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TAF@Saghalie Scholars Take to the Sea with ROVs

TAF@Saghalie Scholars Take to the Sea with ROVs

Federal Way Public School teachers and schools are committed to providing engaging experiences for students to discover more about the world and themselves in unique assignments. For the TAF@Saghalie 8th grade robotics class, this meant embarking on an exhilarating trip to Highline College’s Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center, located at Redondo Beach in Des Moines. At the MaST Center, students dove into the mysteries beneath the ocean’s surface and discovered the fascinating world of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) used for underwater exploration.

MaST Community Engagement Coordinator Aeriel Wauhob captivated the students in a classroom session on how different ROVs are implemented in underwater science and engineering projects. During the lesson, the students brainstormed ideas and considerations for constructing their own ROVs’ robotics.

After the lesson, groups of students were challenged with building an ROV for their team to launch into the water. Using pipes, fasteners, and motors to drive a set of propellers, each team came up with their own unique design. The design process sparked discussion amongst the scholars while they tackled challenges specific to underwater robotics, a stark contrast to the classroom environment they were used to.

Ms. Wauhob shared her enthusiasm for field trips and introducing students to new horizons. “With this project, [students] get to use the skills that they're learning in the classroom and adapt them to a marine environment, for maritime careers. This opens up their eyes to the possibilities of what they can do if they want a career in robotics in the STEM fields. It also has them creatively thinking and working as a group.”

With their constructed ROVs assembled and in hand, the teams eagerly headed out to the lab’s pier and readied them for submersion. Following instructions from Ms. Wauhob, the teams cleared a space for their creations, powered up their propellers, and—with a team of spotter, remote operator, and guide—lowered them each into the water.

The performance of the ROVs provided numerous lessons for students. Whether it was the distance of the propellers from each other, the location of the scoop they were required to include, or the construction of their frame, each factor contributed to challenges the team had to solve and understand while trying to gather up sediment from the bottom of the pier.

TAF@Saghalie’s Robotics Teacher Sam Rise organized the trip, and enjoyed observing the teams working together, seeing them learn and deliberate through the process saying, “This project has a design focus to it, and it’s nice to get out into a different challenge. And there’s the time constraint too they have to consider. It gets them thinking.”

The students appreciated the change of pace also. Abel commented on the experience saying, “Going to the MaST Center and Aquarium was great! I really liked learning about all the cool stuff underwater, and building the ROV was fun. It was one of the best field trips we’ve done!"

This event to the MaST Center is one example how FWPS incorporates its strategic plan goals into everyday learning, specifically Goal 2, Whole Child: Thriving, Confident Responsible Individuals, and Goal 3, Active Learners: Engaged, Empowered Critical Thinkers.

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