STEAM Grade 8

The 8th Grade STEAM Program is a marking period long elective course that covers a few different topics.  These topics include:

1. Intro to Electricity

2. Renewable Energy

3. The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

4. Cities: Skylines / Future Cities Competition

5. Genius Hour

Throughout the course of the marking period, students will engage in a number of activities that give them opportunities for hands-on learning, guided learning, and independent learning.  Students will learn about the electricity, how it is made, how it works, and what the different parts of an electric circuit do.  Students will then discover the differences between Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy sources, and further investigate Solar Power and Wind Power.  Students may watch and/or read "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer to discover the story of a boy who provided electricity for his village.  Students may also take part in a variation of the Future Cities Competition, where they try to create a city that is entirely powered by Renewable Energy sources in the game Cities: Skylines.  And finally, students may be given a chance to explore interest based topics during a Genius Hour unit.