On Nov. 10, Honors Algebra II  students built and launched bottle rockets as part of their summative project designed to apply quadratic concepts to real-world data.  

“They are launching soda bottles that they turn into rockets and then collecting data through video and recordings so they can calculate the path of their rocket,” Upper School math teacher Melissa Battis said.   

The project aligned with the class’s quadratic unit, emphasizing data collection, application and analysis. After, launching their rockets, students used gathered measurements to answer questions related to parabolas and projectile motion.

“The learning and work come in, not so much in the build, which is fun and entertaining, but with what you do with the data once you have it,” said Battis.  

This project was designed to show students how math is used in real life experiences, according to Battis.  

“I think it’s something new, and defiantly a cool way to display some math we have been learning in the real world,” said freshman Molly Wilkofsky.  

This project focused on the application of concepts students learned in the classroom, according to Wilkofsky. 

“I feel like it’s important to show the ways that math is important, because we can actually see all those abstract concepts,” said sophomore Wilson Heeringa.  

Students also said the project provided an alternative to demonstrate their understanding compared to traditional timed assessments.

“I do a lot of timed tests, but that is not the only way to assess a student’s knowledge because many students benefit from this way of learning,” said Battis. 

Battis said her goal is for students to find excitement in mathematics through projects that connect to their real lives.

“One of my biggest goals is to help kids find joy in math, and not every kid will find joy in working complex math problems,” said Battis. “I am glad to hear how they find interest in connecting it to something that makes sense in real life scenarios.”