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McPherson's STEM LAB

Project Lead the Way

McPherson'sSTEM LABProject Lead the Way

Kindergarten

Structure and Function: Human Body


Kinder students are learning how the structure of a body part is related to its function in the human body. They use models to infer how the structure of the lungs, the heart, the muscles, and bones relate to their function in the body.
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Inner Body

We have a brain, two lungs, bones, heart, stomach, and muscles.
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Outer Body

Every human being is made of the same body parts; however, every person has their own identity.
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Smile Muscles

Students learned that our bodies have more than 600 muscles. We even use our muscles when we smile!

1st Grade

Animal Adaptations


1st grade students are using knowledge of animal adaptations in a given environment to inform decisions about what humans need to do to adapt to that same environment.

An adaptation is a way or organism's body helps it survive, or live, in its environment.

2nd Grade

The Changing Earth


2nd graders are exploring how the surface of the Earth is always changing. They can explain how the wind, water, and natural disasters can change the shape of the Earth.

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Save the City!

Students worked in teams to creatively design a solution to prevent a landslide from damaging houses located at the bottom of a steep hill.
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Collaboration

2nd graders collaborated to modify the hillside with trees, pebbles, rocks, and drinking straws that represented drainage pipes.
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Investigating Erosion

Students observed changes that wind, water, and natural disasters can cause to land over time.

3rd Grade

Variation of Traits


Students investigate the differences between genetic traits that are inherited and traits which are learned or influenced by the environment. They explore the phenomena that offspring may express different traits than parents as they learn about dominant and recessive genes.

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Inheritance Board

One way to investigate all of the possible outcomes is to use a graphic organizer such as a Punnett square.
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Observable Traits

Students were introduced to Gregor Mendel's work with pea plants and observable traits that pass from parent to baby plant.
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Seed Solutions

We sprouted three generations of seeds to help us understand why generations can have different phenotypes.

4th Grade

Input/Output: Human Brain


Students have been introduced to the analogy of the brain as a computer. They know how signals passing from cell to cell allow us to receive stimuli from the outside world, get this information to the brain for processing, and then send out a signal to generate a response.

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The Body's Computer

Students know that each region within the brain helps control and regulate specific functions in the body.
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Information Processing

4th graders can describe how the organs responsible for each sense communicate with the brain.
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The Brain in Action

Students conducted a series of experiments to test our memories and reaction times.

5th Grade

Infection: Detection


Students learn about transmission of disease through a simulation and compare communicable and non-communicable diseases. They also investigate how the body protects us from these germs to keep us healthy.

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Mystery at School

Students investigated germs in depth and explored the two types of germs that are responsible for a majority of the communicable diseases that infect humans--bacteria and viruses.
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Disease Detectives

This team of students used the design process to determine patient zero in a school outbreak of strep throat by outlining how the bacteria was passed from student to student.
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Scientific Inquiry Process

Students used the scientific inquiry process to design and perform experiments to test the effectiveness of different hand washing methods.

6th Grade

Design and Modeling


6th grade students learn to use the design process to solve problems and understand the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives. They work in teams and use tools such as mathematics software, computer-aided design programs, and engineering notebooks to design, model, and build objects.

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Geogebra

Students used Geogebra to explore basic geometric shapes and use combinations of geometric primitives to form more complex shapes.
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Design Challenge

6th graders worked in teams to design, test, and build a model solution for patients with a movement disorder called cerebral palsy.
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Puzzle Design Challenge

Students applied the design process to create a puzzle using 27 wood cubes. Each puzzle had to contain five different puzzle parts that could be assembled to form a 2 1/4 inch cube.