It is only the third week of school and I am thrilled to see the focus, drive, intellect and energy of the 7th and 8th graders in science class.  The 7th graders are seeking to answer the driving question, “How Can I Make New Stuff from Old Stuff?”, as part of a chemistry unit.  They have been challenged to design an experiment to study the effects of specific variables on the solubility of a solid.

At the same time, the 8th graders are pondering the question “Why Do I Look The Way I Do?”  in their study of heredity and genetics.  They’ve determined that the best way to study heredity is to be able to “see” traits as they are passed from one generation to the next.  To do so, they will be investigating the traits of generations of plants.  In preparation for this, they dissected a flower to study angiosperm (flowering plant) reproduction.

Most important, is what I am hearing and seeing in class on a daily basis.   I am hearing students ask deep, thought-provoking questions.  Questions that are driving the learning process and keeping them focused.  I am seeing a willingness of students to challenge themselves and embrace the idea that making mistakes fosters learning.   I am seeing pairs or small groups of students collaborating effectively to consider various ideas and attempt to solve a problem.  The commitment of these students to their learning is inspiring.  We are definitely off to a great start!