STEM Projects
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
Hello Family Members!
Beginning the week of March 2nd, we began our next STEM project in science class. The objective of the unit is for students to think about the changes that can affect an environment and its inhabitants. They will design and create a model of a solution to an environmental oil spill. Many thanks all of our amazing family members who generously donated all of the materials for this unit!!!
The STEM Focus for this Unit
Engineering Design: Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes, and how the types of plants and animals that live there, may change.
Life Science: Populations live in a variety of habitats. Change in those habitats affects the organisms living there.
Science and Engineering Practices: Design solutions and construction explanations, as well as engage in arguments from evidence.
The Unit is grouped into a Mini-Challenge and a Main Challenge.
Mini Challenge:
- Make an Environmental Changes Flipbook
Main Challenge
- Watch, discuss, and reflect on videos of oil spills and their effects on the environment.
- Science Centers: Students will work in groups of three to five students to:
- Create a mock ocean in a container. Work in a cooperative learning setting to build something that will clean oil out of water.
- Students will analyze and evaluate how they build their oil cleaner and how it worked.
- Students will reflect on the oil cleaners they created and any patterns they noticed among the various models.
As always, contact me through the remind app, or email [email protected]) for any questions or comments. The children are excited to see their imaginations take them to new places with this unit! Thank you for your continued support!