WEST MILFORD — Each year, Danielle Rovetto's second grade students from Maple Road pair up with Michael Rose's AP physics students to discover, design, and explore different ideas they may have for completing a challenge.
The challenge is to have their milk cartons travel the farthest distance along the floor from a ramp.
The first time they meet, the second graders are free to explore whatever options they like, using items like cotton balls, Styrofoam dinner plates, rubber bands, masking tape, etc. Their high school buddy is there for guidance and support.
The second graders then return to the high school in a week or two to make their final product. All projects have their resulting distance measured.
Rovetto and Rose created this annual challenge when they were attending a workshop headed by Stevens Institute of Technology, called CTEAMS. They have presented this project at both the New Jersey Science convention and the National Science Conference. The project allows students to be exposed to sliding and rolling motion as well as advantages and disadvantages of material design at an early age.