[EL7] Grade 7 -- Curriculum Overview

Overview

  1. Major Topics Explored:
  • Advanced waves and light phenomena.
  • Chemical kinetics and the study of complex systems.
  • Fluid dynamics and real-world applications (e.g., flight, pressure).
  1. Form Factor of Lab Session:
  • Structured demonstrations followed by student experimentation.
  • Use of advanced apparatus like ripple tanks and lasers.
  • Group work with focused tasks, discussions on real-world examples.

Session 1: Wave Physics

  • Wave Machine: A 25-foot wave machine demonstrates standing waves, frequency, and amplitude, connecting this concept to sound, light, and other wave-based phenomena.
  • Ripple Tank: Further explore the principles of wave diffraction, reflection, and refraction with practical wave experiments.

Session 2: Energy Transfer

  • Domino Chain Reactions: Analyze how small triggers can lead to large-scale effects, using energy transfer systems to connect with real-world energy cascades like earthquakes or economic crashes.
  • Self-Organizing Structures: Explore spontaneous order and chaos theory, showing how simple rules can lead to complex patterns.

Session 3: Advanced Chemistry

  • Elephant Toothpaste: Study reaction orders and rates in depth, looking at how temperature, concentration, and catalysts affect reaction speed.
  • Fire in Water (Sodium Reaction): Go deeper into chemical kinetics and thermodynamics, discussing exothermic reactions, gas production, and oxidation-reduction.

Session 4: Light and Optics

  • Infinite Mirror: Explore advanced optics, including the principles of multiple reflections and virtual images.
  • Disappear in Lenses: Study how convex lenses manipulate light and create optical illusions, connecting these principles to practical applications in telescopes and microscopes.

Session 5: Heat and Sound

  • Rijke Tubes: Study sound resonance and heat transfer in more detail, linking these concepts to real-world applications like musical instruments and heat engines.
  • Lichtenberg Patterns: Investigate the flow of electricity through different materials, with a focus on material science and conductivity.

Session 6: Fluid Dynamics and Pressure

  • Levitating Balls: Study fluid dynamics and Bernoulli’s principle, exploring how pressure differences lead to the levitation of objects.
  • Black Holes: Simulate gravitational fields and black hole effects using a water tank to mimic spacetime curvature.

Session 7: Electricity and Magnetism

  • Electromagnetism: Revisit electromagnetism with deeper concepts, explaining how electric currents can induce magnetic fields and how this principle is applied in real-world technologies.
  • Liquid Nitrogen: Show the effects of extreme cold on different materials and discuss its applications in superconductors and refrigeration.

Session 8: Advanced Geometric Patterns

  • Hex Games: Focus on mathematical patterns, geometry, and logic, with more challenging spatial puzzles.
  • Drawing with a Single Line: Explore geometric patterns created from continuous lines, focusing on the concepts of symmetry, continuity, and fractals.

Session 9: Chaos and Motion

  • Doubly Suspended Pendulum: Introduce chaotic systems with a double pendulum, linking the concepts of deterministic chaos to real-world systems like weather or traffic patterns.
  • Newton’s Cradle: Analyze more complex collisions and energy transfer, linking momentum conservation to complex mechanical systems.

Session 10: Student Demonstration Day

  • DIY Demonstrations: Allow students to select and present their favorite demonstrations, encouraging deeper exploration and public speaking.