Students Celebrate Earth Day with More Than 100 Brown Trout
Posted on April 25th, 2019 by cnickelsAs News 8 Anchor Adam Chodak said, “You can add that to the list of things I never did in school.” Allendale Columbia’s 7th-grade scientists got out of the classroom and into knee-high water boots to survey a portion of Irondequoit Creek in the hopes of returning more than 160 trout back to nature. Just another Earth Day at AC.
It was all part of a Trout in the Classroom project that AC Science and Math Teacher Beth Guzzetta initiated back in September. She received brown trout eggs from the Bath Fish Hatchery and guided the students through the lifecycle stages of caring for the eggs, watching them hatch, and keeping the fish strong and healthy in a classroom aquarium. Students helped to set up the 60-gallon aquarium and monitored the water quality daily (even over breaks!) to make sure it was safe for the fish. If the students weren’t sure about something, they had to do the research and then make adjustments based on what they learned. Regular water changes were a must, so students learned how to safely complete 25-gallon water changes. (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Centers for Impact, Highlights, Invent, Middle School, Seventh Grade
8th Grade Architects Demonstrate Math and Design Skills
Posted on March 29th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia SchoolBy Beth Guzzetta, Middle School Math and Science Teacher and Lucius and Marie Gordon Chair in Science
Eighth grade “architects” present their project proposals to “clients”, explaining the math behind their engineering, design, and cost decisions
It was finally time for the competing architects to present their proposals. Each came armed with their virtual project plans, cost estimates, and scale model to prove that their design had the optimal combination of functionality, aesthetics, and cost-effectiveness. The project: cabins for a special-needs camp in the Northeast that can accommodate ten campers and a counselor, with beds, personal storage, and a bathroom. The judges included the Chairman of one of the most respected and successful construction companies in New York State. The architects: Allendale Columbia 8th-grade math students.
The architect project is a perfect example of how we as Middle School faculty implement numerous aspects of STEM into our curriculum through authentic, real-world applications. (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Centers for Impact, Eighth Grade, Highlights, Invent, Middle School
AC Tops McQuaid (Again) in Collaborative TEAM+S Competition
Posted on March 29th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia Schoolby Elizabeth Cotter ’20
On March 9th, I was a member of a team of six Allendale Columbia students, with Riley Leibeck ’20, Mary Cotter ’22, Sasha Furdey ’19, Nate Pifer ’19, and Cassidy Draper ’19, who competed in the Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TEAM+S) competition, claiming victory over McQuaid.
The TEAM+S competition encourages students to explore the field of engineering through problem solving and collaboration with their teammates. The theme for the competition this year was The Engineering Brain. We had to learn about cognitive neuroscience, artificial neural networks, the intersection of artificial intelligence and biology, and more. (more…)
Posted in: Centers for Impact, Eleventh Grade, Highlights, Invent, Ninth Grade, Tenth Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School
AC School, Students Win Awards at Terra Regional Science Fair
Posted on March 21st, 2019 by Allendale Columbia SchoolAllendale Columbia won the Terra School Award at Terra Science and Education’s Rochester Finger Lakes Regional Science and Engineering Fair (TRFSEF) hosted by Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC). Thirteen AC students also received recognitions at the event, including the right to advance to higher-level competitions.
Sixteen AC Middle and Upper School students submitted 11 projects, the most of any participating school, which resulted in the award that comes with a check for $2,000 for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives. The students packed up their AC Innovation Day Science Fair projects and took the displays the next morning to RMSC. After setting up their projects and passing a Display and Safety check (science can be “messy”, after all), the students went to a lunch keynote address by Maria G. Korsnick, President/CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute.
“Science Fair is inspiring and invigorating, because all these students are excited about science, every student, from fifth graders who are doing behavior projects with their cats and a dog to senior research projects that have to do with cancer diagnosis and research and machine learning, really high-end stuff,” said Maya Crosby, Director of the AC Invent Center for STEM and Innovation, and Director-in-Training for TRFSEF. “But everybody who is here is excited about their project and can’t wait to talk about it with the judges who are coming around. That curiosity all packaged in one room is really inspiring; that’s the great part.” (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Centers for Impact, Eighth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Fifth Grade, Highlights, Invent, Lower School, Middle School, Ninth Grade, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Tenth Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School
Become a National Geographic Certified Educator
Posted on March 21st, 2019 by Allendale Columbia SchoolDo you believe in empowering students to think like explorers? In building geographic competence across disciplines? In inspiring students to be global thinkers who can change the world? If so, you are a perfect candidate to become a National Geographic Certified Educator.
Join a professional development program for formal and informal Pre-K through 12th-grade educators working to inspire the next generation of explorers, conservationists, and global citizens. Enjoy professional recognition and development; join a community of like-minded educators and build relationships at National Geographic, and access exclusive National Geography resources and perks.
Take the first step in becoming a National Geographic Certified Educator by attending a workshop on Wednesday, March 27th, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m., for Phase 1 of the certification process, led by Allendale Columbia School teacher and Nat Geo Certified Facilitator Beth Guzzetta. There is no charge for participation in this wonderful program or to become a Nat Geo Certified Educator with access to the many free resources.
To register, email Tony Tepedino.
3 Years in a Row: AC Qualifies for VEX World Championships
Posted on March 11th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia SchoolFor the third year in a row, an Allendale Columbia School team of fifth-graders earned an invitation to the VEX IQ Robotics World Championships.
On Saturday, March 9th, three fifth-grade teams from AC went to the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse to compete in the VEX IQ Northern New York State Robotics Competition. A total of 24 teams of students in 5th to 8th grade won awards at local qualifiers to get there.
The MAGMAS, (composed of Morgan Wilson, Achanti Thongjang, Gia Pellegrino, Marc Voloshin, Amora Thongjang, and Sammy Davis) won the Excellence Award, which earned them the invitation to Worlds April 28th-30th, 2019. They will be one of 400 Middle School teams collaborating and competing from such countries as the U.S., China, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Colombia, South Korea, Egypt, Mexico, United Kingdom, Philippines, Finland, Myanmar, Estonia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and India. (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Centers for Impact, Fifth Grade, Highlights, Invent, Lower School
Learning in a New Light Showcased at Innovation Day
Posted on March 8th, 2019 by Allendale Columbia SchoolInnovation Day on March 15th is dedicated to all the new and unconventional ways students, teachers, and the AC community teach and learn, shaking things up from how it’s always been done. Anchored by a pitch competition for prospective young entrepreneurs and a science fair, the event will include interactive workshops, speakers, a gallery walk, and performances. (more…)
Posted in: Entrepreneurship, Highlights, Invent
Robotics Teams Win Design, Amaze, and Research Awards
Posted on January 31st, 2019 by Allendale Columbia Schoolby Donna Chaback
AC’s Gia helps direct the MAGMA team’s driver Amora in a Teamwork Challenge.
Allendale Columbia School teams brought home three awards at the VEX IQ Robotics Qualifier, and at least two teams, VEX Chargers and MAGMAS, will be going on to the State Championships.
The Qualifier was held Saturday, January 26th, at the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse. A total of 38 VEX IQ Robotics teams of students in Grades 4-8 participated. AC’s teams were all composed of 5th-graders. The State VEX IQ Championship will be held at the MOST on March 9th. AC has had teams go on to the World Championships in each of the last two years, with last year’s team winning one of the Sportsmanship awards. (more…)
Posted in: Authentic Learning, Centers for Impact, Fifth Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Invent, Lower School