Submarine Project

Dear Laura,

Here is the info you wanted about the submarine project. I got the idea about having the students design and build a submarine from the FAST Program (Fundamentals of Applied Science & Technology) which is from the University Of Hawaii. The course starts with the students exploring buoyancy, density, mass, and volume. It is an inquiry based approach which involves experiments that help shape the student’s understanding of these principles.As a final project I have the students design, construct and demonstrate a “Submarine”, which will be place in a tank, float for at least 5 seconds, sink and touch the bottom of the tank, then rise again to the top. After they place the submarine in the tank they are not allowed to touch it until it has completed it’s task.With the introduction of MLTI and having a computer in the laps of all the students, I felt that I needed to explore some of the ways that learning could be celebrated. The i-movie program offered such a strong visual means of recording the final event of this unit. This is the second year that I have done this and have really enjoyed using it as a means of recording what has been learned as well as teaching a visual means of assessment. I have designed a assessment sheet that the students would use for self assessment as well as a peer assessment sheet on their project. This worked extremely well in focusing the student on what was expected, what area was done well and what to do better the next time they present information in an i-movie.Of course this ties to Maine’s Learning Standards involving using technology, but it also meets the Science standards of problem solving, using measuring tools, and the demonstration of the principles of buoyancy and density.If there is anything else you need, let me know. Sincerely, Steven Richardson