(November 16th, 2018–Jersey City, NJ) Explore Middle School students and staff attended a trip to the Liberty Science Center sponsored by the BASF Company.
Students attended the trip, led by the science department, to kick-off their next thematic unit, “phenomenon and the engineering design process”. For this unit, students will take into account different phenomena that are in the three branches of science such as earth, life, and physical science, and see how those phenomena affect certain populations.
Elysa Santiago, 7th grade, explained, “I learned that naked mole rats are used for research to find cures for certain kinds of cancer and immunity to the aging process. This is related to phenomena because the naked mole rats do not get certain kinds of cancer and this can help guide doctors with patients that do have cancer.”
The Liberty Science Center offered many different types of phenomena for the students to observe that affect the way people live and how various ecosystems exist. This includes natural disasters and climate change which are factors that have and will continue to affect the way we live. Additionally, the students observed and researched ideas by looking at different phenomena such as solar, hydraulic, nuclear energy, and radiation. They were able to generate ideas of how these different examples may be helpful or harmful to our ecosystems.
Student Council Vice President, Myles Morales, shared his reflection on the trip, “Liberty Science Center was a great learning experience and the perfect way to start off the scientific phenomena unit. My favorite part was the Energy Quest section because we learned about the different types of renewable energy.”
Science teacher, Mary Norcia shared, “Liberty Science Center was a great trip to kick-off our thematic unit Ms. Lauren Norcia and I are very grateful for Ms. Reyes and BASF for donating the cost of the admission ticket for the students and facilitators. Students were able to observe and research different phenomena that could help guide their thinking process of how these phenomena are harmful to the way humans and animals live.”
