Jan 6th, 2014 – Parachute Egg Drop (Part 1)

YMCA Academy Experiential Learning, Science and Math

The grade 12 physics class has been learning about energy and how it is transferred from one object to another, as well as how it is transformed from one form to another. As part of their second end of unit assignment, the students had to use their knowledge of energy transfer and transformation to build a device out of a limited list of materials that would encase an egg, and prevent it from breaking when thrown from a height of 2-3 storeys.

Each student was allowed one test drop with an egg. The drops were filmed and students had the opportunity to look at the footage to assess what they felt were issues that needed to be rectified whether or not they had a successful drop or not. Look out for part 2 of this blog when we talk about the actual launch and the results.

 

Dec 16th, 2013 – Chemiluminescence Demo

YMCA Academy Experiential Learning, Science and Math

In the grade 10 science curriculum, the unit on physics has students learning about optics (the study of the properties and behaviour of light). We look at what the characteristics of light are, as well as how light behaves. After we learn the characteristics of light, and just before we look at how light behaves, we spend a little bit of time talking about what the different sources of light are.

  • Chemiluminescence – light from chemical reactions
  • Bioluminescence – light from biological organisms
  • Incandescence – light from hot objects
  • Electric Discharge – light from electricity passing through a gas

Both incandescence and electric discharge are fairly familiar to students. Incandescence is how incandescent light bulbs produce light (the thin tungsten filament gets very hot and emits light) and electric discharge can be observed every time we see lightning. Of the remaining two, bioluminescence and chemiluminescence, chemiluminescence can be demonstrated using household bleach and a substance called luminol. With a little bit of preparation using water and sodium hydroxide, the two solutions react to produce a striking blue light that glows in the dark.

 

The YMCA Academy Documentary

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, Experiential Learning, Student Spotlight, Technology

academy_documentary_banner2

Get the inside track on what happens at the YMCA Academy in this student-created documentary about the school, created by the 2012-2013 Grade 12 Communications Technology class.

The documentary features a tour of the school, a depiction of a “day in the life” of an Academy student, profiles of our green initiatives, details about extracurricular activities, and more. Conceived, planned, written, hosted, directed, shot, edited, and produced by YMCA Academy students, this project served as the culminating assignment in the Grade 12 Comm. Tech. course.

Authentic learning and experiential education is central to the Academy’s educational philosophy, says Andras Nagy, a teacher and the school’s technical analyst. “We like producing tangible work,” he says. “Getting the credit is important, but it’s even better when students see their work used for a real purpose.”

 

Dec 6th, 2013 – The life of Nelson Mandela

YMCA Academy Beyond the Classroom, English and Humanities

Celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela.

Students from the Ontario Literacy Course led a school-wide an assembly to celebrate peace and human rights. We gathered in the afternoon to hear about the life of Nelson Mandela, his work as a global activist for equality and peace and as well to honour the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. We were reminded of the importance of peace in our lives and the work of those who have come before us. We ended with the reading of “Our Deepest Fear” by Marianne Williamson. This is a poem made famous around the world by Nelson Mandela and became symbiotic with his message of peace.

Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.