1. Article text graphic. Choose any article related to science out of a respectable science journal (magazine). Check with me if you're not sure you have one. Some titles: The Sciences, Scientific American, Discover, Natural History, National Geographic, Archeology, Astronomy.
Create a text graphic, using standard, blank white paper, showing what the article is about. Your writing must be in ink and the graphics in color, and the layout must look good. Include a bibliographic reference.
If you haven't done a 'text graphic' with me before, I have a handout and can show you examples. (8)
2. Newspaper or magazine article collection
Search the newspaper for articles related to the science we are studying. Cut them out and glue onto paper, creating a notebook. Write a short summary of each article, or draw a picture explaining the main concept(s), and explain what it means for science. Do not submit until you have at least 4 articles. Summaries must be in ink, or typed. Limit: 20 articles for the year. (4 points for two articles)
3. Science fiction reading
Read any science fiction book or short stories approved by me. (20 points for reading, up to 20 more for projects – you have to do at least one for reading credit.) The project handout is on the organization wall.
4. Watch any non-fiction, science-related show on television, or view a science documentary (sci-fi films do not count).
Channels that show science films regularly: Discover, The Learning Channel, KVIE, Animal Planet. Write a summary of what you learned, a brief explanation of what the work or research means for our understanding of how the world works, and create one illustration. All writing should be in ink or typed and the illustration should be done neatly and use color. (4)
5. Research any topic
Research any science topic of interest to you. Ask me for a separate research proposal sheet. (Up to 20 points)
6. Attend any science lecture, or visit a museum or exhibit.
Take notes on the lecture and write or draw about something from the museum
or exhibit, explaining what you learned. A good resource in
7. Science-fiction film review
Choose a film, or an episode in a sci-fi series (like Star Trek, Voyager, X-Files) that does contain some hard science. This criterion rules out fantasy films such as Star Wars. Create a project (your design) in which you show, talk about, display or otherwise present 1) the real hard science that is already proven 2) extrapolation of scientific principles to either theories or technologies that we might develop but which do not yet exist and 3) the infusion of absurd technologies that defy the currently understood scientific principles of the universe. 4) Discuss any anomalies (inconsistencies within the show or with science) and/or paradoxes (as in time travel).
A film or episode must contain examples of one and two for it to count as science fiction. Note that not all Star Trek or X-File or other television series episodes will necessarily qualify. (8)
8. Try your hand at writing science fiction!
Do any work along these lines for extra credit, even if it's just the planning part of developing a plot, creating characters, an alien world. Talk to me if you are intested and I can steer you to resources. There are a number of websites designed to help interested young writers, and many competions in which you may enter your work. To receive extra credit from me, your writing MUST contain both hard science and an extrapolation of science into more sophisticated technologies or understandings of the universe. I have a packet which can guide you. See me. (Up to 20 points per quarter)
9. Prepare a demonstration
Choose a topic related to our study and come up with a way to demonstrate a concept or an experiment you can perform (these aren't for the whole class). You may use any resources (library, internet) for ideas. Run the idea by me before you proceed. (8)
10. Home Experiments
Do any science-related experiment at home, which can include building something. Create an appropriate lab-writeup (purpose, materials and method, data, results, discussion). Mini-labs and chapter projects work for this option. (Up to 12 points, if write-up is well done)
11. Interview a scientist
Create a list of 10 how or why questions that require conceptual answers (not yes or no, or one word questions allowed), about the actual science this person does, then interview him or her. Introduce them with a short biography of their career and education (ask them separately and take notes). (8)
12. Explore a Career
Do research on a career in science. Find out what kind of education you would need, which schools in California are the best for that education, how much school would cost, what the job prospects are (where would you have to go), and how much you could earn. Include a paragraph how why you chose this profession to research and what you think after you do the research. When you submit your work, include your notes, your research formatted into an organized paper, typed. (12)
Have any other ideas? Just let me know.
Always make sure I’ve approved a book you are wanting to earn extra credit with. I won’t approve fantasy at all, and the book must contain science concepts that you will be able to process.
Choose any combination of projects for extra credit up to 20 pts
1. Required (means you must do this one to receive any credit at all): outline, brainstorm, or mind map the scientific concepts used in this book. In a paragraph, explain ONE of these ideas, and how it was used to make the story work. Questions to consider include: how is this idea extrapolated into a future understanding? How is the idea used to further technology? How does the idea related to what we do or don’t know now. In your writing, do NOT simply write answers to these questions. They are there for you to think about, and to work into a response. (4 points)
2. Write the next 2 pages of the story. How will it continue? (4 points)
3. Create the template for a bookmark advertising this book. It should include an image or logo, the author and title, and a quote from the book or blurb about it. Look at other bookmarks for ideas. It must be colored, and I get to keep it. Tip: make it with computer art so you can generate several, get them laminated and hand them out to your friends. (4 points)
4. Create a diorama of a scene from the book. Include a background, as well as appropriate 3D props. You may use any materials and you will get them all back. (4 points)
5. If it fits your novel, make a model or drawing of an advanced technological device. Show how it works by either labeling or attaching a description. (4 points)
6. Make a set of 4 neat, colored and titled illustration from the novel. (4 points).
7. Write 7 good discussion questions from your novel. Discussion questions are not factual ones, nor ones that can be answered with one-word answers. Often they start with phrases such as: to what extent…..; why do you think…… Explain……theorize about…… (4 points)
8. Write a poem, in any form, about the book, focusing on a particular theme, such as the plot itself, the development of one character, the places in the novel, the “big” ideas, social issues, the science. (4 points)
9. Create your own book cover for this book. It should include the author, title, some image or background, and blurbs on the back about the book (you make these up). Tip: look at real books to get ideas. (4 points)
10. Oral Presentation: pick a character in the book. To the degree that you can, dress up as him or her and tell the class why they should read about you in this book. To make this easier, you could prepare this as an interview and have a classmate or me be the interviewer. Make sure you set a time with me to present. (4 points)