STEAM

STEAM

January

Thank you for helping me collect paper rolls earlier this year. My 2nd -4th grader were given a challenge in STEAM, their challenge was to create their own marble maze. The challenge was to have a marble travel from point “A “ to point “B “ at the 10 seconds mark. The students needed to draw out a plan. Then execute the plan using cardboards, paper rolls, glue, tape, chopsticks, and paper to build their maze. After the first construction, the students adjust their designs to accomplish the challenge. The students needed to figure out how to slow their marble or increase the speed of the marble to reach its destination. Like an obstacle course for the marble. The students needed to manipulate gravity, speed, and force to meet their goals.

TK -1st graders learned two types of Volcanos, Cinder cone and Shield. We learned what is in the middle of our earth and how land is created. Vocabulary words like mantle, magma, lava, and even the tectonic plates. We then made our own volcanos out of Legos. We top it off with a chemical change using baking soda, food coloring and vinegar. The mixing of the two substance, baking soda (bicarbonate) and the vinegar (acetic acid) creating a fizzing, foaming, erupting volcano. The food coloring was just for coloring effects. We also trapped Carbon Dioxide gas in a balloon using baking soda and vinegar to reinforce what is a chemical reaction. In the coming weeks well will learn about Physical Change differ from Chemical Change.