Radians School News Letter, Issue 14 science fair edition!!
- 1. Students Practice Real Science at Radians School Issue 14 March 2014 AAA VirtuesVirtuesVirtues---BasedBasedBased CommunityCommunityCommunity Photo above, In 2009, our student Abdiel Ortiz won El Nuevo Dia Educador “Los Duros en la Materia” in the category of Science. Abdiel is currently studying at Cornell University. Above, Christian Rivera giving his presentation on renewable energy in Panama in January, 2014. At left, Luis Ramos (2013 Radians School Graduate) who recently received the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology CRC Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award at Purdue University, Indiana. This award is given to only one freshman per year! In the photograph, Luis Ramos is presenting his project at ISEF 2012 (International Science and Engineering Research) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- 2. Whenever a school promotes research projects, the projects assigned to a student should meet a stringent test for usefulness. Surprising to some, a science research project is one of the best learning experiences a student can undertake. Radians School, as a science-centered school, advocates student-centered scientific research projects of many kinds. We have students working with Agricultural research in our ERCSA agricultural program. Conceptually, a science project is very straightforward. A student chooses a scientific question he or she would like to answer. Research on the question give the student the background information he or she needs to formulate a hypothesis and design an experiment. After writing a report to summarize this research, the student performs the experiment, draws his or her conclusions, and presents the results to teachers. What makes a science research project such a great learning experience is that it involves so much more than science. If the student is in middle school, the research report will most likely be the longest paper the student has ever written. The bibliography for the report will also be the first ever for some students. These reports are a great way to hone computer research skills, as well as to learn the ins and outs of common office programs, such as word processors and spreadsheets. Most projects also involve a good deal of math, and some students get an opportunity to enhance their presentation skills when they prepare their display boards and discuss their projects with the judges. A science research project will also have a longer duration than any other assignment a student has done. In contrast to the typical school homework due the next day or perhaps a week hence, a science research project requires a student to learn to plan over two or three months, a skill of immense importance in adulthood. Procrastination is definitely not rewarded. Savvy students learn even more about communications skills. They learn the importance of selecting topics and fine-tuning their presentations in ways that will make them most likely to impress science research judges. Radians School Promotes Scientific Research by Students
- 3. A science research project even provides an opportunity for the discussion of many ethical issues, such as plagiarism and falsification of data. Indeed, such a discussion is highly recommended. The ease of copying information from the Internet is hard to resist, and many students are far ahead of their teachers in understanding what is possible. Of course, learning about science is at the heart of a science research project. Our society relies more on science every day, and science projects are a great way for students to become more knowledgeable about how the world around them works. Every citizen needs sufficient science literacy to make educated decisions about what he or she reads in the media, about health care, and about other every-day problems. Preparing a science project is an excellent example of what education experts call active learning or inquiry (also "hands-on" learning). It is a very effective instructional method; indeed, it is recommended as a cornerstone of successful science teaching. Yet, according to the National Research Council, active learning is not employed often enough in the classroom and its absence is seen as one of the key factors behind kids losing interest in science and not performing to their potential. Colleges want to see what students have done with the opportunities they had available to them, and science competitions are a fantastic opportunity. Typically, 2–4 percent of science research entrants at the high school level move on to the top level of science research competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Research (ISEF). Photo above, ERCSA is one of the innovative programs at Radians School. Students are encouraged to do viable scientific research at these facilities. 11th Grade student Keishlyann Baez Cruz (not pictured) is one such student from High School. She has been involved in a multi-year research project on natural pesticides. Why the Science Research Projects Are Important By Prof. Denisse Colon Elementary Science Teacher E ach day our children in Radians School reach goals and face new challenges. One such challenge is making the science research project. These past few days, you, the parent, confronted the task of helping your children in the project and often asked yourselves why your child must do the science research project as all? You, as parents, and we, as educators, find ourselves with the task of motivating our future professionals. Our children, naturally curious, constantly bombard their teachers with thousands of questions, many of which could be answered by using the scientific method. The scientific method is a series of ordered steps leading to the answer to a question. For the Science Department at Radians School, the Science Research is something eagerly awaited. We long for that moment to see our students excited about their research. The Science Research Project has many purposes. It is primarily the search for solutions to problems that arise daily by learning to apply the processes of science. It helps develop scientific thinking as well as argumentative and analytical skills. It also helps them to recognize the importance of science in the world. Our School of Math, Science, and Technology promotes and encourage our students to develop their abilities, prove their potential, and contribute to their learning process. The Science Research Project readily provides an opportunity to contribute and enrich the knowledge of our students. Several of our students have gone on to win awards in Puerto Rico and the United States. In Radians School, we emphasize the importance of understanding the use of the scientific method beyond the theoretical level, and helping our children learn to live better lives through its application. "Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds."
- 4. Radians School SHPE Jr with Deborah Martorell Our SHPE Jr students won the Catapult Competition in "Expo-Ciencia 2014" in Colegio Marista. Cristian Rivera represents Radians School in Panamá From January 31 to February 2, Cristian Rivera, 11th grader, represented Radians School and Puerto Rico in Panama’s Science Research called “Feria Científica del Ingenio Juvenil 2014” in Panamá. Cristian presented his project titled “Large Scale Renewable Energy Uninterruptable Power System”. More than 100 scientific projects were presented. The research was sponsored by “Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación” and was convened at the Tryp Panamá Hotel Albrook. This science research aims to promote cultural exchange in the interest of science, technology, and innovation, from the investigation and implementation of the scientific method, and encourages scientific ingenuity in children, young people supported by their teachers. This year's event featured the special participation of students from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Perú, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, who presented their best projects. During these three days, visitors to the exhibition viewed over 100 projects in the categories of biology, environmental science, computer science, earth science and space, social and behavioral sciences, physics and mathematics, engineering and technology, chemistry, health and medicine. Let your child experience the RADIANS SCHOOL difference! Photo below, On March 10, the 12th graders Estefania Guzmán, Alexandra Droz and Tanya Torres presented the conference "The Great Shakeoutout" for middle school students. It focused earthquake preparedness. Demonstrations in the Science Lab by the Chem Club students. Peer to peer educational activity.