There was great excitement in Mr. Carney’s 6th class this week as Ms. Higgins delivered a fantastic hands-on science lesson all about air resistance. The classroom quickly transformed into a hub of investigation and discovery as the students designed and created their own parachutes to explore how air resistance works in action. Working like true scientists, the class followed a full inquiry process: they investigated, tested, recorded, reported and evaluated their findings. Each group carefully designed a parachute and tested how different factors affected the speed of its fall. Through their experiments, students discovered that air resistance can be influenced by several key scientific factors, including the surface area of the parachute, the shape and material used, the weight of the object attached, and even how air flows around it. By adjusting these variables, they were able to see first-hand how greater air resistance can slow an object down, while less resistance allows it to fall more quickly. The students showed fantastic teamwork and attention to detail as they recorded their observations and compared results. Their thoughtful evaluations and discussions demonstrated real scientific thinking, with many making predictions and explaining their outcomes using the correct vocabulary. It was a thoroughly engaging lesson that combined creativity, problem-solving and scientific understanding. Judging by the enthusiasm and curiosity on display, we may well have some future scientists and engineers in our classroom!
