C

This week, we focused on nautical engineering with the activity of boat building. First, we did a review of our cirriculum, particularly the types of engineers we have discussed, and the EDP. Next, we discussed how boats float, relating the activity to the Mayflower, as Thanksgiving is coming up. Jay introduced archimedes' principle, that is, if the weight of an object is less than that of the water that it displaces, said object will float. It was a little difficult to explain with pictures and not a physical representation, but the students seemed to grasp the concept. We then handed out supplies (tinfoil, construction paper, straws, tape, plastic bags, popsicle sticks) and issued the challenge of building the boat that could hold the most weight. We didn't quite have enough time to test the boats, so we will do that next week.