The Health Science Academy
All Academy News
December 2014
Follow the Health Science Academy on Twitter! @BigSkyHSA Check out what the HSA students are doing at
school, on trips and in the community! If you aren’t sure how to sign up, ask your academy student! They will have you
tweeting in no time.
Welcome to the New Academy Ambassadors
Seventeen freshman, sophomores and juniors applied to be Academy Ambassadors and are already taking on a
leadership role within the Academy. This month the Ambassadors attended a three hour training run by four area
professional business women. Sydney Carlino, Shawn Grey and Dierdre Flaherty and Lisa Beczkiewicz graciously
volunteered their time to help out our students. The ladies taught them how to dress professionally, shake hands and
develop their individual academy “elevator speech”. They were also taught how to efficiently run meetings and focus
groups. One of the first jobs the Ambassadors tackled this year was to develop the student expectations for both the
Salt Lake City Trip and the community service. The ambassadors will soon be putting their “elevator speeches” to the
test when we travel to 8th grades around the area and recruit new academy students.
The 2014-2015 HSA Ambassadors include: Camille Parmiter, Dylan Sorini (freshmen) Bonnie Long, Jessica Beers, Alexis
Houser, Brianna Canning and Adam Zimmer (sophomores) Kennedy Bahm, Anna Gragg, Tessa VanOstrand, Corbin Witt,
Cherrokee Sands, Addie Ashton, Nate Jourdonnais, Claire Shinn, Rafael Vega, Kendall Mooney and Tyler Butler (Juniors).
Salt Lake City Recap
Sixty five of our sophomore and junior academy students, 5 academy teachers and 1 parent just returned from a three
day Ed-venture to Salt Lake City. In Salt Lake City, the students and chaperones visited the University of Utah's School of
Medicine where they toured a replication of a hospital floor. In this teaching simulation lab, University students learn
competencies needed to work in the health care field.
Our students learned from first year medical students how academic preparation, community and volunteer service, and
leadership skills, all play an important part in preparing them for their journey into health science careers. The morning
on campus culminated at the Heritage center where students ate from an amazing food buffet. Many of our students
continued the career oriented conversations over lunch with the medical students who joined them at their tables.
From the University, we traveled to the Leonardo Museum and spent 3 plus hours viewing Body Worlds: The Cycle of
Life exhibit. Quotes from our student's written reflections summed up the experience best: " Awesome", "Amazing and
artistic", " I am in awe of what is truly inside the human body" , and " I would go again" .
Included in the museum was an exhibit on homelessness. Many of our students were emotionally touched. One
student said, "reading some of the (homeless) stories really made me realize how we take a lot of things for granted”.
Of course during our visit we found a little time to go sightseeing. As a group we rode the light rail train to the Mormon
Temple and took advantage of the photo opportunities around the reflection ponds and beautifully lit grounds.
Parents, you can be very proud of the way your sons and daughters represented Big Sky and the Health
Science Academy. They were well behaved, punctual, polite, inquisitive and just fun to be around!
A special thank you to the following donors for making this trip possible for all of our interested
students:
Big Sky High Science Circus, advisor Brandon Honzel
Big Sky High School Coffee Cart
Karen Allen
Mary Nielson
Community Medical Center
Health Science Academy Students Volunteering in our Community
We had two wonderful volunteer opportunities for students who were unable to go to Salt Lake City. The first occurred
on Thursday the 20th at Fort Missoula. On November 4th, voters approved a $42 million dollar Parks and Trails Bond. A
part of this bond focuses on developing a regional park at Fort Missoula. This includes soccer fields for all of Missoula to
enjoy. Our Big Sky High School Health Science Academy students were able to be one of the first groups to help in this
process. Students were picking up branches, bushes, weeds and other debris and loaded these items into the back of
pickup trucks. In total, students were able to load 5 pickup trucks full of debris and cleared these items out of the field.
