their use were explored. Class discussion and debates were held about the pros and cons of embryonic stem cells research prior to students writing persuasive essays about the topic.

Additionally, students researched genetic diseases and created informational posters or brochures, power point presentations, interviews or videos to present their findings. A field trip to The College of Physicians, the Mutter Museum, in Philadelphia provided the opportunity to observe the effects of genetic abnormalities.