Units we will be studying this year: Plate Tectonics During this interdisciplinary unit, students will learn about how the Earth’s crust is made up of plates that are slowly moving and causing a number of phenomena such as faulting, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain-building and sea- floor spreading. Students will identify and describe the layers of the Earth, define and support the theory of Plate Tectonics, and create team presentations and working models to demonstrate their learning. Environmental Detectives Working as environmental detectives, students will explore a range of crucial ecological issues as they investigate and solve a "crime": a mysterious environmental calamity in which fish die off over a five-year period. Potential causes of the fish deaths include chlorine pollution, acid rain, erosion and sediment pollution, predator-prey relationships, phosphate runoff causing algal blooms, and oil pollution. In this real-world learning scenario, students become aware of the interconnectedness of the natural world and the complexity of many environmental problems. Note: The November 6th “Water Rocks” field trip to Georgetown’s Inner Space Cavern (exploring physical properties of the Earth’s crust) and the Brazos River country Exhibit at the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco (exploring wetland ecosystems and environmental conservation) will provide experiential learning that supports both the Plate Tectonics and Environmental Detectives units. Bridges "To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes." Dean Kamen, Founder, Milikin Community High School The goal of this unit is to enable students to experience the excitement of contemporary science and technology and better understand what engineering means. Students will: learn how bridge building has changed throughout history and why bridges are important economically and socially; research and compare famous bridges; and construct the seven the types of bridges (suspension, arch, girder, truss, cantilever, cable-stayed and moveable). The academic areas related to bridge building include physics and engineering, math, writing and research and observation skills. Global Reporters: Get It! This unit—integrating economics, geography, history, language arts and science—engages students as investigative journalists to research and write about issues surrounding consumer choices and international trade. Students will learn about and be encouraged to take actions to support worldwide sustainable environmental and economic solutions. The Get It! Curriculum, developed jointly by Heifer International and the Center for Teaching International Relations at the University of Denver, emphasizes reading comprehension, writing for a particular audience, higher-level thinking, and research strategies.