In this course we are using questions relating to our planet, weather and climate, energy production, and basic physics to learn the fundamentals of product development, academic inquiry, quantitative reasoning (problem solving), and communication skills.

 

During the first semester, we worked on projects that come from a variety of topics, including the weight of Earth’s atmosphere, the weather conditions on other planets in our solar system, the Santa Ana winds, waterfalls, Earth’s climate and climate change, hydroelectric power generation, patterns of rainfall during winter storms in southern California, and more.

 

In the coming semester, we will continue our emphasis on questions of transportation, energy use and production, and environmental conditions.  We will be devoting a significant amount of time to renewable energy production, finance, and our economy. In addition, we will be branching out into student-conceived projects that allow students to learn based on their own personal interests as they relate to math and physics.  

 

Examples of student-conceived projects include a hang glider, a solar-powered guitar amp, a soap box racer to be entered into a competition, and an academic study of the real cost of automobile transportation infrastructure versus mass transit infrastructure.  

 

Lastly, significant class time continues to be devoted to preparation for the SAT math section, SAT II Physics subject test, and web page development for digital portfolios, all in preparation for university admission and studies!