Maria Soisson and Allison Simpson helped their pupils launch egg-carrying containers from a giant slingshot in front of Walnut Springs Middle School.
Before Winter Break, students in Maria Soisson’s 6th grade math class at Walnut Springs Middle School engaged in a challenge called Super Shield. They were charged with creating a protective shield for an egg that would be tossed through the air on a giant slingshot. After researching padded materials that protect electronics and other packages for shipping, the pupils had to figure out the net of the shield, and then calculate its volume and surface area. Then they constructed a 3D shape and took their design to Allison Simpson’s science class to fill their package and determine its density. The final test took place last Friday when they launched their Super Shields from a large slingshot in front of the school. Some met with success; others did not. Regardless of the outcome, all students learned a lot about perseverance and the importance of math in the scientific process.