Head of School Feb 23, 2024
Dear Seven Hills Families,
Earlier this week, I had a chance to dip into several Upper School science classes, and though I feel older than dirt when I say things like this, I was astonished to observe how far science instruction has evolved in just the last few years.
In a biology laboratory, the students were preparing for an upcoming lab on homeostasis at the cellular level. By answering a series of guided questions, they refined their understanding of passive vs. active transport, diffusion and osmosis, hyper-, hypo-, and isotonic solutions, and endo- and exocytosis.
In an adjacent chemistry lab, there was a lively discussion about gas laws as the students hypothesized about the relationship between temperature, volume, and pressure. There was a brief review of the historical contributions of Toricelli, Boyle, Charles, and Avagadro and then and then an animated exchange of real world examples of energy transfer in action.
In an Advanced Placement physics lab, in preparation for a unit on harmonics and frequency, the teacher conducted a fascinating demonstration using a simple harmonic oscillator. When a one-kilogram weight was suspended from a spring and one of the students pulled down on the weight and released the spring, a device on the floor measured the distance traveled by the weight (using an echolocation device) and instantly plotted the measurements on a graph in increments of microseconds. Students then discussed what the sinusoidal shape of the resulting trigonometric function might reveal about harmonic motion.
What struck me about all of these classes was the range of tools our teachers have at their disposal to help students understand the scientific principles at work. Each of these lessons involved complex spatial concepts which are often difficult for students to conceptualize. In addition to a host of real world examples that students were asked to generate, the teachers were able to deepen students’ understanding by using digital diagrams, animations, or graphical interfaces.
Even before the students began their own laboratory investigations, they were guided toward preliminary hypotheses about the principles involved. The goal, clearly, was to make sure that when the labs were conducted, students understood the implications of the data they would collect.
To this day, I can remember doing high school science experiments in which I dutifully followed prescribed procedures, wrote and submitted detailed lab reports without having any idea what the data really meant. What a different experience it is to discover these abstract concepts with the aid of these powerful digital tools (as well as such expert teaching!).
Christopher P. Garten
Head of School
Key Dates & Events
Wednesday, March 6 — Parent Community Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 9 — LGBTQIA+ Family Social, 12-2 p.m.
Sunday, March 10 — Daylight Saving Time Begins. Move clocks ahead one hour.
Friday, March 15 — Spring Break Begins at 3:15 p.m.
March 18-29 — Spring Break. No School.
Monday, April 1 — School Resumes