What's Happening at LTSA?

 In 3-5 HUB, we are using empathy, math, and design/maker skills to create a tiny home for a “client” who is experiencing homelessness! Students received a surprise visit from their clients last week and had the opportunity to interview them to better understand their needs. They will each design and build a cardboard scale model of a tiny home that meets their client's unique needs. Throughout this engineering design challenge,  challenge, they will apply their knowledge of measuring area, length, perimeter, and volume to ensure they meet design constraints. This challenge will also tie into our visit to the Community First! Village next week!  

 IPC students have been studying physical and chemical properties as well the difference between physical and chemical changes. Students then approached an 'Identifying an Unknown Substance' lab with a forensics twist using the following scenario--> While investigating a crime scene, you find several packets of white powder.      How would you determine what your unknown substance is? Are they illegal drugs or just harmless packets of candy or basic household substances?                                                                                                                             ...

4th & 5th grade scientists are learning about renewable energy sources and harnessing wind power. We have used maker skills to construct windmills and are now programming Lego WeDo motors to spin the turbines. Next task: Use Google Earth to find the ideal location for their windmill. 

IPC class started out the year with our chemistry portion of our course discussing properties of matter. Students collaborated with a partner to determine the density of water. some were even able to determine the density of isopropyl alcohol to compare to that of water. Computer generated graphs were made and % error was determined between their findings and the accepted values. Nathan measuring water in a graduated  cylinder to mass out and record into his lab notebook Klarissa and Justin calculating density Shannon and Carrie comparing notes