Thanksgiving STEM Activity: Mayflower Cargo Float Challenge (THX01) | Physics

🚢 Thanksgiving STEM Activity: Mayflower Cargo Float Challenge (THX01) Bring Thanksgiving history to life through naval engineering, fluid mechanics, and buoyancy physics! The Mayflower Cargo Float Challenge (THX01) challenges middle school student teams to act as naval architects, designing a foil vessel to transport maximum cargo weight (pennies) without breaching the waterline or sinking. Students explore Archimedes' Principle, buoyant force, water displacement volume (1g = 1mL), center of gravity distribution, and hull geometry optimization! 📦 What is Included in This 3-Page Packet: Page 1: Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan: NGSS alignment (MS-PS2-2, MS-ETS1-2), target science concepts, and material setup guide. Expected student outcomes, answer keys, and math troubleshooting tips. Perfect for your TGM Product Preview! Page 2: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world naval engineering scenario hook. Clear material limits box (aluminum foil, craft sticks, tape, testing basin, zero-leak rule). Dedicated Vessel Hull Architecture & Vector Schematic sketching zone. Page 3: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table: Track dry hull mass (g), total cargo units supported, and failure modes across 3 trials. Applied Math Connection: Calculate Structural Efficiency Ratios (Cargo Mass / Vessel Mass). Physics Reflection Questions: Analyze fluid displacement principles, hull geometry stability, and load distribution techniques. 📐 Core STEM Skills Covered: Naval Architecture, Buoyancy & Fluid Dynamics Physics Archimedes' Principle, Mass Displacement & Center of Gravity Balance Data Logging, Mass Measurement (g), and Ratio Math Calculations Hull Shape Geometry and Structural Efficiency Optimization 💡 Why Teachers Love This Resource: 3-Page Professional Layout: Includes a complete Page 1 Teacher Guide for seamless prep, keeping student lab sheets clean and ready to print! Low-Cost Materials: Uses simple aluminum foil, craft sticks or straws, masking tape, and metal washers or pennies. High-Impact Physics Lab: Makes abstract buoyant force equations concrete, measurable, and hands-on for Grades 6-8! Format: High-resolution, print-ready PDF format (3 Pages).