The students have been studying various levers, the wheel and axel, the Archimedes screw, and inclined planes. They have been designing and building machines to make life easier around the Farm, and at the same time working out the mathematical equations that explain how the machines work.
The students recently took a field trip to an operating mill to see how a simple machine enables humans to life thousands of pounds to turn a grind stone.
This study of simple machines is an example of an Occupation Project. Occupations are project-based science classes. The term Occupations comes from the idea that young adolescents are exploring their identities, testing out what it means to function in the social and economic world of adults - what might I be when I enter this society? How might I contribute? What might my occupation be? The projects are based on the real needs of the Farm School Community and on real occupations (beekeper, engineer, botanist, etc.) and change each term.
No comments:
Post a Comment