Riverstone Blog » Science http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog Musing from the Head of the School Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:53:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Physics Is Fun http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/physics-is-fun/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/physics-is-fun/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:58:30 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=4444 Professor Steve Shropshire, a physics teacher at Idaho State University (ISU), gave Middle School students a physics demonstration on the last day of school before the winter break. Professor Shropshire travels around southern Idaho every year to promote physics, thanks to a grant from the ISU College of Arts and Sciences. As you can see, physics is fun!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/physics-is-fun/feed/ 0 Using Foil, Straws, and a Manila Folder to Learn about the Scientific Method http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/using-foil-straws-and-a-manila-folder-to-learn-about-the-scientific-method/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/using-foil-straws-and-a-manila-folder-to-learn-about-the-scientific-method/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:06:06 +0000 ris_blog http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=3514 Our Grade 8 students have been learning about the scientific method and how to apply it to real life. They have been using the scientific method to design, build, and test boats made out of aluminum foil, straws, and a manila folder. The students have been testing their boats on a 6-foot racetrack and recording the times to see which designs go the fastest. They have discovered that a wide, stable base and a large, balanced sail makes the fastest boat.

Thanks to our Grade 8 students for writing this entry!

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/using-foil-straws-and-a-manila-folder-to-learn-about-the-scientific-method/feed/ 0 Grade 4 & 5 at Snow School http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-4-5-at-snow-school/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-4-5-at-snow-school/#comments Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:21:30 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=2244 Grade 4 teacher, Sonya terBorg writes, “We had a blast at Snow School: learning to put on snow shoe, stomping through fresh powder, ‘otter sliding’ on our bellies, learning about forest plants and animal habitats and building shelters. It was great fun. The best part – we get to go back for three more weeks!”

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/grade-4-5-at-snow-school/feed/ 0 Diploma Programme Biology Students http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/diploma-programme-biology-students/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/diploma-programme-biology-students/#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:27:24 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=1717 Grades 11 and 12 Biology students took advantage of our high school’s location near the Boise River on their recent field trip. Students studied the succession of vegetation along the river edge and conducted vegetation sampling along a transect to document the changes in succession. Other students identified trees in a small section of woodland and then estimated the population of each species in order to come up with a diversity index for the area.

Thanks to Tom B., Riverstone parent, who accompanied the students on the trip and was a great help with his excellent knowledge of local tree species.

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/diploma-programme-biology-students/feed/ 0 CSI: Riverstone! http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/csi-riverstone/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/csi-riverstone/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:27:17 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=1027 Crime scene tape, fingerprint kits, blood and hair analysis kits, and (gulp) maggots…John Pedersen, Middle School science teacher, guided a group of intrepid crime scene investigators as they worked through the age-old question, “Who Dunnit?” Now that’s some summer fun!

IMG_6834

IMG_6840

IMG_6830

IMG_6848

IMG_6828

IMG_6850

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/csi-riverstone/feed/ 0 Pre-K visit Broadway http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/pre-k-visit-broadway/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/pre-k-visit-broadway/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:08:27 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=684 Riverstone’s Pre-K students spend a morning at the Broadway campus, organized by teachers Anne-Marie Derry and Lilly Palacios.

Grade 10 students acted as science teachers for the day as the pre-k students got to enjoy a science fair of experiments in line with their PYP unit on the senses. The morning was complete with a pre-K/Grade 10 barbeque.

1 2

3 4

5 6

7

8 9

Andrew

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/pre-k-visit-broadway/feed/ 0 Riverstone scientists in the news! http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/riverstone-scientists-in-the-news/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/riverstone-scientists-in-the-news/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 13:45:50 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=270 Riverstone International School scientists make the news!

Alex Ide, Head of Science, and his Gd 11 IB biology group were part of a group of student studying Boise river water quality this week.

Click here to read the article in the Statesman

Click here to view video

click here to listen to NPR story

Click here to see Boise City press release:   release-nsf-wq-testing-final-web51

 

Andrew Derry

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/riverstone-scientists-in-the-news/feed/ 0 Head of Science; guest teacher in Middle school classes http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/head-of-science-guest-teacher-in-middle-school-classes/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/head-of-science-guest-teacher-in-middle-school-classes/#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 15:02:00 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=268 Alex Ide, Riverstone’s new Head of Science usually works with the High School, but wants to get to know all of the students!

Alex will be acting as a guest teacher for the next few weeks with the Grade 7 and 8 MYP science classes. 

Students can expect something a little different and should be ready to sharpen their scientific inquiry skills. Alex will be concentrating on the IB scientific method; predicting, hypothesizing, planning, fair-testing and analyzing through some real, hands on investigating.

Andrew Derry

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/head-of-science-guest-teacher-in-middle-school-classes/feed/ 0 Alex Ide appointed new Head of Science http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/alex-ide-appointed-new-head-of-science/ http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/alex-ide-appointed-new-head-of-science/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:34:58 +0000 admin http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/?p=221 We are delighted to announce that Alex Ide has been appointed to the position of whole school, Head of Science.

Alex has been with Riverstone since 2004, previously teaching at Centennial High School, Northwest Middle School, BSU and the University of Utah. Alex also has an extensive background in research, specializing in genetics and breast cancer.

Alex and the rest of the science faculty have already started work on a new Middle School science curriculum that emphasizes the ‘scientific method’ through a hands-on, problem solving approach.

Watch out for a new science club and the Science Olympiad with John Pederson….coming soon

 

Andrew Derry

]]> http://www.riverstoneschool.org/blog/alex-ide-appointed-new-head-of-science/feed/ 0