Firing on all Cylinders: Pirate Pit Crew at NRC with Mr. Bonadonna

                  Above:  Mr. Bonadonna, Physical Education Teacher at NRC 

teaching students about a lawn motor engine

As part of the NRC Enrichment Program, Mr. Bonadonna, Physical Education teacher at NRC, holds a small engine repair class daily for students grades 6-8.

Named the Pirate Pit Crew this class meets Monday thru Friday 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM in the gym.  Twelve students from grades 6-8 regularly attend to work hands-on with small engines.  Mr. Bonadonna sends out an email to teachers searching for small engines in need of repair and run by gasoline. Teachers with these non-operating engines happily bring them to the Pirate Pit Crew.

An NRC student looks the piston and asks Mr. Bonadonna 

a question about its condition

These engine types include Honda, Briggs and Stratton, and Tecumseh and can be found in lawnmowers, weed trimmers and snowblowers for example.  Each day students learn how to identify and trouble shoot engines that are not running properly. Once the diagnosis has been complete, the necessary repairs begin. 

 Here, students in Mr. Bonadonna's class have removed the cylinder head and are examining 

the valves while Dodge STEAM grant manager, Dina Scacchetti, lends a helping hand

Recently, Mr. Bonadonna joined the STEAM Team at NRC, where he met Art PIR Triada Samaras and he became aware of the fact that color could enhance his class.

Here, students in Mr. Bonadonna's class are removing a gas tank while 

Dodge STEAM grant manager, Dina Scacchetti, observes

Mr. Bonadonna sees the opportunity of using color (an element of Art) in his class to help students distinguish between the different components of an engine.  He plans to create a color coding method so that students can identify, for example, the variety of nuts and bolts that belong with a carburetor, a cylinder, a muffler, etc.  In this class students also need to use math skills.  They must be able to differentiate between standard and metric tools, and ratios for gas and oil mixtures. In addition, students must use technology to research the engines since manuals are not available. Thus, Mr. Bonadonna's small engine repair class embraces cross curricular content areas incorporating science, technology, engineering, art and math and is the ultimate STEAM class!

Here, Mr. Bonadonna's students are dismantling a carburetor

Mr. Bonadonna explains, "Students love this class because it gives them a sense of accomplishment and instant gratification.  Our turn-around is usually one week from broken engine to a fine running machine that is ready to be put to use.  Students are very excited to return these machines back to their owners and have sense of achievement. It is a "win-win" situation for everyone: for the student, the owner of the machine and myself as an instructor."

Here, Mr. Bonadonna's students are discussing the finals steps of reassembly.