Good eggs were in abundance last Thursday at Shirley Hills Elementary School, and they bravely tested – and many did beat – the forces of gravity.
Kindergarten students had been studying gravity for the past month, said teacher Ashley Watkins, who helped organize an egg drop event.
“We spent the last three weeks studying gravity,” she said. “This is the culminating activity.”
The students designed their own containers that would shelter the egg and help it survive the fall.
Students, teachers, parents and friends of the school gathered in the playground to watch and see if students could beat the odds and not wind up with egg on their faces.
With the assistance of Jonathon Breaux and Brad Taylor, line technicians with Flint Energies who dropped the wrapped, break-defying eggs from 48 feet above the ground, Watkins and other kindergarten teachers, assistants and paraprofessionals put on a down-to-earth show.
More than seven dozen eggs were dutifully prepared to survive the free fall.
Students gathered in groups by class to cheer on their eggs, or just to make noise outside the classroom.
Groups of eggs were delivered to Taylor who ascended the heights to carry out this noble and important deed.
“Drop it! Drop it! Drop it!” the children yelled, aided by a few adults.
Taylor casually flipped and dropped containers containing their precious cargo. The children oohed and ahhed as the (hopefully) crash-proof containers fell to earth.
Thud! Plop! Smash! And other noises came from the debris field.
“Did you see the yolk? The yolk came out!” said special education teacher Ms. Coffey.
“This is ours class, now get ready!” came another voice as Taylor seemingly rose to the heavens.
Again came the thud and plop as containers rained down on the playground field.
Teachers and students rushed to the field to pick up their eggs and see how well they did or whether gravity took its toll.
Miley Hall and Carson Stanley tentatively unwrapped their cartons and proudly showed their unharmed eggs. Both were beaming.
“See? It didn’t break,” said Miley with a big smile.
Classes totaled the outcome on big sheets of paper. The forces of gravity were defeated by enterprising young minds, 43-42.
“This is going to make a lasting impression on their minds and is great learning experience,” Watkins said. “They are never going to forget it.”
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