Water Bottle Blast Off!

Earlier this week, students in Sara White's physical science class launched their water bottle rockets as a part of a week long project where students built them around 2 liter bottles.  After accumulating pop bottles for several weeks, students built and designed the rockets in class with hopes that their rocket would fly the best.  The blast off was the conclusion to a unit that looked at Newton's Three Laws of Motion.  You know what they are, right?

As a quick science lesson, here are Newton's Three Laws of Motion along with an explanation from Shawn Hill, a student in the class.
1. An object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force.  This is the main law that applies to the water bottle rocket project.
2. Force equals mass times acceleration (F=MA).  Shawn Hill, a student in the class, simplified this law by explaining that "the motion of an object is determined by how big the object is and that will result in how fast it goes.
3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  This is the law that says that no matter what an object does, the reaction will be able to cancel it out.

It was an enjoyable and unforgettable science class.  By using hands on instruction, the students will have a more likely chance of understanding and seeing Newton's Three Laws of Motion in daily life.

Ed Update: Summer school recycles

Woodward Academy is unlike most public schools in that we have school year round.  Summer school at WA is great for students as it allows them to gain credits toward graduation throughout the summer and keep them actively engaged in meaningful activities.  The classes are just as rigorous as during the traditional fall and spring semesters and encompass a wide range of core and elective courses.  Read more after the break to read about the Environmental Activism class.

Ed Update: 5 Characteristics of Effective Instruction in U.S. History

Over the course of this school year, teachers at Woodward Academy have focused on what the Iowa Department of Education calls the 5 Characteristics of Effective Instruction.  The Department of Ed often shortens it to "what good teaching looks like." During professional development opportunities, teachers analyze their upcoming lesson plans and assess them on these characteristics. They are as follows:

1) Teaching for Understanding
2) Assessment for Learning (Formative Assessment)
3) Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum
4) Teaching for Learner Differences
5) Student Centered Classroom

Read more after the break to see how Jeremy Hilbert's United States History class goes beyond the textbook and engages students on a daily basis.