Duct Tape, cardboard and a swimming pool. Given the right mix of materials, Brandon High School students launched some rather unique sailing vessels on Wednesday.
The fleet of cardboard vessels included ones christened, ‘Brown and Soggy,? ‘Titanic,? and the ‘USS Charmin.? The boat project is an open-ended assignment for high school seniors that Lesley Hildebrand, Brandon High School physics and physical science teacher, says emphasized design and a lot of fun.
‘It’s all about problem solving and real world physics,? said Hildebrand. ‘The assignment is not costly for students and provides a nice break, since physics is a lot of classroom work.?
Hildebrand, a former engineer before teaching at Brandon High School, provided the students a list of rules which include: the boat must hold two passengers, be seven feet in length, fit through a doorway, use of Duct Tape only on the boat seams, and stay afloat for 50 meters, the length of the high school swimming pool.