Westminster Hosts Science and Math Collaborative

Westminster hosted approximately 200 Hartford middle school students from the Environmental Sciences Magnet School at Mary Hooker and from Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School for a two-day science and math collaborative in November. The project, which took place Nov. 6 and Nov. 20, was conducted in conjunction with the Diversity Academy, a program of The Discovery Center, a Hartford-area organization that promotes student leadership and diversity at schools and through residential programs.
 

During the visits, the students ate lunch in Watts Hall and then participated in workshops in classrooms in Armour Academic Center led by Westminster faculty and student volunteers.

Three science labs took place Nov. 6 and involved motion graphing; sound and beat frequency; and linear and angular momentum, linear and rotational inertia, and light.
 

In the motion graphing lab, the students learned about basic metric measurements, how to interpret graphical information and the meaning of slope. “They enjoyed working with the motion detector software and had fun trying to match their movements to the graphical information provided,” said science teacher and Dean of Faculty Greg Marco. “Overall, I felt that the activity was a tremendous success.”
 

“For the mini-unit on sound and beat frequency, we began by reviewing what they knew about waves and sound, and then, with a tuning fork and a slinky, demonstrated how objects create sound by compressing and ‘stretching’ air molecules,” said science teacher Mark deKanter ’91. “Some of the students came up with great descriptions of this process when we asked them to write about it. We then moved to the back of the classroom, where the students captured sound from either an electronic keyboard or a tuning fork using a Vernier probe. They could then analyze the wave, calculating period and frequency. We asked them to listen to two notes played together to make a beat and come up with an explanation.”
 

“I had some spirited students who were excited to learn about the nature of sound, and many of them were thrilled to be working with our technology in the science labs,” added science teacher Grant Gritzmacher.
 

The Nov. 20 math workshops focused on linear equations, the Pythagorean Theorem and lessons on slope. “We like challenges,” math teacher Peter Doucette told the students during his workshop on linear equations. “We are trying to challenge you.”
 

Westminster also worked with The Discovery Center, located in Farmington, Conn., last January to host two other visits by students from the same schools. The mission of The Discovery Center is to shape positive attitudes about race and differences, reduce isolationism between urban and suburban/rural schools, and improve math, science and language arts skills. Jason Fredlund, coordinator of the Diversity Academy said, “We are so honored to be hosted by Westminster School for this program. Our students are challenged, engaged and provided with an unparalleled level of excellence in education, technology and instruction.”