ODESSA – Students in the Ancient and World History classes at Keystone Prep recently tested their knowledge of medieval siege weapons at the Keystone Pumpkin Chuckin Challenge.
Led by social studies teacher Zeke Changuris, students spent the past month designing and constructing functional trebuchets, counterweight-based siege engines historically used to breach castle walls.
The month-long project integrated history, physics and practical carpentry skills. It culminated in a competition where student-built trebuchets launched pumpkins across the campus grounds. The winning class launched a five-pound pumpkin 47 feet.
“Our goal at Keystone is to give hands-on learning experiences across the curriculum,” said Zeke Changuris, social studies teacher at Keystone Prep. “A hands-on project for history does pose challenges, but finding ways to make learning more than about vocabulary and dates is a challenge we as teachers appreciate.”
The hands-on nature of the project connected abstract historical concepts and real-world mechanics.
“It was a fun experience and I would love to do it again next year,” said Benji DeManche, a ninth-grader. “The engagement and the hands-on experience were fun, and watching the pumpkins crash down was great.”
Keystone Prep strives to incorporate innovative, multi-sensory teaching strategies tailored to support diverse learning styles and spark engagement.