The trucks then took the debris to be composed and recycled. The other volunteer opportunity was on Friday the 21st at
the Village Health Care Center. Students were working with residents the entire time there. In the morning, students
were delivering papers, taking orders for breakfast, making coffee, and visiting with the residents. As the day continued,
students were able to play bingo, participate in room visits, talk with residents and even exercise with the residents.
Students were even able to focus on individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's. The students loved the experience so
much they asked to go again! Both days went extremely well and made an impact on our community.
9th Grade Academy
Field Trip to the site of the Milltown Dam- Recap
The HSA community spent a lovely October day at Milltown Dam. The purpose of the trip was to provide students with
an opportunity to experience learning across all disciplines and encourage students to find connections between
seemingly disparate content areas. Students moved through a diverse range of stations and applied what they learned in
the classroom to the field experience. The students worked with water testing apparatus, honed their skills at fly-fishing,
measured volume and ascertained physical properties of the river, discussed the cultural significance of the area and
learned about watershed ecology and its impacts on human health. The trip was part of an ongoing effort to get
students to explore the community they live in and to learn about viable opportunities for careers and college
exploration.
University of Montana field trip- Recap
Our 9th grade Health Science Academy students were able to visit the University of Montana on November 18th and
19th. The trip included an introduction by Martha Robertson (AHEC – Area Health Education Center) and the Dean Reed Humphrey. Students were able to visit four different areas at the UM: the Electron Microscope, the Pharmacy
Department (SIM Man), the Physical Therapy Department and the Brain Lab (with real human brains).
The Electron Microscope was shown to the students by Jim Driver. He showed many different things to various
groups. Students learned about the wings of butterflies and were able to view many different creatures under the
different microscopes. Students truly got to see things “close up”.
In the Pharmacy Department, Lisa Venutti shared SIM Man with the students. SIM Man is a simulated mannequin that
helps pharmacy students practice their craft. SIM Man can simulate breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, can blink and
dilate his eyes and do so much more. The students were able to see and try out the various functions of SIM Man and
were allowed to use stethoscopes to determine heart beat and lung function. SIM Man could “speak” to the students
and students were even able to perform CPR when SIM Man “flat lined”.
The Physical Therapy department was shown to us by Ryan Mizner (a former Big Sky student!). Students were allowed
to use the computer to test force on someone who is rehabilitating from an injury. One student was picked from each
group and the rest of the group put sensors on their joints (like in animation movies). The student was then asked to
perform a sitting to standing motion for the computer to “grab”. They were able to see force on the hip, knee and foot
joints from a computer animation of the student. Students were also able to analyze other animations of athletes to
determine the issue and what help was needed to rehabilitate.
The Brain Lab, shown to us by Jon Andrews, allowed the students to see a PowerPoint of the human brain and other
general information before taking us to the lab to actually view human brains. The students were shown the different
parts of the brain, the lobes and the nerves down the spinal cord. Students were able to see a brain with a brain injury
and another brain with severe stroke damage. Students were able to touch the brains (with gloves!) and ask any
questions that came to “mind”.
After their classroom visits, students were able to eat lunch at the UC Center with their classmates and teachers. They
were able to get a feel for the University of Montana and what it has to offer them.
PLTW- Principles of Biomedical Science
PBS students have just finished another series of experiments designed to help determine Anna Garcia's cause of death.
Students designed experiments to test the rate at which a body cools over time in different environments. They then
graphed their data and compared it to different established equations that forensic scientists use. Ultimately they
concluded that their results were not that accurate and that Anna had died sometime around 7:00 in the morning.
After practicing their experimental design skills they were next assigned the task of determining the height from which
the blood at the crime scene fell. Again, students had to design their own experiments and use their results to make
conclusions about how high Anna's head was off the floor when she was bleeding. Results varied but most fell into the
25-50 cm range.
We are now moving on to DNA. Students will learn it's structure and how it can be used to help solve crimes.
