8th Graders Team Up with Kindergarteners for Hands-On Science Lab Activity
At Horizon Science Academy Cincinnati, 8th-grade students recently collaborated with Kindergarteners in an exciting science lab activity focused on aerodynamics. The students worked together to create paper planes and helicopters, exploring the principles of flight. Marco Penn, one of the 8th graders, showcased his own helicopter design and demonstrated how he made the propellers, sharing insights into the mechanics of lift and thrust. The young students eagerly followed along, learning from their older peers as they experimented with different designs and tested their creations.
Mr. Scot (6-8 Science Teacher) and Ms. vanSchaik (Kindergarten Teacher) explains that, the goal for this initial activity was relationship building. Early in the school year we wanted to connect our youngest scholars with our oldest scholars. They connected right away which was exciting. The aviation activities came to us from donations we picked up from Crayons to Computers, so a big thanks to that organization. The entire group did a great job communicating, building, graphing and flying! Be on the lookout for more activity videos as we plan to connect once a month with science activities being the bridge.
After the activity, the 8th graders shared their thoughts on working with the younger students, expressing pride in mentoring and teaching the Kindergarteners. "It was fun to show them how things work and see their excitement when the helicopters flew," one student noted. The collaboration allowed both groups to learn from each other, fostering a sense of teamwork and curiosity in science. The experience not only enhanced the Kindergarteners understanding of basic flight mechanics but also gave the older students a chance to develop leadership skills and reflect on their own learning process.