In 8th grade Geometry, we are wrapping up our unit on Trigonometry. They have mastered the “law of sines” and “law of cosines.” Our next unit looks at two-dimensional as well three-dimensional geometry. Students will see how cross-sections of prisms are used to determine volume and look at Cavalieri’s principle. They will then finish the quarter studying conic sections. They will use this knowledge as well as their trigonometrical knowledge as they finish their interdisciplinary unit (IDU) which looks at depth and intensity of earthquakes at plate boundaries. Students are plotting the data in Computer Science, and will finish with their results and conclusions in Science class. This project ends our Science unit on geology; our next unit in Science is physics. We will be studying motion, forces and energy. We begin by exploring speed, velocity and acceleration. Our project for this unit will be building and launching a bottle rocket. In Computer Science, the Earthquake IDU concludes the data visualization in Python. The next and final unit in python is Object oriented concepts using Python. For the rest of the year, we will be learning database concepts using Microsoft Access. Students will learn about creating tables, forming relationships, creating forms, reports and querying the database using SQL. There is a short unit for about 3 – 4 weeks on Processing (java mode) before their Boston trip in April.
Image Credits: (Top) “Boston.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 10 Nov. 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/boston/. (Bottom) “File:Wfm Stata Center.jpg.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Dec. 2009, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology#/media/File:Wfm_stata_center.jpg.