Mari Mitchell
English 1
In English, students are exploring writing as a dialogical process. Students are being asked to find relevant questions
which seek to engage them in the writing process while exploring issues relevant to their own lives. We are also
exploring a wealth of diverse texts in order for students to begin to learn how to read text in a variety of mediums, from
stories to commercials, to music, and art. Aaron Fortner
Health Enhancement 1
We attempted fly fishing on the field trip to the Milltown Dam site and had a great time. The weather was a little chilly
in the morning but it turned into a beautiful day. Unfortunately, no fish were caught by our students, but rafters
floating by had some success.
Currently the freshmen are in a bowling unit until December. We are learning terminology, rules, technique and
etiquette. They have been videotaping their bowling technique. Currently the high score is 149 which isn’t bad for a
beginning bowler.
The PLTW discusses the science of foods. In collaboration, our first unit in health, starting in December, will be focused
on nutrition. We will analyze food labels to determine nutritional content. A few areas that we will be covering are the
energy nutrients, portion sizes, the online nutritional analysis program My Plate, chronic diseases associated with diet
and the concept of energy balance. The students will keep track of the food they eat and analyze the nutritional
content. They will then do an intervention, focusing on improving their diet.
Edie VanBuskirk
Math
Algebra 1 – We are continuing to work on linear equations. Students will learn how to write, graph and interpret linear
equations and problems that deal with linear relationships. We will also help students take data from other courses and
turn it into an equation to predict and analyze results.
Geometry and Honors Geometry – We are working on triangle congruency and continuing our work on proofs. Students
will continue to explore how fractals work in the Health Science Field and we will study some famous proofs of triangle
properties.
Science
In IESPS we are investigating the causes and effects of changes in the atmosphere. Much of our focus is on the
relationship between air pressure and weather trends but we are also taking time to investigate the influences of global
wind patterns, geography and elevation. This is a great time of year to study the atmosphere because it is incredibly
dynamic while it transitions from the water season to the cold.
10th Grade Academy
Project Lead The WayIn HBS students are moving through the body systems. We are finishing up the skeletal system and our forensic
anthropology unit by writing some amazing case studies. We will continue to reinforce the skeletal system with
classroom activities including identifying the sex, living height and ancestry of our articulated skeleton. Be sure to ask
what we finally named the skeleton this year. After Thanksgiving we will focus on communication within the body,
starting with the nervous system. Students will sculpt the lobes of their Maniken's brain as well as the rest of the central
nervous system. This will lead into a brief examination of the delicate balance of the chemicals in the brain that keep us
healthy. In addition, students will investigate the difference between reflex time and response time by measuring their
own muscle impulses. Don't be nervous, it should be exciting. Kate Lindner
Vet Science
With the changes in the season comes a change in focus at the Ag Center. Through the fall students were busy learning
about reproduction, cellular division and how to handle livestock respectfully. Then the students actually took part in
artificially breeding the school’s livestock. After preg checking the pigs, using our school’s ultrasound, I am happy to
announce that we synchronized and successfully bred 10 sows with some of the nation’s most competitive show
boars. These outstanding piglets will be born in January and sold to 4-H and FFA members which will be shown at
county fairs across Montana. We expect to see some grand champions this summer from our litters of pigs.
