(SPS) --Sixth and seventh graders at Sapulpa Middle School took a mission to Mars in Mrs. Janet Johnson's STEM class Monday.
They launched 'skimmers' that they built and decorated and made to travel long distances over the surface of the red planet. Mrs. Johnson, decked out in NASA gear, served as commander of the mission.
The lesson is part of Project Lead the Way, which provides innovative, hands-on STEM learning experiences to Sapulpa Public Schools classrooms and classrooms across the U.S.
Students are tasked with building their skimmers to specifications designed by engineers. They creatively decorated their skimmers' exteriors, then tested the accuracy of their designs by launching the skimmers in a contest to see how far they would travel.
7th grader Aaron Torres and 6th grader Benjamin Slim won first and second place in Mrs. Johnson's 2nd hour contest. Slim says he believes slight adjustments in his design helped his skimmer travel a farther distance than his classmates.
"This is one of many classroom initiatives Project Lead the Way provides to help students develop skills for future science, engineering and tech careers, and it's great that we can have fun doing it," said Mrs. Johnson.