Grade 9 Hands-on
School Year 2023/24
Species Research Project - Science - 2023/24
In groups of two or three, students chose their favourite species of animal or plant and over the course of the unit researched different kinds of information on them. The students learned about the other species that their chosen species interact with within their habitat. They discovered that each species has a conservation status, which is visible on an international database. The conservation status is a category that reflects how close a species is to becoming extinct.
Once they completed their scientific research, they creatively illustrated a poster to share their newfound knowledge and added extra fun facts of their choice. Finally, shared their findings with their classmates in a presentation of their species research poster.
Projector and Galaxy - Science - 2023/24
As part of learning about the Moon, Earth and Planets, students worked on creating a projector that would have a moving and floating image of the planets. They also worked in groups to create solar system representations in a poster format.
Telescope Lab - Science - 2023/24
Last week we had our introduction to the space unit, observing the universe. In this lab, we reviewed what we learned about Earth-based, optical, refracting telescopes that use lenses.
The students built a simple refracting telescope, the same kind of telescope that Galileo made in 1609. There are two lenses in the telescope. One lens is responsible for bringing light into your eyes and the other lens is responsible for magnifying the image.
The students used thick construction paper to make tubes for their telescopes. Different-sized lenses were attached to each end. To focus the image, they could adjust the length of the telescope by changing how much the smaller tube is inserted into the larger one.