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Launch Zone: Summer Adventures

Launch Zone: Summer Adventures

At the end of June, summer adventures explored aerodynamics and propulsion during Launch Zone.

On Monday the weather kept us at The Phoenix School. Before it started raining everyone was still able to go out on a walk; they collected things like dandelion seeds and maple seeds that float in the wind. After they collected them the kids studied these natural objects to understand better how things in nature slow their descent. With this knowledge, they returned to the school and the kids all worked individually to come up with designs for parachutes, before testing them together.

On Tuesday the kids explored the kind of propulsion that’s used in rocket ships by making bottle rockets together. They used PVC pipes and plastic bottles to create the propulsion system and then tested them together, seeing how high the rockets could go. Some of them even got up to the tops of the trees at Salem Willows.

On Wednesday the kids designed catapults. After the kids built their catapults they could test how far they could throw a projectile with them using a measuring tape. Some of the kids were very invested in trying to throw the projectile as far as possible, and they were able to go back and modify their catapult to see if they could improve on their design.

On Thursday the kids worked in groups to make derby cars. After they’d made them, they set up the cars to start on ramps, and they raced the cars to see how fast they all were.

On Friday the kids designed sailboats for a miniature sailboat race. Everyone was given pipe cleaners, straws, and a small cloth sail. Each kid designed their own sailboat using those materials, and in the afternoon they raced their sailboats to test the designs the kids had made. These designs used all of the concepts the kids had learned about over the week: the sail works similarly to a parachute and propels like the bottle rockets and catapults, and the ships had to be aerodynamic like the racecars. Like the first week, the kids each drew their favorite event from the week on the cover of their journal.

Summer programs are enrolling now for the end of August – learn more here >>> https://phoenixschool.org/enrichment-programs/summer-adventures/