Hamden middle school students learn math by building sailboat

Hamden students learned math and science skills through boat-building. Hamden students learned math and science skills through boat-building. Photo: Ebony Walmsley — NEW HAVEN REGISTER Photo: Ebony Walmsley — NEW HAVEN REGISTER Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Hamden middle school students learn math by building sailboat 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

HAMDEN >> Sailing on a boat at a country club is not your typical summer school assignment, but two teachers from Hamden Middle School are making it work.

Andrew Marzano, an eighth-grade science teacher, and Frank Kachmar, who teaches technology, teamed up to teach eighth-graders math and science skills by building a sailboat.

Recently, five eighth-graders set sail on a pond at the Hamden Paradise Country Club using two 12-foot skiffs.

Marzano said he wanted to bring the idea to the middle school after watching people build wooden boats at Mystic Seaport.

“It really incorporates math, science, history and English,” Marzano said.

The three-week program caters to students who face challenges with math and science, teaching them about angles, measurements and adding and subtracting fractions.

“These students work better with their hands, rather than a pencil and notebook,” Marzano said.

While students may not initially understand the benefits to constructing firsthand, Marzano said that, once the end result is pieced together, the excitement builds.

“They start to see it’s not just a hammer and nails, but that it’s actually something functional,” Marzano said.

Student Michael Cox said building the sailboats was a great experience.

“I loved doing it. We had to learn about how to correctly measure the boats and its seats or they’d be too big,” Michael said.

While Michael enjoyed the building process, he said the trade is something he’d only be interested in as a hobby.

Other students who helped build the boats included Ethan Dileone, Elijah Garcia, James Flores and Brendan Randall.

Kachmar said the students participated in every part of the process from reading the construction plans to hammering and sanding the boat.

“I was most impressed with how quickly they learned how to read the drawing plans and their ability to create something out of raw materials,” Kachmar said.

Kachmar said the experience gives students the chance to move out from behind the books and get excited about learning.

“We provide the opportunity for them to become enthusiastic and they supply the motivation for themselves later on in life,” Kachmar said.

Marzano hopes to expand the program to allow students to participate throughout the entire year.

“I want the ones that aren’t showing up. It takes them out of a traditional classroom setting. ... I think there’s enough enthusiasm for it,” Marzano said.

Hamden Middle School Principal Dan Levy said he would like to see the project grow, but said it has to start small.

“It’s enriching for kids. You know, they can talk about angles or you can build them on a boat,” Levy said.

As he watched two students climb into a boat, Levy admired their craftsmanship.

“That’s a beautiful watercraft right there. A 13-year-old built that; that’s awesome,” Levy said.

Call Ebony Walmsley at 203-789-5734. Have questions, feedback or ideas about our news coverage? Connect directly with the editors of the New Haven Register at AskTheRegister.com.