Science and Math Exhibitions

Seventh grade students have been hypothesizing, collecting data, and theorizing around a testable science topic. Students are testing hypotheses that include milk fat content and the taste of ice cream, lowering the acidity of liquids, paper towel absorbency, and viscosity and melting liquids.  Students wrote a lab report about their experiment and findings, created a tri fold display of their work and shared it in a poster session to students and parents. The science exhibition is one of eight that all seventh and eighth graders complete in their time at Mustard Seed School.

Eighth grade students also presented today and their math exhibitions had a focus on social justice and inequality.  Students researched and gave presentations on a wide array of topics such as:  diversity in sports, immigration, gender wage gap, student loans, generational wealth and commute times.  Students collected data and analyzed them to support their findings.  This is the first year we have explored these types of topics for the math exhibition and it was  important for students to be able to see how math can be used to shape our worldview. 

Exhibitions have a long history at Mustard Seed and their purpose is to develop readiness and competence in a subject area. This is one of the long range projects that require the executive functioning skills of organizing, planning, self monitoring, time management and self control. Doing “a presentation” is not limited to the upper grades. Presenting your findings or a model you’ve made or your thoughts on a subject starts in preschool. And high school admission directors notice the difference in our students explaining that they are well prepared, well spoken, and advocate for themselves.