Second Grade Sailboat Challenge Launches Oct. 3

The Science Technology Engineering and Math Learning Program is put to a test this week in Pickens County.

On Wednesday, second graders will build and launch a Styrofoam sailboat that can float down a river in 15 seconds or less.

The students will tour Portman Marina and Hartwell dam beginning at 8:40 a.m. The trip is expected to give them real-world application of sailing, wind, waves and weather.

“Some of our students have never visited a lake, so it would be difficult for them to design a sailboat for something they’ve never seen,” said Barbara Nesbitt, Early Childhood, Elementary, and Instructional Technology coordinator for the School District of Pickens County.

The STEM Sailboat Challenge is intended to teach young students how the design process works, in conjunction with the science, math, and language standards students are already learning. The project-based learning program is a chance to introduce physics, engineering and problem-solving principles in a way that young children enjoy and understand.

In addition to designing the boats, the students will also have to track their progress.