Columbia High School engineering students assembled telescopes in class last month with the help of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students. Each Columbia student used their own materials, which were provided by RPI, while they were guided through the lesson virtually.
Columbia and RPI students working together via Google Meet.
All of the students were on a Google Meet where they could follow along and ask questions. At the end of the activity, each student had constructed a handheld telescope.
“This activity allowed the students to see the real life engineering that goes into telescopes,” said Columbia Science Teacher Bailey Freemantle. “After learning about how telescopes work and are made, they were able to make their own and dive deep into how they work and are assembled. The students truly enjoyed being able to build their telescopes and take them home to look at the stars. It was truly a unique experience!”
Special thanks to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for supporting this activity!