Third grade students Audrey and Charlie represented Carpenter Elementary School and District 64 at Tech 2017 in Springfield, Illinois. On May 9, 2017, students and teachers from 93 school across Illinois presented projects that demonstrated learning and creativity with technology. Audrey and Charlie, along with Channels of Challenge teacher Pam Johnson and myself, presented on STEMQuests: inquiry-based engineering and design projects devised by Mrs. Johnson and co-taught by Mr. Michael.
The three projects completed this year by 3rd and 4th grade math CofC classes were Gravity Racers, Take Flight, and Whatever Floats Your Boat. In each challenge, the students worked in teams to design, build, test, revise, and retest (repeat as needed) vehicles built to perform their best under different circumstances. The most recent activity tasked the children to build a boat capable of holding 25 pennies and staying afloat for at least 10 seconds, using only drinking straws, plastic wrap, and adhesive. The students are engaged, creative, and passionate about these projects, which incorporate Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts, and the Next Generation Science Standards for engineering.
The three projects completed this year by 3rd and 4th grade math CofC classes were Gravity Racers, Take Flight, and Whatever Floats Your Boat. In each challenge, the students worked in teams to design, build, test, revise, and retest (repeat as needed) vehicles built to perform their best under different circumstances. The most recent activity tasked the children to build a boat capable of holding 25 pennies and staying afloat for at least 10 seconds, using only drinking straws, plastic wrap, and adhesive. The students are engaged, creative, and passionate about these projects, which incorporate Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts, and the Next Generation Science Standards for engineering.
Illinois State Senator Laura Murphy visited the Carpenter students and asked them questions about Carpenter School and about their STEMQuest projects. She also revealed that she attended Kindergarten at Carpenter School! In addition to presenting to a variety of adults and other students at the event, we also had the opportunity to explore and visit the presentations and students from the other 92 Illinois schools and districts participating in Tech 2017.
Among the highlights from other projects on display were models of Future Cities created from LED lights, circuits, and found objects; hybrid art/music composition projects using MaKeyMaKeys and Garage Band; and students who completed story engineering projects using research skills, 3d modeling software, and a 3D printer. Mrs. Johnson and I were very proud of Audrey and Charlie, and all of the Carpenter students who completed STEMQuest projects this year.
Among the highlights from other projects on display were models of Future Cities created from LED lights, circuits, and found objects; hybrid art/music composition projects using MaKeyMaKeys and Garage Band; and students who completed story engineering projects using research skills, 3d modeling software, and a 3D printer. Mrs. Johnson and I were very proud of Audrey and Charlie, and all of the Carpenter students who completed STEMQuest projects this year.