In Greeley West’s science Department, labs are a significant part of learning material and putting the paper work to the test. Recently, Mr. Zach Armstrong’s UNC Physics class participated in a lab where they shot a projectile and measured distances in order to get the ball into all of the wooden rings set up in the room. 

Armstrong’s idea was simple: “The idea behind this lab was to make sure everything was calculated correctly in order for the designated ball to smoothly sail through the hoops set up around the classroom,” Armstrong said.

Many of the students in this class loved this idea. Junior Blake Stienmetz specifically was amazed by what he learned even outside of the tasks results. “This project actually taught me more than just how to calculate. It also taught me that sometimes teamwork means everything in order to successfully complete the task at hand,” Stienmetz said.

This lab really put the students’ team work and collaboration into effect. Junior Kern Chahal agreed with Stienmetz saying, “Without the team coming together and the elaborate explanation and help with the lab from Mr. Armstrong, I don’t think many of us would have succeeded in the way that we did.” 

“I also think that the more labs we do, the easier it is to apply these concepts into real life situations and scenarios,” Chahal added. 

This project on top of creating a collaborative environment for the students, made their class chemistry better all together, even post-study. Junior Gavin Webb said, “Honestly the class has been great ever since. The lab was fun and cool, but to see the way everyone is acting now is even better.” 

Webb went on to say, “You’d think after a lab everyone would go back to their cliques, but it seems the opposite. Everyone seems to be bonding better since we did it.”