STEM

Manheim Central School District has embarked on many goals this school year. One focus at the elementary level has been incorporating STEM into our curriculum and daily routine. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Our elementary STEM programs fosters a love of these four disciplines by integrating them into our content areas. STEM focuses on hands-on and relevant learning experiences for our students. It engages students and helps establish connections between the school, work place, community, and the global economy. Each lesson ties directly into the curriculum and focuses on the 4C’s: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication. Student model the Engineering by Design Process during challenges by asking themselves what the problem, imagining possible solutions, planning materials, creating a prototype, and thinking of ways to improve through redesigning.

So what does a day in STEM look like? A picture is worth a thousand words…let’s look at some pictures of STEM in action at each grade level!

Pre-K students practiced basic coding with Spheros, robotic balls that can be controlled by an app on their iPads. Students reviewed basic shapes and letters by using draw code. They identified the letter and/or shape and then drew it on their iPad. Sphero then rolled in the shape or letter that the student drew!

Kindergarten students have been learning about habitats as part of their science curriculum. One part of a habitat is a shelter. Students had to construct a sun shelter to protect an animal from UV rays. We discussed what materials would work best based on the importance of them being ‘reflective’ and not ‘transparent’. Students then tested out their shelter with color changing beads! If the beads stayed clear, the shelter was a success! If they changed color, a redesign was necessary.

First grade read the book Scaredy Squirrel as part of the English Language Arts curriculum in the fall. Students constructed catapults to help launch acorns to Scaredy Squirrel so that he did not have to leave the tree! This was also a great introduction to force and motion, a science unit in first grade. Students got to test out their catapults by launching acorns across the room!

Second grade has been focusing on nonfiction text. One of the books that they read during whole group English Language Arts looked at the solar system, specifically the moon. Students had to develop landing gear that would allow an astronaut to land safely on the moon. We discussed a shock absorbing system and what materials would work best to provide balance and prevent the spacecraft from bouncing. Students tested their prototype by dropping it from approximately one foot. If their astronaut (aka a plastic egg) stayed in the spacecraft, it was a success!

Third grade does an extensive science unit on water and the water cycle. Students have been learning about how water gets into our homes. A study of water towers and pipelines lead to students constructing their own water towers that could hold two cups of water and was complete with a working pipeline that could deliver water into a home or business. Students also had to devise a way to turn the pipeline on or off.

Fourth grade students have been working on solar energy and identifying items that we can redesign using solar power. Special focus has been placed on studying materials that absorb heat and ones that act as good insulators. Students created a solar powered oven that had to be able to cook a s’more. The s’more had to be cooked at two different levels, allowing students to test the temperature rise and see which height was more effective.