New STEAM Lab at Crestline

Crestline’s fourth-graders are discovering science in a whole new way with the adoption of new science curriculum, STEMscopes, and the school’s new STEAM Lab this year. Teacher Amy Anderson obtained additional certification in STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) over the summer. In addition to teaching fourth-grade science, she will be working with teachers school-wide to implement more of this integrated instruction as a part the Institute for Innovation Grant she was awarded. 

CES fourth-graders started the year with an Engineering Design Challenge where they built a “house” for the Third Little Pig to withstand “hurricane force winds.” Teachers tested the houses with a blow-dryer and then surprised the kids with a leaf blower to test them as well. The fourth-graders have also been learning 3-D design with Tinkercad using the lab’s 3-D printer. Students printed small 3-D pigs for their house project. Anderson, along with science co-teachers Bradley O’Neill and Scott McKerley, wants to appeal to the genuine curiosity students have about how things in our world work. Interactive experiments and projects challenge students to discover scientific principles. Anderson believes it is important for students to make connections between learning that is happening in all subjects and even begin investigating the varied knowledge and skills needed for different careers. 

The state of STEM in our country has been under scrutiny for about a decade, since increasing reports began to predict that the U.S. would be unable to produce enough qualified individuals to fill the growing number of STEM-related jobs. Crestline School is working hard to ensure that its students will be prepared for the future.

– Submitted by Mary Evans.