SEP Session 1, Day 5 (5-8)

Each day, we will feature several courses. Throughout the session, we will feature as many courses as possible.

*Images of cow eye dissection ("Explorations in Neuroscience") are included at the bottom of this post*

Today in "The Energizers and Catalyzers in the Biochemical Process," students went on a field trip to Wilsdorf Hall Lab at UVA. Students visited a crystallization lab and explored the crystallization of a baking soda and water mixture (video below). Students also had the opportunity to check out (and learn about) a nitrogen chamber!

Pictures Grades 5-6:

Pictures Grades 7-8:

Today in the morning class of "Engineers Can Save the World," rising fifth and sixth graders explored systems level engineering. Students were tasked with redesigning the cafeteria experience. Check out some of their designs below!

In the afternoon class, rising seventh and eighth graders had a guest lecturer. They heard from a UVA chemical engineering professor, Gaurav Giri, about using "human centered design" (surveying and speaking to a population to learn what they are looking for) to create air filters for populations in developing parts of the world.

This week in "From Hamlet to Black Panther," students in both the morning and afternoon classes are dissecting each of the five acts of Hamlet. Students have discussed a variety of topics like the supernatural, love and madness, death, and revenge in connection to Hamlet.

Today students in "So You Want to Change The World," did an ideation activity called "how might we...?" for which they answered silly questions like "how might we get to the grocery store without driving a car?" Then students translated those new design thinking skills to thinking about real problems ("how might we make healthcare affordable?" "how might we reduce childhood obesity?")

Today in "How to Make a Podcast," students began the class by listening to a portion of NPR's student challenge winner "Murderous Mary and the Rise of Erwin". Following the listening session, students discussed why the podcast might have won the challenge, what made this podcast "good", and what good editing looks like. Students then learned how to use the website twistedwave.com to edit. Today, students were tasked with creating a 1 minute mini-podcast to share with the class.

Listen to "Murderous Mary and the Rise of Erwin": https://www.npr.org/2019/05/15/722236763/the-town-that-hanged-an-elephant-is-now-working-to-save-them

Today in "Explorations in Neuroscience," SEP 5-6 scientists worked in pairs to dissect cow eyeballs. First, students watched an instructional video about what to expect during the dissection and how to properly examine the eyeball. Pairs of students were then given their cow eyeball to dissect. As students worked together to take apart the eyeball, they identified the different parts of the eyeball and had the opportunity to explore each part of the eyeball and their various functions. 

Best,

Nicole, Olivia, and Abby