Now that the weather has turned cold we are spending more time indoors. Vet students are learning about anatomy
and physiology and will be articulating a cow skeleton for display. Ag 1 students are learning how muscle is processed
into cuts of meat in the meat science unit. The students are learning wholesale and retail cuts and processing deer and
elk into jerky. We will also be making sausage from one of our old sows. The students are clearly seeing where their
food comes from and are learning some technical science along the way. Tom Andres
English
In collaboration with Health Enhancement and Math classes, students are working on a public service announcement
(PSA) project that is due Dec.17. The English component of this Mental Floss project began with researching primary
sources for suicide data that caught the student’s interest such as males are more likely to commit suicide than women
or that Montana has the second highest suicide rate in the nation. Students gathered data and brought these facts to
Mrs. Cornelius’s math class for graphing. Using the research sites, my English students read informational texts for focus
topics comprehending the multiple aspects to this mental health issue. By starting a Google document, students began
collaborating with their group members through gmail about possible focus topics. Also through Google docs, students
submitted one open question for guest speaker and school psychologist, Julie Parker. Julie spoke to these questions and
provided additional information about the myths surrounding suicide and having healthy coping skills. As groups agreed
on a focus topic, students continued their work with specific digital resources learning to cite two sources in APA format
and write a source analysis. Carol Ewen, developer of the MCPS website on suicidal behaviors, visited classes to help
students identify the purpose and audience of their PSA topic emphasizing the benefits of effective team work. Students
continue to refine their projects honing in on writing the script. With help from librarian Christine Fogerty, students are
learning to use the technology for filming. Completing the PSA project in this way has been an affective learning
experience.
Nancy Thibo
Health Enhancement 2
The sophomore health enhancement classes have shifted from activity in the gym (our ever popular dance unit) to
classroom based health instruction. The focus of our first unit is mental health. Through project based learning,
students have learned mental illnesses can be an underlying factor in many suicides, and bringing attention to the
importance of mental health is key to suicide prevention efforts. Their culminating project is to draw attention to the
risk and protective factors of suicide and create a public service announcement in hopes of reducing the number of
people who take their lives. This “Mental Floss” project is being integrated across several other academy classes. Be
sure to ask your student what their group's PSA is about!
In December, health enhancement classes will return to activity. We will continue to learn about and develop muscle
and cardiovascular fitness and also learn the skills needed to play the exciting game of badminton.
Maureen Thomas and Michela Anderson
Math
Algebra 2 has been busy! Over the last month, we have been working on solving equations, matrices, scalar
multiplication, factoring, graphing/writing quadratic functions in several forms, and performing operations with square
roots and complex numbers. In addition, we have been gathering data for the upcoming public service announcement
(PSA). We will be presenting our data with spreadsheets and graphs. These pieces will be presented with the PSA. After
the short Thanksgiving break, we will be moving into Chapter 5: Polynomials and Polynomial Functions.
Just as a reminder, if students would like extra help I am available before/after school and at lunch. In addition, I have
been providing after school and weekend study sessions before tests. These sessions have been extremely successful.
Ariel Cornelius
Geometry and Honors Geometry – We are working on triangle congruency and continuing our work on proofs. Students
will continue to explore how fractals work in the Health Science Field and we will study some famous proofs of triangle
properties. Abby Green
ScienceIn HSA Biology we have just wrapped up our ecology unit with an exam and a poster project sharing ecological
information about a Montana organism. Over the Thanksgiving holiday students were asked to do one final activity by
reflecting on and producing something that represents their ecological identity. Ecological identity is defined as the way
you see yourself in relation to the natural world. Students were welcome to be creative in how they expressed and
shared their ecological identities with me and I look forward to seeing how they expressed themselves.
Our next unit covers the scientific explanation for the diversity of life on Earth. Students will be learning about Evolution
by means of natural selection. Kathleen Kennedy
Below students learn about estimating population size by marking and recapturing crickets.
11th grade Academy
Medical Intervention
The Medical Interventions class has been discussing vaccines. We have planned travel all over the world and researched
which vaccines we need for our trip. This week, we will build a physical model of a plasmid to carry viral genes into
bacterial cells for vaccine production after performing a virtual lab on the computer where we explore vaccine
production and development. Our next unit involves probing our own DNA samples for a gene that determines whether
you are a taster or a supertaster. We are also working on building our resumes in anticipation of job shadows in the
beginning of 2015. The health science academy students who did not attend the Salt Lake City field trip performed
community service at Fort Missoula last week and were inspiring to work with.
Jessica Tuberty