Middle School Classroom Chronicle

Eighth graders begin their energy unit with an exciting engineering challenge: constructing mousetrap-powered cars. Students test their reasoning and precision–sawing balsa wood, hotgluing CDs–to explore how energy is stored, transferred, and transformed through the tension of a tightened spring.

As students design, test, and refine their cars, they apply core principles from our current curriculum, including forces such as tension, friction, and acceleration. The iterative nature of the project requires students to analyze performance data, identify sources of energy loss through friction, and make adjustments—mirroring the real practices of engineers and scientists.

This learning experience reflects St. Paul’s commitment to academic excellence and fearless learning. Students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, collaborate with peers, and persist through setbacks when chassis collapse, wheels misalign, or designs fail unexpectedly. In these moments, problem-solving, resilience, and adaptability become as central as the physics itself. Through engineering design, students develop both scientific understanding and the habits of mind that prepare them to meet challenges with creativity, perseverance, and confidence.