10SIN

The concept for Year 10 Scientific Inquiry and Communication (10SIN) was born out of an internal monologue that went something like this:

So let's do it in class!

"Wouldn't it be cool to do science fair?" 

"Yeah, but it takes up so much time." 

"Why not do it as an option class?" 

"Hmm... that may just work."

I went to my head of department, told her my idea, we filled out a course application, and to my delight the course got approved.

Since the approval last year my vision of 10SIN has evolved quite significantly. Science fair is still going to a large part, however I really want to incorporate the following:

• The Nature of Science strand of the NZ Curriculum at the heart of the course. 
• Project-based learning that produces high-quality artifacts.
• Student agency.
• Communication of science in different media (YouTube, blogs, infographics, documentaries, popular science literature etc.)
• Audiences outside of class.
• A website and blog that is curated by the class.
• WAY COOL SCIENCE STUFF!!!

All with a bit of e-learning flair thrown in. It's not going to be easy!

So here I am on the brink of starting something I hope is going to be really innovative and special. There's going to be about 20 kids lined up and I have one week of this term to get them hooked...