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Dive In: Oceanographic Engineering, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Although some is known about the oceans, many believe that there is still a majority of the oceans that remains unexplored. The oceans are home to wide variety of organisms and are constantly changing. Humans rely on the ocean for a multitude of reasons including food, products, recreation, and energy. Engineering is involved in all aspects of harnessing these resources. During Dive In: Oceanographic Engineering, students will be engaged in identifying problems, designing, testing, and evaluating potential solutions.

Secret Communications: Sharing Concealed Messages, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Secret Communications: Sharing Concealed Messages presents learners with examples of various encryption methods. Opportunities abound to use inquiry as an approach to get into the mind of the code writer in order to decipher messages encrypted in various fashions.

Exposure to such examples empowers learners with the capacity to transfer and extend their knowledge of logical schemes and rules to different and novel situations. This ability is an earmark of genuine understanding.

Out Of The Silo: Agronomic Stem, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Out of the Silo: Agronomic STEM is a grade 6 – 8 curriculum which highlights the interplay between science, technology, engineering and mathematics inherent in the field of Agronomy. The growing of plants for commercial use, particularly food, is the essence of agronomy and the heart of this curriculum.

Agronomy in the Illinois region began long before Europeans arrived. Native Americans found the soil and climate well suited to growing corn and so it remains today. Fields for growing corn and soybeans dominate the state, as can be seen easily from the air. Students living in urban centers, who were …

Synthetic Scorecard, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Synthetic biology is a young field with promises of finding solutions to issues such as water and environmental pollution, making more nutritional food, treating cancer and other medical conditions, cleaner energy, and improving computer power. Biologists, electrical engineers, and computer scientists merged forces to develop this venture. Taking the approach of design, test, build enables participants to work together to develop methods of standardization, abstraction, and synthesis that are used while engineering biological systems. The genetic code of G, A, T, C can be written and programmed at the cellular level inexpensively with a predictable outcome. In order for this …

Engineering: Design & Build, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Engineering: Design & Build focuses on investigating engineering. Student led teams conceptualize, build, test and acquire knowledge while becoming familiar with the engineering design process. Using an open-ended inquiry approach students are able to foster their creativity. Students learn to apply multiple skills and develop the habits of innovators.

Students are encouraged to think about needs, requirements, and alternatives as they progress throughout the curriculum. Additionally, students consider materials, energy, inputs and outputs. Unit lessons combine generative, analytical, synthesis, and evaluative thinking to allow students to finalize their design choice and initiate construction.

Living In A Material World, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

Materials science is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the understanding and application of the properties of matter. Materials scientists study the connections between the underlying structure of material, its properties, its processing methods, and its performance in applications.

Scholars have long classified eras of ancient civilizations by their progress in materials science, coining such terms the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. What is known about ancient cultures, especially those without written records, often comes from a scientific examination of the artifacts they left behind. Advances in materials science often went hand-in-hand with other cultural developments. In many cases …

Mars: Manifest Destiny, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

From the earliest days of space exploration, no other object has excited the imagination of writers, scientists, engineers, and the public more than Mars. A neighbor in space, and visible to the naked eye on many clear evenings, the Red Planet beckons.

The development of modern rocketry was advanced by visionaries such as Robert Goddard and Werner von Braun, who always considered Mars to be their true destination. Today, we have the technology to make that dream a reality. What’s more, there is a compelling reason to go, beyond the human instinct for exploration. Life on Earth has suffered a …

You Be The Judge, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy, Fusion

Fusion

You Be the Judge introduces students to some basic principles involved in chemistry, the application of chemistry as well as process skills required to create and carry out meaningful investigations. After students have experienced the concepts in a lab setting, they will have a chance to apply their knowledge and lab skills in a variety of simulations throughout the unit. Students will take the role of experts and identify problems, develop methods of testing, and conduct the tests. After gathering, analyzing, and interpreting results, students will make and share evidence based decisions in a variety of settings.