Challenging Young Minds at Green Chimneys School

Whole Family Support

November 10, 2023

Which foods are most susceptible to mold? What structure has the greatest stability? How does a fog chiller work?

These are just a few of the questions answered by young scientists at Green Chimneys School’s Clearpool Campus Science Fair. Curious middle schoolers selected a wide range of experiments to explain – and sometimes disprove – the how and why of everyday products and scientific processes.

Green Chimneys Challenges Young Minds at Clearpool Science Fair

Students tested hypotheses through trial and error and reported on carefully measured results. Project foci included:

studying the growth of crystals

building a means for safe egg transport

getting battery power from a lemon

Even the experiments that didn’t bring predicted results became a valuable learning experience, allowing students to analyze the process and what caused the outcome.

The month-long projects were part of the inquiry-based science curriculum at Green Chimneys School where age-appropriate lab experiments are incorporated into all science classes. Middle school grades 4-8 use Green Chimneys’ environmentally-rich campus to investigate all living things, both plant and animal, as they become familiar with the scientific method. Students are also encouraged to explore the physical sciences as they discover the characteristics, properties and chemical composition of all forms of matter.

Completing an in-depth project and presenting it is an especially sweet accomplishment for many of our students. Green Chimneys School is designed for students who have been unsuccessful in a traditional educational setting and who require a highly structured and supportive program. The therapeutic program incorporates academic, behavioral and emotional support in an enriched school setting. Experiential learning is a core component of an array of innovative programming, including life skills, music and art, animal-assisted activities, and outdoor education.

We are so proud of the growth they are achieving as young scientists and as young people.

Brownie

With the completion of an elaborate new habitat built by Green Chimneys’ woodshop students, the Farm Science classroom was able to welcome Brownie into her new home. Brownie previously lived alone in her cage in the farm and wildlife office, but guinea pigs do best in larger environments. The new habitat allows her to live in a herd as she would in the wild, with many places to hide and ways to practice her skills. Brownie has always been a social creature, and she has taken over the guinea pig herd but is a very peaceful leader.