GREENTOWN — Even from 30 feet up, it was obvious that Morgan Aprill, Jacqueline Johnson, Taylor Randolph and Kaitlyn Little’s “spegg shuttle” did not make a safe landing.
The girls and their classmates in Dennis Swender’s orientation to life and careers class at Eastern High School craned their necks over the side of the home bleachers in the football stadium, and could immediately tell that their “eggstronaut” did not survive the fall.
“We could tell right away,” Aprill said. “Ours just blew open and the egg went all over. It wasn’t pretty.”
Students in the class, which is required for all ninth-graders, worked in groups to construct a mock space shuttle out of recycled materials, including plastic bottles, metal cans, Styrofoam drink cups, newspaper, fast food bags and other materials.
To pass the project, the raw egg inside the shuttle must survive the fall from the top of the bleachers unbroken.
In this particular class, only one eggstronaut survived, so the designers went back to the drawing board to work out problems and try again.
Once the shuttle survives the drop, the groups must figure out how to launch their shuttle from the ground to the top of the bleachers, without touching it and without the egg breaking.
Corey Graham, Greg Huffman and Keith Lewis started the second task, as designers of the only successful shuttle.
They nestled the egg in a nest of newspaper, in a can that formerly held peas. They covered the can with a paper cup, then placed the whole thing in a Wendy’s bag.
Graham said their design took about 30 minutes to plan, and they considered five ideas.
To launch it to the top, he considered an idea to set the shuttle on one end of a skateboard, and then jump on the other side, launching it into the air.
“We’d have to stomp on it pretty hard,” he reasoned. His team abandoned that plan in favor of one involving string.
At the next table, Aprill, Johnson, Randolph and Little consider how they can re-imagine their shuttle to survive the drop. Aprill draws some possibilities on her notepad and suggests gluing carpet to the outside to absorb the blow.
Johnson thinks rubber cement could help.
“Does rubber cement bounce?” she asks, suggesting they could coat the egg in it.
Swender said the point of the exercise is not engineering — it’s learning how to work together as a team, how to keep trying to solve a problem and economics.
He sees the project as a launching pad into the class curriculum, which covers topics such as consumption, economics, recycling, writing, teamwork and persistence in problem solving.
Each team had a budget to purchase their materials. Swender required materials to be recyclable, to promote environmental consciousness.
He said it’s also important that the students figure out how to solve the problem without him giving them an answer, an important skill to have in the work force.
They’re also learning how to give specific directions, because when each team handed over their shuttles, he asked how they should be launched. If not given directions, he threw the shuttles hard, making it less likely the egg would survive.
“Hopefully they’ll get angry and learn to persist through things not going their way.”
Swender said the ability to work with people with varying opinions and ability levels also is an important life skill the students learn.
“They need to understand they don’t have to sacrifice their own beliefs and values, but they can treat people with respect and dignity, even if they don’t agree.”
Danielle Rush may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Eastern students learn from egg drops
- Local News
-
-
Delphi retirees continue fight for pensions
A group of then-Delphi Corp. retirees saw a long road ahead of them when they banded in 2009 to keep hold of their full pensions and benefits.
-
Eastern moves ahead on wind turbine
A packed room of remonstrators Tuesday held little sway over the Eastern Howard Schools board, which voted unanimously to move ahead on a $2.75 million wind turbine project.
-
Board: discipline for accused doctor not strict enough
The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana has rejected a proposed resolution to a Russiaville doctor’s disciplinary case, directing the Indiana Attorney General’s Office to propose a more stringent set of requirements.
-
City to end agreement with Novia
City officials said Tuesday they’re planning to switch providers at the city’s employee health-care clinic this spring, ending a year-old relationship with Novia Health Care.
-
Eastern celebrates graduation rate improvement
The latest graduation rates prove all Howard County schools are offering a quality education, a local superintendent said.
That’s how Tracy Caddell, superintendent of the Eastern Howard School Corp., summed up the figures released Tuesday by the Indiana Department of Education.
-
Jail full of females
In late January, cell mates Monica Clark Davis and Christy Miller were awaiting disposition of their respective cases in the Howard County jail.
-
Eastern set for wind turbine meeting
GREENTOWN — Eastern Howard Schools superintendent Tracy Caddell said Monday the school board is considering alternate sites for a proposed wind turbine project, which would build a 287-foot-tall windmill to produce energy for the schools.
-
Chamber cancels cook-off
After an 11-year run, the annual chili cook-off in Kokomo has been canceled for this year.
-
Miami County GOP fails to appoint new trustee
PERU – Miami County commissioners will be forced to appoint a Perry Township trustee after the GOP’s county chairman exceeded the deadline to replace the vacated seat.
-
Students petition to keep daycare at IUK
A group of Indiana University Kokomo students is petitioning the university to reconsider shutting down an on-campus childcare center.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House'
Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo.
Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming
No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner
Romney Congratulates Santorum, Focuses on Obama
Paul Says Results Help Him Rack Up Delegates
Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
