The first unit in Coal City High School's Science of the Modern World class was on natural disasters.
Students created an engineering project to illustrate their problem solving and collaboration skills. Students had to research, design, evaluate, and redesign a building that will stay intact during an earthquake.
The students then reflected on their research and designs to write a claim on how to create a building to withstand an earthquake.
The course is open to high school students in grades 10-12. Instruction is based in research, reading, writing and communicating about the current events of the world as they relate to science. Topics included are GMOs, organic foods, climate change, global energy crisis, superbugs and technology, among others. The goal is to prepare students to be informed citizens and consumers using science and independent thinking.
Science of the Modern World is co-taught by Katie Thetard and Jim Looper.