Science Teachers:

​Gina Allen - 8th Grade Science - gallen@bccu2.org
Jackie Blumer - 6th Grade Science - jblumer@bccu2.org
Josh Cox - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Science - jcox@bccu2.org
Parker Manhart - 7th Grade Science - pmanhart@bccu2.org

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2020-21 School  Year

Mrs. Allen's 8th grade science students were challenged to build a model car.  They tested the cars to see which would travel the farthest and fastest after being rolled down a ramp.  They had certain criteria and constraints in designing their cars, and had to think about materials available, time to complete the cars, and scientific principles affecting the speed and distance of the cars.  Students also voted on the best looking car.

Mrs. Allen's 8th grade science classes recently performed a lab comparing the movement of water through stems of different plants by using red food coloring in water.  The xylem (a vascular tissue in plants) in celery allowed the most visible transport.  Pictures are below.  The classes previously completed an egg drop challenge.  The students designed landing gear for the eggs and tested their designs by dropping eggs outside the school.  Several pictures are below - as you can see, some designs were more successful than others!

Mrs. Allen's 8th grade science classes also designed their own cars during their engineering unit.  The students brainstormed and tested their ideas for how to best make a car.  They used mostly common household items to make their cars (no kits), and tested their models outside to see whose creation went the farthest and fastest.  This year's classes had some awesome examples.  Each class also voted on a best looking creation.

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2019-20 School Year

Mrs. Allen's 8th grade science classes have completed several labs and other fun events during the 2019-20 school year.  A slideshow of pictures are below.  Some of the activities include:

• Using coins to study probably and genetics while learning about genotypes (your genetic makeup) and phenotypes (your physical characteristics);
• Testing each other's reaction time and looking at cause and effect while learning about information processing with an animal's body;
• Taking pulse rates and breathing rates before and after exercise to learn about how systems within animal bodies depend on each other;
• Placing stalks of celery, asparagus, and broccoli in red food coloring to learn about the vascular system of each plant and how each one processes nutrients to live; and
• Constructing a ball launcher and competing to see who could go the farthest distance using the fewest material points, building a model car that traveled the farthest after being rolled down a ramp, and designing a helmet model during an engineering unit.

​Students in Mrs. Goldsboro's 7th grade science class had a fun 2019-20 school year.  Pictures from her class are above.  Some of their activities include:

• Building solar ovens and testing them to see how well they work cooking s'mores while learning about different kinds of energy; and
• Building roller coasters to observe potential and kinetic energy within a system.  

Mrs. Blumer's 6th and 7th grade science classes were very busy during the 2019-20 school year.  They visited the Challenger Learning Center, launched postcards to space, put on a first grade sicnece fair, have learned about Bournielle's Principal, energy transfer, and designed a roller coaster, space suit, rocket, lunar rover, and heat shield.  They have been working very hard to expand their knowledge of the engineering design process.  Below are a few videos that highlight their learning.