Quarterback Tom Brady prepares to receive the snap from the center
1 CHAPTER TACKLING FOOTBALL WITH STEM It's a crisp autumn day The crowd is whipped into a frenzy and cheerleaders are doing flips on the sidelines The quarterback barks out the signals and the center snaps the ball setting all 22 players on the field into motion The players on the line of scrimmage collide with each other Their protective gear makes crunching popping and smashing sounds
Receiver Julian Edelman uses his gloves to help snag a touchdown pass Spikes in the receivers shoes grip the turf helping them accelerate The quarterback drops back five steps and scans downfield He spots his favorite receiver in the end zone His arm muscles flex as he flings the ball in a fast tight spiral The ball's path takes an arc shape as it sails through the air 40 yards The receiver times his jump perfectly grabbing the ball out of the air
The high friction material used to make his gloves helps him pull in and secure the ball Touchdown Science technology engineering and math STEM play a role in all sports including football All of these concepts factor into success on the field Knowing STEM can give a team a winning edge SCORING IN A GAME OF INCHES Football is a unique sport It has twenty two players on the field also called the gridiron Eleven play offense and eleven play defense Positions are highly specialized Some players never touch the ball The game brings together a variety of skills Offensive linemen are big and strong to protect the quarterback from the defense Receivers are tall and fast and they make amazing catches Running backs have powerful legs to run through tackles Quarterbacks are agile with strong arms to make long passes Defenders tackle whoever has the ball Each player has a job to do as soon as the ball is snapped
