STEAM in Action
PK STEAM EXPERIENCES 2021
Each PK class was able to participate in two STEAM experiences. Students got to be "builders" (structural engineers) with Keva Planks and "coders" (computer engineers) programming Beebots.
The Boardwalk Project 2021-2022
Light Up The Dark: Solstice Stroll 2021 - Merriam School
December Makers on the Move STEAM Challenge, "Light up the Dark." After learning about the winter solstice, students at Merriam School designed and created their own lights to light up the longest night of the year. Families joined staff for a Solstice Stroll complete with student-made lanterns, hot cocoa, and solstice activities.
STEAM Grant 2021-2022
The District was most fortunate to receive a donation from the Telephone Pioneers of America. They donated $9,259 to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District to honor two retired Acton-Boxborough teachers and Don MacKenzie when he was president of the Pioneers. They requested that these funds be used to support STEAM curriculum and STEAM related initiatives. Highlighted below is a sampling of the proposals received by the STEAM Steering Committee and funded using this generous donation.
Integrating Movement, Active Play, and Coding
This STEAM project based on Unruly Splats provided a unique opportunity to integrate computer science with PE class by combining coding with playful learning and physical movement. Providing the Splats devices and coding platform to students allowed them to actively and collaboratively engage in age-appropriate coding that aligns with MA DESE computer science standards. The elementary STEAM and Digital Literacy coaches identified and developed Splats lessons and collaborated with PE teachers on implementation during PE classes, while also exploring additional opportunities for integration in music, SEL, and STE learning.
FORCE AND MOTION INVESTIGATION
A team consisting of classroom teachers, an ELE teacher and a special educator worked together to develop a S.T.E.A.M, experience for second grade students that served as a culminating project to their force and motion unit of study. The students designed and built a toy that moves. Their design was inspired by a kindergarten client assigned to them. They also designed and made a media commercial or poster advertisement to sell their toy product. Their toys were presented to their kindergarten clients as well as their families in a ToyExpo.
CODING TOGETHER: COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE iROBOT ROOT CODING ROBOTS
The iRobot Root Coding robot was introduced to the 8th Grade Digital Literacy coding unit in order to build, expand, and strengthen students’ communication and collaboration skills. Students worked together to code the robot in a variety of ways including making music, drawing, navigating mazes, and even climbing up walls! Students also collaborated to assess the challenge or task, plan and carry out a coding solution by creating algorithms and programs, debug if necessary, and report their findings. Having hands-on machines like the iRobot Root is an educational and engaging way to introduce coding to 8th grade students and helps tie their learning to real-world applications of robots and coding.
LIBRARY COLLECTION OF THINGS
One of the defining factors of a successful library is its ability to change and shift to meet the needs of those it serves over time. The library is not just about getting a book to read (although we will always help you with that!) or finding good resources for projects. It’s about finding what you may not be able to access otherwise. These maker kits allowed students to access different kinds of materials to explore personal interests and needs that can help support them as people and students. This Library of Things Collection will grow and evolve with the needs of our school community, and will help us support our students in every aspect of their lives.
Explorations in Visual Arts and Science (EVAS) 2020-2021
The first set of artwork from the new high school interdisciplinary class in 2020-2021, Explorations in Visual Arts & Science (EVAS), was displayed in Student Center South. For this first project students were given sample sets of data to display. These included data on World Happiness, Covid 19, Carbon Emissions, voting patterns and ease of voting access. A slideshow was also created so that those who could not attend in person could experience the exhibit.
PRe-K Boat Explorations 2020-2021
The Carol Huebner Early Childhood Program classes at the Boxborough site took their innovation to the waters! Using their scientific thinking skills and a variety of recyclable materials - containers, papers, tubes, tape, paper clips and more - students created floating vessels to test their sink and float theories.
From water basins in our outdoor courtyard to the stream that flows beneath the bridge on the beautiful campus, students celebrated the fleet's voyage. In the water basins, students experimented with a variety of textures, weights and compositions of chosen materials only to discover some floated while others sank. So … it was back to the drawing board to formulate new designs and hypotheses based on the results of their experiments.
In the stream, students were delighted with the movement of the water which took their boats downward, managing around branches, over rocks and through leafy vegetation. Nothing could be more delightful than seeing their invention -born from their innovation, problem-solving, designing and engineering- immerse from under the bridge to come into port.
Elementary STEAM Fairs October 22 - November 4, 2019
Merriam Grade 5 2019-2020
i2 Building a Lunar Colony
In this week-long immersive course, students explored what it might take to set up a Moon colony – what materials they would need to bring, how the very different lunar environment might impact the way they live, and what challenges they would face to survive on the Moon. Students investigated impacts of the lunar environment and constructed models of possible colonies to meet specific criteria and constraints.
Key Topics: Gravity • Engineering Design Process • Mass • Needs of Organisms
Please join us at our Night of Code event on Monday, December 9, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 pm at RJ Grey JHS Library for grades 3 to 5 students accompanied by an adult. This event coincides with Computer Science Education Week.
The Night of Code is a fun-filled introduction to computer science through games and activities from code.org. Price is FREE but registration is required.
This event is sponsored by AB PIP STEM and the AB Schools. Read the flyer.
AB PIP STEM sponsors this biennial showcase of interactive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math activities for students in grades 7 through 12 plus adults. During the Open House, engineers, scientists and techies team up with student volunteers to showcase products, services, ideas and inventions and share their passion and knowledge for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.