New Instructor Introduction

Thor Snilsberg, Executive Director of CityScience, is very excited to instruct during the spring semester at Mazel Day School while Eileen Blank recovers her health.  Thor believes that science is best learned in the context of the real world and he teaches using an inquiry and project-based pedagogy.  Using this approach, Thor will scaffold student learning as they tackle big questions while undertaking projects that demonstrate their learning. 

Given the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy on the Mazel Day School community, CityScience has adapted its curriculum to ensure that Sandy is used as a teachable event. After plant anatomy, each unit will directly contribute to students’ understanding of the storm as well as prepare them for their final science projects.

On his first day at Mazel Day School, Thor shared the four areas he will use to evaluate each student’s learning: science journals, classroom participation, three short quizzes and each student’s final project.