First Tech Challenge Robotics
Our First Tech Challenge Robotics Team motivates students to pursue technology, math, and science and is open to students in 6th – 8th grades. The middle school students are challenged to build, design, and program a robot to play on a game floor. They compete two to three times year against other school teams in different counties in Michigan. Our GA Bots learn to strategize, share their ideas and talents, and have fun!
You Be the Chemist!
This Challenge is a fun and interactive academic competition that engages students in 5th – 8th grades as they learn about important chemistry concepts and their real-world applications. Challenge competitions take place across the country, encouraging the collaboration of industry members, school, and community organizations – as together, we educate students about the value of science education and the role of chemistry in everyday life. The Challenge cycle culminates in the National Challenge event in June, held in Washington DC.
Each student that is interested in participating will receive a packet of information. The teachers will help prepare them here at school, as well as providing extra information to study at home. They will take a 50 question test, and the top 3 winners will represent Guardian Angels at the regional competition held at Oakland University. If they place in the top 3 at Oakland University, they will go on to compete at the State Level.
Hawkwoods Nature Centure
Junior Ranger: Each year, our fourth grade students head out to Hawkwoods Nature Center to participate in a Junior Ranger program. Through this program students learn about the parks and take an oath to protect them.
Bug Camp: Each year, the fifth graders from Guardian Angels go to Hawkwoods Nature Center for Bug Camp. Before the trip, they learn about insects – what they eat, where they live, etc. At the Nature Center, each student receives a net and jar. They observe, collect, and participate in various lab exercises. The next day at school, they create a list of their bugs and place them in a box for all students to observe.
Water Quality Testing: Each year, the seventh graders also head to Hawkwoods Nature Center to perform various Water Quality Testing experiments. The water quality program has been completely developed by our very own Ms. Eisenhart.
Michigan Aerospace Challenge (MAC) is part of the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association. The MAC introduces grades 6-12 to applied science and engineering practices. Interested students in grades 6-8 may sign up in January. In addition to their payload project, each class builds their own rocket to launch at the two-day competition in Muskegon, MI. The first day involves judging the school projects and oral and written tests. The rockets are graded and checked to see if they are properly constructed. On the second day, teams launch their rockets and are judged by the success of the flight. The rockets attain a top speed of 350 MPH and an altitude of 4,000 feet.