May the Fourth

In celebration of the secular Star Wars holiday, ‘May the Fourth’, multiple science classes joined forces to incorporate astronomy, physics, and the Star Wars franchise. Mr. Miller and Mr. Wood, who teach physics and astronomy respectively, temporarily joined their classes together on May 4 for activities such as trivia, a costume contest, and determining the science behind physics aspects of the Star Wars movies.
For the first half of Wood’s classes, students worked in groups to create posters comparing the Star Wars Galaxy to the Milky Way Galaxy, finding that a great extent of the fantasy space world has been inspired by the one Earth resides in. These posters can be found hung up in the upstairs and downstairs science halls, the location depending on the student’s personal preference for the real or fictional galaxy.
For the second half of classes, Wood and Miller switched students to change up activities, with Miller helping find the wattage level of the Force that jedi master Yoda exerts on Luke Skywalker’s X-Fighter in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. Calculations varied, but classes found answers ranging from 12,000 to 20,000 watts, power great enough to illuminate 120-200 light bulbs. Miller donned his infamous Yoda hat and Wood a Star Wars t-shirt, celebrating this beloved fan holiday with education and flair, even offering extra credit to dressed up students. Class ended for students in Wood’s class with finishing up their galactic posters and watching the latest installment, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Now fans need only wait one day for their next chance to geek out; May 5 is a follow-up holiday for Star Wars fans, known as ‘Revenge of the Fifth’.