Laboratory Techniques & Measurements: Become familiar with common techniques, devices, and measurements used in a laboratory.
The Scientific Method: Learn how to use the Scientific Method to hypothesize about and determine the identity of unknown substances.
Analysis of Phosphate In Water
Determination of Water Hardness Using a Titrator: Develop an understanding of water hardness, and determine the hardness of a local water supply using titration techniques.
Dissolved Oxygen: Measure dissolved oxygen levels in samples of water to determine how changes in temperature and light affect primary productivity.
Saponification - Synthesis and Analysis of Soap: Synthesize soaps from a variety of household fats/oils; test the chemical properties and cleaning ability of the synthesized soaps.
Crystal Growing And The Rock Cycle: Grow synthetic crystals; measure interfacial angles of minerals; understand evaporation in mineral growth; make sugar glass; determine crystals dissolution point
Light Energy - Design and Construction of a Quantitative Spectroscope: Learn how the light spectrum is used to identify materials, then build, calibrate, and use a quantitative spectroscope.
Lunar Stratigraphy: Impact Structures and Meteorites
Spread of Contagion: Perform an exercise to demonstrate the ease in which contagion is spread.
The Macrobiome: Observe the flora and fauna in two square meters of a defined ecosystem, and develop hypotheses pertaining to their interrelationships; dissect an owl pellet to determine the prey in the owl's feeding range.
The Microbiome: Observe and classify the microorganisms found in both a solution of bean water, and in a sample of pond water.
Microbes in the Environment: Learn about the various types of microbes, and identify environmental sources of microbes.
Life and the Physical Environment - Brine Shrimp: Observe the effect of a physiochemical variable on the growth of an organism, specifically on brine shrimp.
Barometric Pressure: Build a simple barometer, learn the relationship between air pressure and weather conditions, and predict future weather based on air pressure data.
Seawater and Freshwater: Measure the densities of saltwater and freshwater, determine the salt and metal content in water, test the concept of buoyancy, and discuss the interplay between saltwater and freshwater in the environment.
Copper Extraction from Copper Ore: Investigate methods for extracting copper from copper ore, convert insoluble copper carbonate to soluble copper sulfate, and use electroplating to remove copper metal from copper sulfate.
Population Genetics: Discuss the theory of evolution and use the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium Model to determine allelic frequencies of a trait.
Habitats and Humans: Classify and describe the habitat in which you live, and determine your effect on the environment.
Coal, Oil, and Gas: Determine the nature and occurrence of coal, oil, and gas
Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Research and Plot earthquake and volcanic activities to test theory and boundaries of Plate Tectonics and test the relationship of earthquake wave damage to sediment types
Ice and Glaciers: Observe and/or gain understanding of albedo concept, effect of pressure on melting ice, freezing and melting ice, and formation and movement of glacier
Mass Wasting: Experiment with soil types, water quantities, angles of repose, etc. to asses contribution to mass wasting
Minerology & Identification: Learn and apply classification criteria for identifying minerals
Plate Tectonics 1: Identify how Plate Tectonics is expressed in the earths topographic features
Plate Tectonics 2: Observe surface deformations from tectonic plate movements and recognize topographic expression of plate boundaries
Stress and Deformation: Observe stress deformation and plot stress/strain modulus of different materials plus observe temperature effect on stress responses
Numeric Geology: Determine and calculate numeric ages of biologic and geologic processes
Weathering: Investigate weathering processes and observe chemical weathering rates of different rock types
Evolution: Explore the concept of common decent and investigate evolution of life forms through the fossil record