Students use everyday materials to create racing boats.
Most boats are built with strong and durable materials, but what if you’re challenged to create one with just cardboard and tape? With a little creativity and those everyday items, students at Hedrick Middle School proved they can build working watercrafts of their own.
For students in Casey McCluskey’s Makerspace class, a creative project like this is nothing out of the ordinary. The goal of Makerspace is to expose students to the many aspects of the engineering process and disciplines. Building bridges from spaghetti noodles, launching water rockets and wiring electronic circuits are just a few other ways this classroom always thinks outside the box.
Working in teams, students built cardboard boats of many sizes. Some focused their taping patterns to create colorful designs, while others just made sure their boats wouldn’t leak. Teamwork and communication helped these students work throughout the planning and creation process.