Date of Grant: Feb. 19, 2021
Grant Amount: $5,453

OPERATION HAMULANCHE is a project intended to capitalize on the success of hands-on radio related projects introduced at Woodridge Middle School to include: Radio Direction and Range Finding (RDRF) or “Foxhunting” activities. The funds granted cover the cost of equipment including solder and soldering kits, handheld radios, antennas, and more, allowing the school to double the number of students who can engage in these learning activities.

“FOXHUNTING”
During our unit on electricity and magnetism students will participate in a lab where they use RDRF equipment to locate transmitters put on the collars of animals (stuffed toy animals) hidden in the woods around our school. A brief explanation of radio waves and how they function will proceed the activity. Each class will be broken into teams and will race to locate their animal. Students will have a quiz the following day which will include questions associated with their activity. The lab will reinforce Missouri state standards as well as federal Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) on EMF, Waves and Technology. The goal is to have five “foxes” and “searching” sets with a spare; a total of six.

SOLDERING
During our unit on information and technology (4th quarter), our students complete a project where they build digital clocks. During this project students are taught how to solder as well as basic concepts associated with circuits, Ohm’s Law and information. Each class is broken into three teams with one classmate identified as the “Foreman.” The “foreman” is taught earlier in the year how to solder using a radio or star kit which they build over their lunches. Foremen are chosen for academic and leadership skills and initiative. Only volunteers are selected. The foremen assist in teaching their classmates during the project but are not allowed to solder so that they may encourage their classmates by describing processes rather than just doing it for them.