Graduation is just around the corner, so high school classes are finishing up projects. The Physics classes at Dixon High have a project called Walk on Water. The idea is for teams to figure out a way to get across the pool using "foot-power". I don't know all the criteria, but I do know that they couldn't make a boat, use oars, etc. and they had 2 minutes to cross the pool.  The teams who are able to accomplish the task (and turn in the written work) can use the Physics final as extra credit. The day started with one of the students playing the National Anthem on his electric guitar. Then the crafts were christened by dumping water on them. I took photos of all 16 entries, but will include only a few here. There seemed to be 2 main types of creations--raft-type of crafts powered by feet and  floating foot-gear. The former seemed to function better than the latter in most cases. There was a 3rd structure as well--wait till you see that photo at the bottom!

This is my son's team with the smallest guy as the "walker". That's Chris in the water in front. The "walker" had a bar to stand on but brought pedals forward one at a time that turned the paddle wheels. They used large water bottles as floats and old plastic pipe that has been lying around our place since we moved here--they had to buy a lot of fittings though. (I think the local hardware store has to stock up on duct tape and PVC fittings for this event.) And, of course, there is baling twine.

This team used a similar idea but taped shoes onto the pedals so the feet would stay in place and they made a different kind of paddle-wheel.

Here is the most successful of the floating foot-gear style. I don't know what the big tubes are, but the walker's feet are so well sealed in them that she had a hard time getting them off.

Here is another raft type of craft. The walker used the supports to hang on and paddled the water directly with her feet.

There were several of this style, but they kept filling with water. I think that this one finally made it after a few attempts.

This is was a crowd-pleaser--the hamster-wheel craft. There is a PVC pipe framework inside and the walker rolled through the water in a record-breaking time of 21 seconds. It's a good thing that it moved quickly because it didn't take too much longer until the cardboard structure was falling apart.

A bunch of clever kids, don't you think?