Roosevelt fourth graders transfer physics inquiry into archery lesson

Fourth graders in the Roosevelt Elementary classrooms of Jennifer Hanley and Megan Mayer experience what a "transfer of energy" looks like in real time and space through archery lessons. The students become risk-takers, communicators and reflective of their personal experiences. 

Hanley shares some thoughts below about the grade 4 science inquiry into energy and how the archery lesson plays perfectly into it. She also gives additional background into how the connection to archery was made through dedicated volunteer Sam Dang, and saying ultimately that "the experience is truly priceless" for the students.

Hanley shared the following:

Connection to the IB Unit

This archery experience is part of our fourth-grade IB unit "How the World Works," which explores the central idea that "The Transfer of Energy has Consequences." The unit includes lines of inquiry into different types of energy, how energy transfers, and the impact of energy transfer. Students complete OpenSciEd 4.1 on Transfer of Energy Collisions before participating in archery, which allows them to witness their science knowledge in action. This hands-on application transforms abstract scientific concepts into tangible, memorable learning experiences that align with the IB learner profile attributes of being risk-takers, communicators, and reflective learners.

Benefits for students

The archery experience provides benefits that extend beyond science. Students gain confidence as they try something new, overcome challenges, and experience success in an exciting and difficult sport. The entire grade receives a significant confidence boost from Sam's expert instruction and genuine care for each learner. This partnership demonstrates The Bellingham Promise's commitment to developing partnerships with community members to support student success and empower every child to discover and develop their passions.  The vast majority of students have never experienced archery before. After their small-group experience with Sam, they walk away feeling successful and wanting to find more archery opportunities.The experience is truly priceless.

More about volunteer Sam Dang

Four years ago, we sent home a family letter introducing our fourth-grade IB unit on How the World Works.The letter invited families to contribute their expertise, materials, or ideas to enrich the unit. Sam, who had a 4^th grader in Megan Mayer’s class,  responded to this invitation, sharing that she was an archery instructor for the Girl Scouts and would love to teach archery to all our fourth graders. This organic connection through family engagement has blossomed into a four-year partnership that exemplifies the power of community involvement.

In the first year at Roosevelt, Sam brought equipment for the students to use. After that, she demonstrated remarkable initiative and advocacy by contacting the district directly to request permission to use Bellingham Public Schools' archery equipment. Her proactive approach secured access to resources that would otherwise remain unavailable to our elementary students. Each year, Sam commits several days to work with our entire fourth-grade cohort, ensuring every student receives approximately one hour of archery instruction as they rotate through the experience.

Photos courtesy of Roosevelt teacher Jennifer Hanley