Tech Integration in GVSD

Genius Hour - Mrs. Frost Honors Biology 9th Grade This year, our Garnet Valley High School teachers in the Science Department launched Genius Hour in their biology classrooms. This initiative entailed giving every student the opportunity to research a particular topic of their own interest, in any biology-related field of science. Once their topic was selected, students developed essential questions to help drive their research. The students used their research to develop a more formal driving question to steer the experiment process. Read below to learn more about our students' experiments and their scientific findings. T homas Burke, (Freshman at GVHS), researched the Iodine levels in swimmers vs. non-swimmers. In speaking with Thomas he provided the reasons behind his research. He himself is a swimmer. Through research he has learned that chlorine in pool water replaces the iodine in the body. He conducted surveys and experiments with fellow classmates. His experime...

Science teachers, Mrs. Cordero and Mrs. Dorn, at Garnet Valley Middle School, had their 6th grade students showcase their knowledge of plate tectonics in an innovative way.  For this lesson, students brought plate tectonics to life through Stop Motion Animation films. Working in groups of 3 to 4 students. each group was given one of the three types of Plate Tectonic Boundaries: Convergent. Divergent, or Transform.  After working together to brainstorm how to bring their plate boundary to life, each group developed and wrote a story board while choosing the necessary materials to support their stories. These materials included, but were not limited to, legos, graham crackers, cookie wafers, cardboard, styrofoam, and even homemade nutella mud! The next day, students worked together to construct their particular plate boundary and used the app, Stop Motion Pro to create their video tutorials.  Check out some of the videos below to see our students' final products...

Our second grade students in Mrs. Northey's, Mrs. Townson's, and Mrs. Lynch's classes at Concord Elementary School investigated the scientific question, "Does the temperature of water affect how fast sugar dissolves?"   In following the steps of the scientific method, the students first proposed hypotheses of whether they think hot water or cold water would cause the sugar to dissolve more quickly.  The students developed their own hypothesis based on what they have been learning in science class, as well as, their background knowledge and experiences. To begin the experiment, students worked together in pairs to complete a STEAM Challenge to build a snow castle out of 30 sugar cubes.  At each table, each group of students were designated either hot water (more like "very warm" water) or cold water to drop on their castles.  The students used eyedroppers to help put water on their castle.  Each student was responsible for writing what happened to th...