I just completed a big project based on the Pythagorean theorem. For this project we created a laser path. Our whole project was Star Wars themed, so everyone was creating a Star Wars ship with a laser. The idea of this project was to learn about light and reflection. We were asked to create a mind map on what we knew already, here is mine.

During this project I was working with Nate and Josh to build the Millennium Falcon, a popular Star Wars ship. On the inside we had to create a path for our laser using mirrors. When the laser completes the path it should be in the shape of a right angle triangle.

After my group had built the base of our ship we started to add the mirrors that the laser would reflect off. Getting the mirrors at the right angle was a little hard at first. We had to make sure that it was a right angle and that the end of the laser was pointing out the ship. The first time our laser wasn’t in a right angle, so we had to adjust it until it was. We knew that the mirrors weren’t set up right, because when we measured it and did the math it didn’t add up correctly.

My group was really good at figuring out problems together. We designed the ship, built and worked on it together. I feel that I contributed equally in doing all of this. When I was working I thought that I was using my class time well. I had to be working the whole time other wise I wouldn’t have been able to complete the ship.

Building the ship was a lot of work but was really fun, I’m glad that I got to learn about the Pythagorean Theorem in such an interesting way.

 

You want to know the difference between a master and a beginner? The master has failed more times than the beginner has ever tried.

-Yoda