Agoura High School - Quixotian Yearbook (Agoura Hills, CA)

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April Lee examines a fossil specimen. Many stu- dents found fossils on the extra-curricular fossil walks led by biology teacher jerry Lasnik. Todd Burgher and Paul Costa compare notes on a specific heat lab. This lab enabled students to study the relationship between specific heat and atomic weight. Amber Minson, Rachel West, Whitney Watson, jenny Singer and Debbie Locklear calculate the temperature of an element. these members of Paul Kanter's fourth period chemistry class en- joyed the hands-on experiences offered by the various interesting labs. sa' ' 5. . 7 ' A at Counselors Herb Feinman Dorothy Berntson Alice Heaton 196 Science Labs 'Ullman

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darrah walton emember the classes you liked to attend? Why did you like them? An interesting class had a lot to do with the subject matter, but also with the teacher. Most students liked teachers who took an active inter- est in their students and the school, the ones who became involved by becom- ing class advisors, athletic coaches, club advisors, or just someone in whom you could confide. This past year at Agoura several things made classes interesting. In many soph- omore English classes the students en- acted a murder trial after reading Lord of the Flies. While evaluating every as- pect of the book, the entire class be- came involved in the project, enjoying it every minute. Each year the stu- dents who are lawyers find something different that has never been discov- ered in past years, said Vicki Doi who originated this exciting activity. In Carolyn Stewart's English Ill classes, the students acted out the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Wil- liams. The students became actors, ac- tresses, technical crew, musicians, and prop coordinators. This was a creative way of studying the play. Instead of just reading it part by part, each person be- came involved and presented the play the way he interpreted it. Stewart said, l like to try techniques which actively involve my students in the learning process. Adding production elements to the reading of the play really made it come alive. Characters and their moti- vations were easier to analyze. We had a lot of fun with his play, and the stu- dents' essays were outstanding! Pete Petersons' classes were so much fun because of his positive attitude. Be- cause he enjoyed teaching, students were eager to learn. He made a subject that could have been dull very exciting. Instead of teaching strictly out of the textbook, Mr. Pete brought in videos, showed slides of his trips, and shared his knowledge. Mr. Pete's comment about his students was, lf a student shows a genuine interest in the subject matter, then I'll prove it to him. Dredging through volumes of notes was not the only way to grasp concepts. Often, a dancing Pete Petersons or a costumed Curt Miller made learning less painful and more worthwhile. - Melanie Carter t ag te..cttt: mimi? V fam i lbljfill-ilEUUl.UIIi EGUIIU IJII IJIULF WIQUEIH 'UKUIE E -l:1EI.LIl UE 'IIGJIllUfU'I' If MU IJLL'lII3IlEEE'IfVULilIQi UUUJHJ' S ,fe- J' , .1 , 8 . l x ' 'af j , -,, ' '4 V ,, Mx. ,L '51, Q , A 1 T fy V , ,. .f,r,.' 1 . , , j feeder jim Smith flies like a bird while imitating his stu- dents. Smith could be seen assuming all sorts of interesting postures while teaching his math classes. Teaching Techniques 195

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,.,,a.w mqau-wiv w ,f ,fy , . ' ff V. V z 4. , 1 if 5, , f' L Q ' Q . v , V ., , ... ' , .M I ' Wa'-' W' T fl, -,. ,,.,,,,, 1 a Wye gr' W , Y' . A 1 ' ' . A ., ' f ,. r . V - g ,. ,J I f ' ' ' 1 ' v cf . .. - ' vb. mg.-...,.. I, T. ' fi 'f mi' - ' f?5is mm . ' ws, .au C - ,,' K. Mi V, . ff Q ,vs w , 't 'ifffpzw M . 7 4 3 1, .1 I K A 23mm 9, 5-nw .P v:,ma f f 'fa Q ,gs Ve n n ' .wwe J. 5. N 2535- fi , lisa V Y' , 1 is 12i7xf.zv, :V . 'W ' ',jgc 'f'3Z2mg, ':., '44 4, V' y A 'Q ,gms , 'mfg-fxw -V it Y' my, M, ,' 3 5,1 V- it-f 1'-2 glasser ciencetni. A branch of study that is concerned with collecting facts and forming laws to explain them. This Webster's Dictionary definition ex- plains the goal of the science department at Agoura High. Through their eight science courses, teachers tried to provide students with a clear understanding of each science. For those students interested in a prelimi- nary chemistry class, Agoura offered Intro- duction To Physical Science. This course emphasized the properties and atomic na- ture of matter. This class was very helpful in preparing a student for chemistry, which delves deeper into atomic theory, gas laws, and elements and compounds. Chemistry labs consisted of such experiments as find- ing the pH's of various substances, combin- ing elements, and breaking down com- pounds. The Advanced Placement chemis- try class discussed the laws of chemistry more in-depth and met one hour daily pri- or to the opening of school. Agoura also offered biology for the student interested in life science. This was a lab- oriented introduction to life in the plant, animal, and protist kingdoms. Students were given the opportunity to dissect frogs and worms to study their respiratory, diges- tive, and circulatory systems. To further their knowledge of the human body, stu- dents could also take physiology, which covered the body's structure and function- ing. Physiology students were also given the rare opportunity to study a cadaver and learn the functioning of the human body. Asked about the class Stephanie Kuebler said, The dissectionflabs in physiology provided an understanding of anatomy that no textbook could ever provide. For those students interested in the study of the earth, Agoura offered earth science. This class studied density and its effects in water, gravity, and relativity. Oceanography was another science and familiarized the student with the nature of the ocean, its creatures, and the problems associated with man's use of the seas. For the student interested in botany, Agoura offered ornamental horticulture. The class was divided between lecture two days a week and lab three days a week. The labs included class projects, orchard main- tenance, and greenhouse care. For the mathematically minded student, Agoura also offered physics and physics AP. Physics covered subjects such as vectors, kinematics, rotational dynamics, gravitation, electricity, and atomic structure. The AP class delved deeper into these subjects, em- phasizing Newtonian mechanics first se- mester, and Electromagnetic Theory for the second. With the dedicated members of the science department at Agoura and the many science classes available, there was bound to be one class that peaked a stu- dent's interest. - Gail Greenfield Etvlitt t ti li. f lilll.lil.i t' f' IyLtLLLl:LLvIil3E 'L'LlLt'L' Ltctt't'uLs gaviati Stacy Baker studies a lab specimen while aid- ing for the science department third period. Lab assistants had the chance to do more than correct tests as they gathered chemicals and set up labs. Science Labs 197