ANDOVER, Massachusetts USA — A class of middle-schoolers huddled in the field behind Doherty Middle School. Led by Doherty teacher Steve Cogger, they counted off in unison: “Five, four, three, two, one!”

They cheered as a model rocket, constructed from a plastic soda bottle, was launched high into the air. After it landed, some 20 yards away, one of the students ran through the snow to retrieve it.

Jaydeep Sambangi, 11, at left, and Nick Wall, 11, watch a rocket take flight behind Doherty Middle School. The students of Steve Cogger's Engineering lab built them over a three week span as they learn about science and engineering. Photo: Tim Jean.

The middle-schoolers had each designed and constructed a model rocket as part of Cogger’s engineering and design class, offered for the first time this year at Doherty. As each rocket was launched during a cold, clear afternoon last week, a team of students measured how high it flew, how long it was in the air and how far away from the launch platform it landed.

“It went pretty high,” said sixth-grader Jaydeep Sambangi with a smile, holding his slightly battered rocket after its launch. “My objective was to have my parachute open (during flight), so I'll be working on that in the redesign. It’s fun seeing how it works, how the wing shape affects how it goes.”

Sambangi said he and his classmates had been looking forward to launching their rocket designs, which they had been working on for three weeks.

“We learned some of Newton’s laws about lift, drop and thrust — the basics. (The rocket project) is basically experimenting to see how you can make it better. You can just be creative and go for it (in your design).”

Doherty is the second of the town's three middle schools to add an engineering lab, with the help of groups in town that support and fund educational programs. West Middle School introduced an engineering class last year for students and Wood Hill Middle School has plans to start one next year. Dan Miley, the engineering instructor at West Middle School, has been “instrumental” in helping him establish the class at Doherty, said Cogger, and he has been glad for his input as a mentor, he said.

At Doherty Middle School last week, each student’s rocket was different, built from 2-liter plastic soda bottles, with paper nose cones, parachutes and fins — some elaborately decorated with distinct markings. Half-full of water, the rockets were hooked up to the launching platform, which filled the bottles with compressed air, launcing them upward.

After coming inside after the launch, sixth-grader Andrew Runge said he had a few ideas of how to redesign his rocket to make it fly better.

“I pressurized it too much. I’m going to build it again and I won’t put as much air pressure in next time, and put smaller wings on,” said Runge. “I’ve liked the rocket project the best so far. We’ve learned things like if the rocket weighs more, it won’t go as high, and adding a parachute will make it go farther from the launch pad.”

Because this is the first year the engineering class is offered, all Doherty students | sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders | are doing the same projects, including building rockets. As the engineering class progresses in future years, Cogger plans to introduce new projects, so that no student will repeat what they’ve done.

Future projects this year include learning about alternative energy, wind turbines and electronics, and a “wind-up toy surgery” project, where students will take apart a mechanical toy and put it back together to see how it works.

Students at Doherty take Cogger’s class for nine weeks as part of their integrated arts rotation, in which they also take health, music and art classes for nine weeks each. Engineering is taken in addition to their regular science classes.

In the nine weeks he has with each class, Cogger tries to introduce basic engineering techniques including creating, testing and revising an original design — skills that can be used in any subject or profession, he said.

“Kids come up to me (in class) and ask ‘Will it work this way?’ and I tell them I don’t know (so that they’ll take risks and figure it out themselves),” said Cogger. “I try to teach them the thought process, encourage them to take risks and try to make them comfortable with making mistakes.”

Skills learned in engineering class will come in handy on the eighth-grade science MCAS test, 25 percent of which covers technology and engineering, said Cogger.

“We’re just trying to plant some seeds, to keep this (engineering) in a context for their lives,” said Cogger. “All the technology they touch in their lives was created by an engineer. … I try to challenge them to look at things differently. To think how things get created. Sure, you have an iPod, but how did it get here?”

This is Cogger’s first year both at Doherty and as a teacher. He decided to make a career switch this year from engineering to education.

Students at Doherty have been enthusiastic about the new engineering classes so far, said Cogger, especially because they get to do hands-on projects.

The engineering lab at Doherty is supported by the Andover Coalition for Education, the Andona Society, the Doherty Parent Advisory Council and Merrimack College. Cogger teaches in what used to be a woodworking shop lab, unused for several years because the class was cut from the curriculum.

“It’s been a blast; I’m having fun,” said Cogger of his first year at Doherty Middle School. “The parents and everyone has been extremely positive and supportive.”

Copyright © 2007, Andover Townsman.