Students in grades 3 and 4 recently had the opportunity to present their integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) projects to the RCDS community. The installations were facilitated by science, technology, art, and homeroom faculty who worked together to guide students through the interdisciplinary project. "I am impressed every year at the creativity and love of learning that comes about from these projects! We are so very lucky to get to hear the 'Aha!' moments when all the learning clicks together either when the students are putting together the ending project or at any one moment during the work process," said Debra Simpson, Lower School science teacher.
Grade 3: Light Sculptures
In grade 3, students built upon their knowledge of electric circuits to create their own lighting systems. Next, they used software to create a program that allowed their lighting system to blink or constantly glow. Then students built sculptures to incorporate their lights using supplies, like mirror board and acetate film, from the Inventor's Workshop.
Grade 4: Lego WeDo Robots
In grade 4, students learned how to build Lego WeDo robots, testing how they would interact with different types of terrain. Next, they explored using different combinations of sensors and programming that could assist their robots with navigating their surroundings. Using supplies from the Inventor's Workshop, students created environments for their robots to showcase their maneuvering capabilities.