Students at St. Mary’s School had the chance to do some hands-on learning recently.
As part of the St. Mary’s School STEM program, eighth graders were set to test the laws of physics on Thursday, Oct. 13, culminating a month-long fluid dynamics unit focusing on displacement. For almost three weeks, students designed and built metal boats that can carry a cargo of at least 50 pennies.
“Science is a hands-on subject so we do lots of fun and exciting experiments. Building a boat and testing it allows students to apply the fluid dynamics principles we learned in class,” St. Mary’s School science teacher Christina Miller said in a press release.
Students also completed a four-week bicycle safety and training program through the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. The nonprofit brought four instructors and 25 bicycles to St. Mary’s School, allowing many students to ride bicycles for the first time.
“Our students were thrilled to learn how to ride bikes safely. It was fantastic watching their skills and confidence grow over the last month,” Michelle Cox, St. Mary’s School principal, said in a press release. “We’re blessed that an anonymous donor brought this amazing program to St. Mary’s School.”
The St. Mary’s School campus is located on two city blocks, which enabled the second graders to practice riding bicycles under a wide range of conditions.
“We have a city street, driveways, crosswalks, sidewalks, and many of the surfaces and situations bicycle riders face every day, in a safe environment right here on campus,” Cox said. “Riding a bicycle is a skill many take for granted, but today’s children don’t always have the opportunity to learn. The instructors, teachers, and parent volunteers all enjoyed hearing the children cheer for one another and beam with pride as their skills improved.”
