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...

HELLO

Anybody there?

I'm Aaron, aka. Mr Huggard. I teach Science and Chemistry at Green Bay High School in Auckland, New Zealand and have been doing a lot - many would say too much - work leading my amazing department on our e-learning journey.

This is me. No, I'm not an astronaut.

I thought it was probably about time to start sharing some of my learning, thinking, experience, and reflection.

In two weeks time, I will be teaching a brand new option course - Year 10 Scientific Inquiry and Communication (10SIN). This is the first time I have had the opportunity to build a course from the ground up, with no restriction other than the NZ Curriculum. SO EXCITED!!! My first few posts will be about my ideas for the course and how it goes.


See you.