Learning never ends in Holliston!
Publishers’ Note: Denizen of nature and all things Lake Winthrop, Tommy Zazulak, offers his first story. You may know Tommy’s photography work which is often featured on the Holliston Reporter Facebook page – or perhaps his picture books at the library.
Students from the Innovative Conceptual Design and Engineering program at Holliston High School were tasked with creating cardboard boats using limited supplies and materials to test the physical laws of buoyancy during a ten-week summer program.
Students Mathew, Jared, Eleanor and Dillon took their homemade, self-engineered and handmade boats for a sail on Lake Winthrop under the supervision of teacher Jen Schmidt.
Results were mixed. The first craft successfully made it from the shore to the floating dock and back with one- and two-man crews.
The second, smaller boat, well, let’s just say experienced some difficulty. Students and instructors indicated the second boat, although smaller, was too top heavy and perhaps constructed a bit too vertical. And as a perfect test of buoyancy, this second craft proved the delicacies of engineering on water.
Many thanks to Jen Schmidt and the students of the Innovative Conceptual Design and Engineering program for sharing their experiment.
In Holliston, learning never ends!
Great article. Experiential learning is a great teacher. Enjoyed the photos.