By Ken Hoffman

The Nines is a six-storey, mixed residential/commercial building project a ten-minute walk from STEMIA Jr., at the intersection of Elbow Drive SW and Southland Drive SW. Many of our students and families pass by this project every day, on their way to school. In support of student learning in Science 8, students toured the construction site on Wednesday, October 9th.

The following day, the CEO and President of OPUS Construction, Mr. Hannes Kovac, provided a Q&A session for the entire class of Grade 8 students in the STEMIA gym. Through this field trip and Q&A, students experienced how their knowledge of fluid properties can be applied in an active construction project. Specifically, students focused on the mixing, pouring, and setting of concrete, and the use of steel to reinforce concrete. Throughout the two days, students worked in teams of four to practice cooperative learning and working skills for their future STEM Challenges in Science 8.

On behalf of our students and staff, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire OPUS team for the generous time you gave us during our recent visit. The tour and the in-depth information provided were not only enlightening but also truly inspiring for our students.