Weeks 14 & 15 - April 12/13, 26/27
Weeks 14 & 15 - April 12/13, 26/27
What a fantastic first year at the STEAM Lab!! Students put the finishing touches on their SILs projects and celebrated the year's end with a trip to the local ice cream shop.
Embedded Files
Weeks 12 & 13 - March 8/9, 22/23
Weeks 12 & 13 - March 8/9, 22/23
Art students completed their Chihuly chandelier replica and it is now hanging proudly over the entrance way of the STEAM Lab. They did an AMAZING job! The groups are close to completing their individual labs as well as the Sphero Maze Mayhem challenge. The challenge is definitely teaching them patience and perseverance. The Wednesday group visited the MCHS greenhouse as part of Lainie's independent study project. We also learned a little more about the Ag Science career pathway from Ms. Hobbs and Mrs. Pack on our visit.
Weeks 10 & 11 - February 8/9, 22/23
Weeks 10 & 11 - February 8/9, 22/23
This month in the lab students continued to work on their individual interest labs. The Dale Chihuly sculpture is almost complete and will be quite the discussion starter for years to come. Students continue to strengthen their coding skills while learning how to calculate time, distance, and speed. We even had a special visitor named Rango! It's hard to believe that we only have four more lab visits this year.
Weeks 8 & 9 - January 11/12, 25/26
Weeks 8 & 9 - January 11/12, 25/26
Students have been busy working on various projects taking place at the Lab. Art students are learning about the artist, Dale Chihuly, as they design a replica of Chihuly's glass chandelier. SILs groups continue to deepen their knowledge on particular topics such as green screen, 3-D printing, and machine dissection. The Periodic Table was the science focus this month. The group learned about the layout of the table and the various elements. During coding this month, students are conducting trial runs with the Sphero to learn more about the relationship between time, distance, and speed.
Week 7 - December 14/15
Week 7 - December 14/15
This week at the lab, students began working on their Student Interest Labs (SILs). Last month students completed an interest survey that allowed them to rate their personal interest in various learning experiences, such as; machine dissection, self-publishing, 3-D printing, art activities, movie making, etc. Based on their interest, students have ample time during their visit to work on their particular SILs project. Additionally, all students continue to learn about robotics and coding through Spheros. This week part of our day also included working on a service project for the community. Students designed ornaments and Christmas cards for the residents at local nursing homes and assistant living facilities.
Weeks 5 & 6 - November 9/10 & 30/1
Weeks 5 & 6 - November 9/10 & 30/1
Students worked through a STEM project that required them to design a rescue device. Using minimal supplies of popsicle sticks, string, straws, construction paper, and masking tape, teams designed and created a device to save friends who had 'fallen off a cliff while hiking in a remote area.' The group also finalized and presented their work on the pizza box marble game. Each student shared their design and discussed how s/he confronted any issues s/he may have had during the design process.
Week 4 - October 26 & 27
Week 4 - October 26 & 27
This week in the STEAM Lab students learned about electrical engineering through hands-on investigation and research. Students applied their learning by designing a Halloween light-up card using copper tape, a coin battery, and LED lights. Additionally, students had time to continue their work in the MakerSpace to create their pinball game design by following the Engineer Design Process. Our day ends each week with literacy, reading how science is happening around the world in our monthly Scholastic Science World magazine. The magazine is full of interesting and mind-boggling articles!
Electrical Circuit Lab
Application of Circuits
Researching how circuits work and the types.
Students continue to work on their pinball game design in the MakerSpace.
Week 3 - October 12 & 13
Week 3 - October 12 & 13
After beginning the day with a critical thinking exercise, the class listens to the podcast KidNuz to catch up on current events happening around the world. Since the stink bug is a very current event here in Kentucky, students participated in a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug investigation. Using the microscopes, students were able to get up close and personal with their species and learned a lot about the insect through their research. We continued our work with the scientific method by working through a chemistry lab about chemical changes. Students finished out the day in the MakerSpace working on their pinball game.
Stink Bug Investigation
Up Close and Personal with the Stink Bug
Chemistry Lab
Is there a chemical change?
Collecting Data
Using the Engineer Design Process
MakerSpace
Being Creative & Artistic
Week 2 - September 28 & 29
Week 2 - September 28 & 29
Each morning at the lab students begin their day with a "Problem of the Day" that exercises their critical thinking skills. This week students created a self-portrait that allowed them to think about their Visible & Invisible Identities. Students also continued to work with Spheros and dug a little deeper into the concepts of coding. In the MakerSpace this week, students began using the Engineer Design Process to create their version of a pinball game.
Critical Thinking with the Problem of the Day
Visible & Invisible Identity
Visible & Invisible Identity
Learning to code using blocks and loops.
First Week of STEAM Lab
First Week of STEAM Lab
Students had a great first week at the new STEAM Lab. Students developed classroom expectations, learned about the Scientific Method through a science lab called "What's in the Box?", and students also began learning about Spheros, which will be used to learn how to code.
Science Lab Investigation
Coding with Spheros
What's in the Box? Science Lab
Robotics with Spheros
What is STEAM?
What is STEAM?
The STEAM Lab is designed for innovative learning and will be different from the traditional classroom setting. However, the expectation for learning will not be different. Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math (STEAM) will be intertwined through the various learning experiences. Students will be actively engaged in hands-on/minds-on, project-based learning as they investigate, create, experiment, and build. Mornings include critical thinking challenges, mathematical riddles, logic puzzles, engineering, coding or conducting science experiments of their own design. In the afternoons, students take part in long-term Special Interest Labs (SILS). Special Interest Labs are designed around student interest as well as gifted areas. Topics may include Machine Dissection, Crime Scene Investigation, Roller Coaster Physics, 3D Printing, Art, Online Book Publishing, Flight Class, and more!
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