Back to Gr 8 Parents

Academic Goals for Gold Reef City, November 5, 2003

Introduction

The 8th Grade teachers have discussed the perception that field trips were often regarded as a day off school. In order to avoid this, we have decided to seek out destinations with activities that will be educational, practical and as far as possible, fun, too.  In the six and a half hours that we spend at Gold Reef City only the last hour and a half will be available for fun rides. Even the rides will have an essential Science, Algebra and Geometry component. See below for specific details about the specific goals in Science, Social Studies, English and Math.

Physical Science with Mr. Dasari  

Chapter 9 : Motion


Students will cover the following aspects in class :

  • Definition of Motion with regard to a reference point.
  • Formula to calculate Speed / Velocity *
  • Conditions for Acceleration *
  • Formula of Acceleration *

* includes practical work


Application to Gold reef city :

Students will use the Roller Coaster to :

  • Calculate Velocity
  • Calculate Acceleration
  • Graphically represent information in class.

           

Back to top

Social Studies mini-lesson with Mr. Tardiff

Standards and Benchmarks

Monday

Why is Gold used as a measure of the economy?

Supply and demand--- basic economic principles.

Tuesday

South Africa before/after Gold:  Describe and discuss.

What are the major exports in USA? 

What are trade relations?

Wednesday—Gold Reef City Trip

Answer questions:  Students must take the time to have these questions answered by staff during the tour.

 How does technology improve the mining process over time?

                                     What are workers rights?

                                     Did children ever work in the mine?

                                     What are labor relations?

                                     What is smelting?

                                    Was there ever a ‘war’ for Gold?  If so—why and how?

                                    Who is the worlds largest producer of gold?

                                    What year was gold discovered in SA?

                                    Where are the majority of the mines in South Africa?

                                    What is a deep shaft mine?

Thursday---    How did the discovery of Gold affect westward expansion/immigration in USA? Immigration into South Africa? Follow-up of questions from trip and discussion/review for quiz

Friday---  Quiz     

  Back to top

English Goals with Mrs. Scholz


Background. Herman Charles Bosman, (1905-1951) famous South African short story writer, sets his writing just after the Gold Rush time period. His humor is said to be unique to that of pioneering societies and because of that he has been linked with Mark Twain and O. Henry. “South Africa has produced three outstanding writers of short stories—Pauline Smith, Nadine Gordimer, and Herman Charles Bosman.”


Read Bosman. During Grade 8 English the students will attend a performance on October 27 by Vanessa Minty of Bosman’s Under The Withaak's Shade. We will also read excerpts from various short stories that demonstrate the flavor of his writing and the Marico district of the western Transvaal, the setting for many of his stories.


Visit rooms of the Gold Rush period. The educational tour of Gold Reef City includes a visit to several rooms designed in the time period of the Gold Rush. The students will select two rooms and quickly sketch a number of objects found in the room, particular to that time period.


Follow-up. We will use these sketches for an in-class discussion. We will make connections between these objects, observations and what we read in Bosman’s stories. Also, the rooms are quite a contrast to the ghost town of the US Gold Rush period!

  Back to top

Math Goals with Mr. Dasari and Mr. Davis


Pre Algebra, Algebra and Geometry will all have different problems related to Gold Reef City. Themes like, word problems, percent, profits, gradients, angles, parallel lines and triangles will be addressed.

By having a practical real life connection, some of the more theoretical math will become more enjoyable