Jefferson School Kindergartners Float their Boats
Teaching kindergarten age students about marine engineering might seem a bit ambitious to most people but not to five faculty members at Jefferson Primary School.
The youngsters at Jefferson spent several days learning about Christopher Columbus and a handful of other explorers. Adventure stories always seem to inspire children and they did this time as well. Students viewed sketches of some of the tall ships that carried these early sailors to parts unknown.
Teachers Carol Coffey, Adrienne Braun, Theresa Duffy, Toby Frye and Rosa Lanoue discussed the concept of “sink and float” as part of a science unit that culminated in a shipbuilding project.
The kindergarteners were asked to create boats at home and bring them to school on the designated day. The teachers said they were “amazed at the enthusiasm and creativity” of the youngsters. The boats themselves were made of various materials ranging from wood, Styrofoam and cardboard to paper, plastic and even aluminum foil. There were a few “basket boats” and most sported colorful sails.
Finally, on a recent crisp fall afternoon, and with many of the students wearing mock explorer hats, the children’s boats were placed in a small outdoor pool to determine their level of buoyancy. Parents were invited to lend a hand and the results were quite interesting.
It was with much excitement and just a small dose of apprehension that students watched their boats in the pool. To the delight of all those who gathered together for the festivities, each one of the ships floated.
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