Today's Cool School is Ascension Episcopal School. Ascension held its First Annual Box Car Derby this month. It was a way to make learning formulas, equations and writing fun!
Their middle school math teacher Lauren Daly adapted the project from Clark's Creative Education to engage her students. Before the actual derby, they learned the origins and history of box car derbies. The reviewed and manipulated formulas for acceleration, force, and velocity. They incorporated art with aerodynamics, designs, and plans for their boxcar.
When race day arrived, the students assumed their roles to collect and analyze data. Did the calculations, and awarded the fastest car, the car with the most force, and the car that traveled the farthest.
The goal of the project was to provide learning opportunities for students to collaborate, communicate and think critically.
If you have a Cool School, let us know. Send Dave Baker an email to weather@katctv.com. Put Cool Schools in the subject line. Include a picture and a short story about why your school is Cool!.