Regional Coordinator, Doug Underwood conducted Oberth trainings, this past weekend, July 31- August 1 here in Fredericksburg. Hollenstein, Georgetown and McGregor High Schools attended. This level teaches students in their Senior year about Transonic rockets, which are designed to break the speed of sound.
I sat in on their class for about an hour and a half on Saturday morning. Since Oberth rockets aim to break the speed of sound, that was a criteria talking point. When I was there, they were discussing an experiment meant to simulate the flight of the rocket in order to determine needed calculations. The actual exercise is the flight and descent of a ball. Literally tossing it in the air and watching it land again in a prescribed bucket of water. Figuring out what is needed to accomplish this seemingly ordinary action, helps the students get a basis of what is needed to begin to understand what they need for their rocket.
They started with a list of Givens that needed to be determined. These are all things that the students can either measure or look up in order to find the value. A few examples are mass, diameter, density, altitude, velocity, thrust, etc. This is just the short version of the list they created. I watched and listened as they began figuring answers to the listed items.
It was interesting to watch and see how quickly they answered some of the items. Others were answered, but then only created more questions to be determined. What is fascinating is that the teacher is more of a coach or director. He never directly answers the questions for them, but only lightly directs them by asking other questions. This is exactly how these teachers will have to react with their future students.
Doug Underwood put it this way, when answering one of these teachers questions, “Don’t limit your students. They are capable, if given the opportunity, of much more than you might believe.”
An important issue that arose was what measuring system to use, metric or imperial? It was suggested to actually do work in both forms, because it may be necessary to calculate something back from one standard or another.
Note taking was also a highlighted subject. Notes in this curriculum are essential and begin the basis for which each student will work down the line. This is important from the very beginning of this program on. Each year builds on the next, therefore notes from the prior year will still be needed and added to the following year.
At this point, Phil Houseal, came in to get a photo and I took the opportunity to do the samae. Discussions about where everyone was from, got the group off track for a bit. A young lady in the class told us about where she was from in South Carolina and the deep south atmosphere the small town still projected. It was a very interesting and enlightening discussion, but one for her to share. It was time for the class to get back on track. Phil and I both excused ourselves.
Unfortunately I didn’t get back to the class again, but I did take a lot away from it. And that is true for every one of the classes I sat in on the past few weeks. This is a truly amazing learning opportunity that is available to students of any school that enrolls in the SystemsGo program. The wealth of knowledge that is afforded them through this program, as well as the numerous array of career paths available afterwards is more than worth the time invested.
If your students do not have this program at their school yet. It is time to look into it and encourage your school administrators to get involved. Your students will be greatly benefited. I have followed many students from this program into their future endeavors. No matter where they end up, STEM field, FDIC banking manager, or family business, each one cites this program as having giving them a basis for where they are today. What they learn in SystemsGo transfers greatly to the outside world and future careers.
Thank you to Regional Director, Doug Underwood, student teachers, Jonathan Whatley, McGregor HS, Nicole Bolen, Georgetown HS, and Dan Strickland, Hollenstein HS for allowing me to observe again. It has been fun getting to know them and other teachers these past few weeks. I will look forward to seeing them in the spring at the launches.
If you are still not dreaming of rockets, you obviously do need to hang out with this crew more! Come check it out!
www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. You may also email them at info@systemsgo.org .Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited.
#RideTheSky! #Rockets2022 RocketSeason!