Frau Hodgdon’s German 4 class had a unique project-based learning (PBL) opportunity based on their current unit of study on “Salz” (salt).
Students were challenged to design a scientific experiment involving salt, propose a hypothesis, conduct the experiment following the scientific method, and then present the experiment and its results to students and visitors in class — and do all of it in German!
The presentations covered a wide range of effects and uses of salt: its impact on melting ice cubes and the buoyancy of eggs, the importance of adding salt to cookies, the use of salt in 1960s-style lava lamps, and the application of salt to increase the electric conductivity of a water solution.
All student experiments were solidly researched and well presented in the target language to parents, fellow students, and teachers, including science teachers. Of note were also the expertly constructed salt crystal models that were made of toothpicks and gumdrops.
Congratulations to all the students who combined science knowledge and German skills in such an impressive manner!
