America's Cup Partners with Science from Scientists on STEAM Curriculum
Science from Scientists (SfS) recently partnered with the America's Cup Endeavour Program in an effort to interest students in Bermuda in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
The Endeavour Program is an America's Cup initiative designed to bring together marine industry representatives for a youth education and sailing program. Science from Scientists is an organization that pairs scientists with classroom teachers to help develop lessons and to work with students in the classroom on a regular basis.
As part of the partnership, SfS and Endeavour created a curriculum, STEAM through Sailing, to introduce students to the sport. The curriculum included five lessons:
- Students used K'Nex and fabric in an engineering race to create sail cars and learn about sailing geometry;
- A design challenge in which students were asked to create boats that held increasing amounts of weight to learn about buoyancy;
- A lesson about different kinds of trash found in and near waterways and how long it takes them to degrade;
- A lesson about simple machines on sailboats and how they reduce work for sailors; and
- A lesson about wetted surface area and drag.
"Sailing is a sport, but it is also a science and we're excited to work with the America's Cup Endeavour Program and, through them, the Bermuda community to encourage students to find fun in the sport itself and the science behind it," said Erika Ebbel Angle, founder and executive director of Science from Scientists, in a prepared statement. "STEM education will be essential to the next generation of youth in Bermuda, and around the globe, as the demand for career-ready scientists, technologists, engineers, artists and mathematicians continues to grow. The America's Cup Endeavour Program provides a perfect opportunity to encourage young people to start thinking and get enthusiastic about science because the engineering, technology and design elements used to develop the racing yachts for the America's Cup event itself are truly fascinating."
More information about Science from Scientists is available at sciencefromscientists.org. Visit americascup.com to learn more about the Endeavour Program.
About the Author
Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].