Eighth-grade students enrolled in math, science and technology classes at Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School recently competed in a regatta at the Connetquot High School natatorium. They devoted weeks to learning about buoyancy and the proper requirements necessary to build a functioning boat out of cardboard and duct tape.

Throughout the course of their preparation, students read articles, watched videos, and completed math calculations including boat volume, water displacement, and how much mass the boat could hold in order to strengthen their understanding about what it takes to get a boat to float. Within small groups, they used their knowledge to design a boat that would enable up to two students to safety travel from one side of the pool to the other without sinking.  

“Overall, I am extremely impressed with how hard the students worked on this assignment and how successful several of the boats were,” said Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School MST teacher Keri Trojanowski. “When discussing the regatta with the students afterward, they made it clear that their design and math calculations were accurate, despite the fact that some of the boats sank upon entering the water.”